Road Improvement District No. 16 v. Sale

243 S.W. 825, 154 Ark. 551, 1922 Ark. LEXIS 527
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedJuly 10, 1922
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 243 S.W. 825 (Road Improvement District No. 16 v. Sale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Road Improvement District No. 16 v. Sale, 243 S.W. 825, 154 Ark. 551, 1922 Ark. LEXIS 527 (Ark. 1922).

Opinion

McCulloch, C. J.

Road Improvement District No. 2 of Woodruff County was formed by order of the county court of tbat county, pursuant to tbe general statute authorizing the formation of road improvement districts (Crawford & Moses’ Digest, sec. 5399 et seq.), and progress seems to have been made in preparing for tbe construction of tbe improvement, though it is not shown in tbe pleadings or proof in tbe present case to what extent tbe proceedings progressed.

The General Assembly, at tbe extraordinary session convened in January, 1920, pursuant to tbe proclamation of tbe Chief Executive, enacted a special statute bearing tbe title as follows: “An act to embrace Road Improvement District No. 2 of tbe Northern District of Wood-ruff County in, and to create Road Improvement District Number 16 of, Woodruff County, and for other purposes.” Tbe first section of tbat statute reads as follows: “That all assessments now levied on lands in Improvement District Number 2 of tbe Northern District of Woodruff County are hereby set aside and revoked, and tbat the territory of Road Improvement District Number 2 be and is hereby embraced in and made a part of the hereinafter created Road Improvement District Number 16 of tbe Northern District of Woodruff County; and tbat said District Number 16, hereinafter created, is benefited by tbe preliminary work, estimates and surveys made on account of District Number 2, and that District Number 16 shall assume tbe burden of payment of all preliminary expenses in tbe matter of formation, surveys, estimates, fees, etc., of District Number 2, and assessments are hereby authorized to cover tbe payment of said benefits by said hereinafter created District Number 16; and the commissioners hereinafter appointed shall have control, as provided by law, over all the road improvements and territory herein embraced in Boad Improvement District Number 16.”

The subsequent sections designated the boundaries of the district, specified the road or roads to be improved, named the commissioners, and contain other provisions with reference to assessing benefits, levying taxes, borrowing money and constructing the improvement.

Appellees are residents and owners of real property within the boundaries of the old district as well as the new district created by the special statute above referred to, and they instituted this action in the chancery court of Woodruff County to restrain the commissioners of Boad Improvement District No. 16 from proceeding under the statute. The validity of the special statute creating Boad Improvement District No. 16 is assailed on the grounds that it was not legally enacted, in that the bill was changed without authority during its progress through the House of Bepresentatives; that it was not embraced within the Governor’s proclamation for the extraordinary session, and that notice of the introduction of the bill was not given for the length of time required by the Constitution. The points of attack upon the validity of the statute will be discussed in the order in which they are made. .

The charge that the bill was changed without authority during its passage through the House is sought to be established from inspection of the original bill, with indorsements thereon, as it now appears on file in the office of the Secretary of State. It is shown by the inspection that the first page, which is typewritten, is in different type from that of the other pages of the bill and on different kind of paper. The bill cannot be stricken down on this ground, for the fact that one of the pages appears in different typewriting and on a different kind of paper does not overcome the presumption of the regularity of its introduction and passage through the two Houses of the General Assembly. The rule is firmly established in this State that an enrolled statute “signed by the Governor and deposited with the Secretary of State raises the presumption that every requirement was complied with, unless the contrary affirmatively appears from the records of the General Assembly,” etc., and that this presumption is conclusive “unless the records of which the courts can take judicial knowledge show to the contrary.” State v. Crowe, 130 Ark 272; Harrington v. White, 131 Ark. 291; Perry v. State, 139 Ark. 227; Booe v. Sims, 139 Ark. 595; Booe v. Road Imp. Dist. 141 Ark. 140.

The further inquiry then presents itself whether there is anything appearing upon the preserved records of the General Assembly which overcomes the presumption arising from the enrolled statute in the office of the Secretary of State. We take notice of these records (Butler v. Kavanaugh, 103 Ark. 109; Mechanics’ Bldg. & Loan Assn. v. Coffman, 110 Ark. 269), ¡but, in addition to that, counsel have brought into the record certified copies of all the journal entries and a copy of the original bill with all of its indorsements.

The contention of appellees is that the title of the bill as introduced and passed in the Senate contained the word “abolish,” instead of the word “embrace” as now appears in the original bill and in-the enrolled statute, and that this change was made without proper amendment after the bill had been read the first and second times in the House. Counsel rely upon the journal entries of the two Houses to establish this charge.

The Senate Journal recites that Senate Bill No. 4, by Senator Roddy, “An Act to abolish Road Improvement District No. 2 of the northern district of Woodruff County in, and to create Road Improvement District Number 16 of, Woodruff County, and for other purposes”, was read the first time on January 26, 1920, the rules suspended and read the second time, and made a special order for January 27. The entry on the Senate Journal on January 27, 1920, recites the title of the bill in the same language as in the entry on the previous date. It states that the bill was read the third time and placed on final passage and passed, the aye and nay vote being set forth on the record, showing the affirmative vote of a majority. The entry on the House Journal on January 27, recites that “Senate Bill No. 4, being .a ‘bill to abolish Road Improvement District No. 2 of the northern district of Woodruff County, and'to create Road Improvement District No. 16, and for other purposes,’ was read the first and second time and placed on the calendar.” The entry in the House Journal on January 30, showing the final passage of the bill, recites that “Senate Bill No. 4, by Senator Roddy, the same being a bill for ‘ an act to embrace Road Improvement District No. 2 of the northern district of Woodruff County in, and to create Road Improvement District No. 16 of, Woodruff County, and for other purposes,’ was read the third time and placed on final passage.” The entry further recites the aye and nay vote in detail, showing the affirmative vote of a majority of the House. The last entry in the two Houses is on the Senate Journal on February 2, 1920, reciting that “Senate Bill No. .4, by Senator Roddy, the same being a 'bill for an act to be entitled, ‘An act to embrace Road Improvement District No. 2 of the northern district of Woodruff County in, and to create Road Improvement' District No. 16 of, Woodruff County, and for other purposes,’ was received by the Senate from the House.” The bill was then enrolled and approved by the Governor on February 18, 1920, and the title of the act as enrolled corresponds witli the language of tlm original bill as it now appears.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Whaley v. Independence County
205 S.W.2d 861 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1947)
Barber v. State
174 S.W.2d 545 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1943)
Burton v. Harris
152 S.W.2d 529 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1941)
State Note Board v. State Ex Rel. Attorney General
54 S.W.2d 696 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1932)
Williams v. Parnell
51 S.W.2d 863 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1932)
State Military Note Board v. Casey
47 S.W.2d 23 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1932)
Hardgrove v. Arnold
26 S.W.2d 581 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1930)
Crowe v. Security Mortgage Co.
5 S.W.2d 346 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1928)
Connor v. Blackwood
2 S.W.2d 44 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1928)
Bush v. Martineau
295 S.W. 9 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1927)
Huff v. Udey
292 S.W. 693 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1927)
Ruddell v. Gray
285 S.W. 2 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1926)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
243 S.W. 825, 154 Ark. 551, 1922 Ark. LEXIS 527, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/road-improvement-district-no-16-v-sale-ark-1922.