Aurora Water Co. v. City of Aurora

Decision Date02 July 1895
PartiesAURORA WATER CO. v. CITY OF AURORA.
CourtMissouri Supreme Court

Appeal from circuit court, Lawrence county; W. M. Robinson, Judge.

Action by Aurora Water Company against city of Aurora for rentals of hydrants. Judgment was rendered for defendant, and plaintiff appeals. Reversed.

The ordinances referred to in the opinion are as follows:

Ordinance No. 35.

"Be it ordained by the board of aldermen of the city of Aurora, as follows:

"Section 1. That the city of Aurora, in the county of Lawrence and state of Missouri, is hereby authorized to contract with J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, as hereinafter provided and specified, for the term of twenty years from and after the legal passage of this ordinance, unless sooner purchased, as hereinafter provided by said city in section 10 of this ordinance and contract, the exclusive right and privilege of erecting, constructing, maintaining and operating, waterworks in the city of Aurora, and state of Missouri, for supplying water from Spring river or Honey creek, not polluted by excreta, sewerage or offensive matter of any kind, for domestic, manufacturing, fire extinguishment and the various other uses of water that may be needed in the city, and to regulate the same, provided that the rate shall not exceed 25 cents per thousand gallons to the various consumers; that for the furtherance of said water supply the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, have the exclusive right to use all or any streets, lanes, alleys and public places necessary in which to lay and maintain main and private water pipes, street hydrants and all appurtenances necessary to supply water to the various consumers thereof, provided it is made a part of the contract that all excavations in streets, alleys, lanes and public places, shall be made and placed in as good condition as they were before the making of such excavations.

"Sec. 2. There shall be located at or near the highest point in the city a standpipe, fifteen feet in diameter, by one hundred feet high, for the distribution of water throughout the city, with a storage capacity of not less than one hundred and fifty thousand gallons.

"Sec. 3. The pumping machinery located at the source of supply shall consist of two first-class Dean, Knowles, Worthington, or any other standard pumps equally as good, and boilers and appurtenances necessary to render the operation complete, and arranged to work separately or combined. The pumping capacity shall not be less than one million gallons per day, and sufficient to supply all the water that may be required for the various uses in the said city, during the continuance of this ordinance. The boiler and pump room shall be a modern structure of brick or stone of ample size for its pumping machinery. The filtering process at the source of supply will be of the latest of modern filtration, which will meet the requirements of the city and the inhabitants thereof.

"Sec. 4. There shall be not less than five miles of water mains for the distribution of water within the city limits. The diameter of said water mains shall not be less than four inches, and may be as large as ten, or greater if necessary, inside diameter, and shall be laid two and one-half to three feet below the graded streets. The quality of the said main water pipes shall be first quality standard iron water pipes, and tested to three hundred pounds hydrostatic pressure to the square inch. The pipe distribution shall be so provided with gate valves set with iron boxes, and so connected with the mains, that the said distribution pipes may be divided into sections for repairs. The said five miles of mains shall be located upon such streets as the board of aldermen shall direct by resolution.

"Sec. 5. There shall be located on and connected with the main pipe distribution, at such points in said city as the board of aldermen may designate, sixty double tipped, non freezing fire hydrants, for fire purposes, provided with two and one-half inch tips for hose connections. The hydrants shall be Chapman, or some other standard hydrants, the hydrants to be kept in repair and supplied with water by the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, during the continuance of this ordinance and contract.

"Sec. 6. Extension of main pipes shall be laid down by a resolution of the board of aldermen, setting forth where the extensions are to be made and giving the number of feet in such extensions, provided that the said city shall include in the resolution or ordinance of extension, at least one fire hydrant for every five hundred feet, or major part thereof, of pipe so ordered laid down, and the payment of the rental for the use thereof for fire purposes, and set forth in section seven governing additional hydrants, and that there shall be at least one resident consumer who shall not pay less than six dollars per annum, for the use of water therefrom, for every one hundred and fifty feet of pipe so ordered laid down, or asked for as a reason for such extension.

"Sec. 7. The said city of Aurora hereby agrees to and does rent from said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, sixty fire hydrants for the full term of this ordinance, from and after the completion of the waterworks, as herein set forth, sixty fire hydrants located on the water main, as herein provided, and the said city of Aurora does hereby bind itself to pay to the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns for the use of said hydrants for the supplying of water for the extinguishing of fires, flushing of gutters, and fire department uses, the sum of $3,600 per annum, for the sixty original hydrants, or $60 each, and all additional hydrants the city may order erected the sum of $45 for each and every additional hydrant so ordered erected, and all hydrant rental shall be paid in semiannual installments, on the first days of January and July of each year during the continuance of this ordinance and contract, and in consideration of the above agreement the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, agree and bind themselves to furnish for the use of said city and the inhabitants thereof a constant and uninterrupted supply of water, during the whole term of said ordinance and contract.

"Sec. 8. Additional hydrants shall be erected on water mains, or extensions to be laid, when so ordered by resolution or ordinance of the board of aldermen of said city, and the additional hydrants when erected shall be kept in repair and supplied with water by the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, the same as to the original sixty as aforesaid, the rental of said hydrants to be as provided for in section 7 of this ordinance, and to commence when the said hydrants are ready to supply water and the city clerk notified thereof in writing.

"Sec. 9. Any money due the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, arising out of the provisions of this ordinance and contract, shall bear 8 per cent. annual interest until paid.

"Sec. 10. Said city shall have the right to purchase the waterworks and all appurtenances connected therewith, at the expiration of ten years from the date of their completion, and at the expiration of each succeeding year thereafter, at their equitable value, and if the said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, do not agree upon their value, and the terms of sale of said waterworks and appurtenances, it shall be determined and fixed by three disinterested persons, one of whom shall be chosen by said J. Guiney, his associates and assigns, and one by the said city, and the two chosen to select a third man, and if the three thus selected do not agree upon said value and the terms of sale, then said value and the terms of sale shall be determined by the judges of the county court of Lawrence county, Missouri. In case said waterworks property shall be incumbered by mortgage, deed of trust or other incumbrance at the time of such purchase, such incumbrance shall be subject to the right of the city to...

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