State Ex Rel. Washington Toll Bridge Authority v. Yelle

82 P.2d 120, 195 Wash. 636
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 4, 1938
DocketNo. 27248. En Banc.
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 82 P.2d 120 (State Ex Rel. Washington Toll Bridge Authority v. Yelle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Washington Toll Bridge Authority v. Yelle, 82 P.2d 120, 195 Wash. 636 (Wash. 1938).

Opinion

Holcomb, J.

This is an original mandamus action, instituted in this court by relators to compel the state auditor to audit and approve certain vouchers, duly authenticated by the Washington toll bridge authority and the state director of highways, for the expenses incurred incident to the preliminary plans and survey of the proposed “Narrows bridge” in Pierce county. By a special leave of court, N. C. Jannsen, doing business as N. C. Jannsen Drilling Company, and one George Stevens were permitted to intervene.

For several years, the inhabitants of Pierce county have had under consideration a project which envisages, through the construction of a bridge across a certain portion of the navigable waters of Puget sound" known as “the Narrows,” the connection of the city of *638 Tacoma more directly with the mainland of what is known as the peninsular district of that county, now exclusively served by a ferry system, and the acquisition of the present ferry system, at a total cost of six million dollars.

The United States government has, through the public works administration, made a grant of $2,700,000, and the toll bridge authority proposes to issue revenue bonds pursuant to chapter 173, Laws of 1937, § 7, p. 658, Rem. Rev. Stat., Vol. 7A, § 6524-7 [P. C. § 2697-508], relating to toll bridges, in the sum of $3,300,000, to be purchased by a Federal government agency to complete the financing of the project.

Under the terms of the grant, work must be commenced as early as possible, but in no event later than ten weeks subsequent to June 27, 1938.

For some time previous to April 25, 1938, Pierce county had sponsored a project, and had made application to the public works administration of the United States for financial assistance and cooperation in the construction of this proposed toll bridge. April 25, 1938, however, Pierce county, by virtue of a resolution of its board of commissioners, transferred the sponsorship of the projected bridge to the toll bridge authority, with a request that it construct, operate, maintain, and provide for the financing of the toll bridge under the provisions of chapter 173, Laws of 1937, p. 654, Rem. Rev. Stat., Vol. 7A, § 6524-1 [P. C. § 2697-501] et seq., in conjunction with the public works administration of the United States. The Pierce county commissioners also made available to the toll bridge authority the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars from funds which had accrued, or might accrue, to the credit of Pierce county in the motor vehicle fund by virtue of the provisions of chapter 208, Laws of 1937, p. 1013, Rem. Rev. Stat., Vol. 7A, § 6600-1 [P. C. § 2696-101] et seq.

*639 Acceding to the request of Pierce county, and acting pursuant to chapter 173, Laws of 1937, the toll bridge authority accepted the sponsorship of the bridge, which necessarily involved financing, constructing, and operating a toll bridge, subject to the approval and in conjunction with the public works administration of the United States. June 27, 1938, the United States, through the Federal emergency administrator of public works, made a written offer to the Washington toll bridge authority to aid in financing the construction of the proposed bridge and the approaches thereto, and to assist in acquiring the necessary lands and rights of way therefor. By resolution, the Washington toll bridge authority declared the construction of the toll bridge was necessary, advantageous, and practicable, and instructed the director of highways to make a further investigation, examination, reconnaissance, and survey, and to draft such preliminary plans and obtain such prehminary data as might be requisite to the financing of the bridge.

The claims involved here were incurred for services rendered in connection with the preliminary investigation and survey of one N. C. Jannsen, doing business as N. C. Jannsen Drilling Company, and George Stevens, a designing engineer.

It is admitted that these persons have already rendered their services in accordance with their contract with the director of highways, and that the sum of $2,621.50 and the sum of $41.94 became due and owing to Jannsen and Stevens from the toll bridge authority. Notwithstanding the presentation of duly authenticated vouchers for these amounts, the state auditor has refused to issue warrants therefor upon the motor vehicle fund.

In his return to the application for the writ, respondent denied that relator was entitled to the relief prayed *640 for because chapter 173, Laws of 1937, is unconstitutional for several reasons.

The validity of the claims hereinbefore referred to is the question presented for decision. It is conceded that these claims are a proper charge against the funds of the state highway department, provided chapter 173, Laws of 1937, is a valid enactment.

The Washington toll bridge authority, an administrative body composed of the governor, the state auditor, the director of public service, the director of highways, and the director of finance, business and budget, was created by chapter 173, Laws of 1937.

Chapter 173, § 3, p. 656, Rem. Rev. Stat., Vol. 7A, § 6524-3 [P. C. § 2697-503], reads:

“The ■ Washington Toll Bridge Authority is empowered, in accordance with the provisions of this act, to provide for the establishing and constructing of toll bridges upon any public highways of this state together with approaches thereto wherever the same is considered necessary or advantageous and practicable for crossing any stream, body of water, gulch, navigable water, swamp or other topographical formation whether the same is within this state or constitutes a boundary between this state and an adjoining state or country. The necessity or advantage and practicability of any such toll bridge shall be determined by the Washington Toll Bridge Authority and the feasibility of financing any toll bridge in the manner provided by this act shall be a primary consideration and determined according to the best judgment of the Washington Toll Bridge Authority. For the purpose of obtaining information for the consideration of the authority upon the construction of any toll bridge or any other matters pertaining thereto it shall be the duty of any cognizant officer or employee of the state upon the request of the authority to make reasonable examination, investigation, survey or reconnaissance for the determination of material facts pertaining thereto and report the same to the authority. The cost of any such examination, investigation, survey or reconnais- *641 sanee shall be borne by the department or office conducting the same from the funds provided for such department or office for its usual functions.”

Chapter 173. Laws of 1937, § 12, p. 664, Rem. Rev. Stat., Vol. 7A, §6524-12 [P. C. § 2697-513], provides that any city, county, or other political subdivision of the state may, upon the request of the director of highways or of the toll bridge authority, advance or contribute money, rights of way, labor, materials and other property toward the expense of building the toll bridge, and to defray the costs of prehminary surveys and the preparation of plans and estimates of costs therefor.

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Bluebook (online)
82 P.2d 120, 195 Wash. 636, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-washington-toll-bridge-authority-v-yelle-wash-1938.