The case involved a dispute over whether the City of Belle Plaine could issue $30,000 in bonds for water-works and sewers without violating the state constitution's 5% debt limit on municipal indebtedness. The plaintiff, a bond bidder, refused payment arguing that the limit should be calculated based on the taxable value (25% of actual value) rather than actual property value, which would make the total debt exceed the limit. The court held that the constitutional debt limit is based on the actual value of property as assessed, not the reduced taxable value used for levying taxes, and that the statutory provisions allowing up to 2.5% for water and sewer systems were valid. The decision affirmed the lower court's judgment in favor of the city.

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