Perley v. North Carolina

Citations

• 249 U.S. 510
• 39 S. Ct. 357
• 63 L. Ed. 735
• 1919 U.S. LEXIS 2067

Syllabus

<p>To protect the watersheds held by cities for supplying water to their inhabitants from danger by fire is a governmental purpose, in the execution of which it is not arbitrary for a State, where there is reasonable apprehension of the danger, to require the owners of timber, upon cutting or removing it from land- near to such watersheds (in'this case within 400 feet), to remove or cause to be burned under proper supervision, the tops, etc., not desired to be taken for commercial or other purposes. P. 513.</p> <p>Mere assertion that the presence of such refuse would be harmless, not a nuisance, etc., held not to countervail the judgment of the state courts, the legislative judgment implied in the act making the requirement, and common experience as to the danger of fires spreading from such accumulations. Id.</p> <p>A statute making this requirement of individuals in favor of municipalities does not deny equal protection of the laws in failing to make similar requirements of municipalities for the protection of individuals. P. 514.</p>