Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad v. Corp. & Securities Commission

92 N.W.2d 22, 353 Mich. 636
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 10, 1958
DocketDocket No. 45, Calendar No. 47,303
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 92 N.W.2d 22 (Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad v. Corp. & Securities Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad v. Corp. & Securities Commission, 92 N.W.2d 22, 353 Mich. 636 (Mich. 1958).

Opinions

Edwards, J.

The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad Company is a Minnesota corporation engaged primarily in hauling iron ore and freight to and from Minnesota and Wisconsin and Michigan’s upper peninsula. Five hundred and fifty-eight miles of its tracks, 81% of the total, are within the borders of Michigan. Of all net ton miles of revenue freight hauled in 1951, 532,709,000 miles, or 78%, were hauled in Michigan. Most of this freight moved between States with only 61,031,000 miles of it, or 9% of the total, representing freight miles between loading and unloading points located in Michigan.

In 1952 the Michigan legislature sought to include railroads under then-existing legislation (CL 1948, § 450.301 et seq. [Stat Ann § 21.201 et seqj]) requiring the payment of a franchise and privilege fee by each domestic and foreign corporation. These amendments which are applicable to railroad corporations were PA 1952, Nos 183 and 270 (CLS 1952, §§450.304, 450.305b, 450.82 [Stat Ann 1953 Cum Supp §§ 21.205, 21.208(2) ]). These amendments were given immediate effect as of April 29 and J une 12j1952.

On August 28, 1952, appellant filed a report and paid under protest the sum of $5,908.45 which it claimed to be the amount due under PA 1952, No 183, if such was constitutional.

On April 13, 1953, the corporation and securities commission issued a determination rejecting the railroad’s computation and computing the tax as follows:

[641]*641“April 13, 1953
“Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad Company 1824 First Natl. Soo Line Bldg.
Minneapolis 2, Minnesota “Gentlemen:
“On September 2 we received your 1952 Michigan annual report with $5,908.45
“The privilege fee is computed on the paid-in capital and surplus as shown by the books of a corporation as of close of its fiscal or calendar year next preceding the time for filing. TJ.S. Government securities and paid-in capital surplus are not allowable deductions from surplus in computing the fee.
“We find the average ratio to be .798943. Applying this to paid-in capital of $10,500,000 and surplus of $1,693,500 at rate of 4 mills on the dollar results in $38,969.64 including $2 filing fee. Kindly remit balance due of $33,061.19.
“Very truly yours,
/s/ Ann Sawasky, “Director, Annual Reports”

The railroad then appealed this determination to the Michigan corporation tax appeal board which, after hearing, approved the fee as computed by the commission; and from this decision the railroad brings this appeal to this Court.

Before we detail and deal with the issues presented on appeal, some additional facts must be stated:

The appellant railroad was incorporated under the laws of Minnesota on October 19, 1949, and on November 1, 1949, it acquired the assets of Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway Company and of Mineral Range Railroad Company. This acquisition was pursuant to a reorganization of these 2 railroads under section 77 of the United States bankruptcy act, as amended, by virtue of which appellant purchased these assets. It paid for them by the [642]*642issue o'f<'2fOy00.G' shares of stock of no par value hut with ;a-statedvalue of! $501 á share,i!áhdi$5,’000,OODxifr face value of 4 % bojúks? Hhasússuédoho ad'ditiónhl stock so that at the time df^filirígíifs 'EnUháhihp'dit for 1952, its ..outstanding .paid-in capital coh'sistbd 'o’! jiL'l'C íridi rí. rían íil-'iUU t>‘ Si a OtJ 14„C,k > these ,!21&;060 :sháír!éé. ^^^o^hí^ stptík'wás'iBspM to and is owned by. 1hetCaná?dÍ&n'^a¿mó/j^ ■ ní co avJn‘;í» mccw';! nomíímoo mí opT-ic'rtnm* hí nü'i • pany. , Nonecof .it has. ever been sold. This reoxgani■‘Av.yA , :>;*» o ¡i» ;us 1 vrj_¡: m»,i>, m:, -xij'nuw nsi Qf!,fhg.,.as|,pi'|s sp^jqqt,..^ the > jappp Qvalfj an^paythfiFfe^ipíl-l fláíAft > Q.ommeMce>íc:pniinissÍQ3í andffee idietriét«cbp¡iítepf -tfe. United, SiM§&*&>r>4lhe} district-.pfr-Minné’sót'ay fb.híth division? cm íí00,í)(/(;„(í• A "U> tetiquo üi-fx.cq oS' mv

r’éb’igafiízhtí'á pl'án facts • AN. l<- on!) oomPm:

“The debtor wrpdrate's lipes of railroad extending frdm:qSSultmSte? Marie; i'i Michigan, and from St. Ignaee,, Michigap, westward to Soo Jiinction, Mpchighi'' ^lidfyNhey'jolh’; dMhée'ytésíWard fhVoiglPMkrquett'é; -Mibliigaíi,! Oto " Nesto'fiá? »fMichigan;1 -- then'cb northward' *‘fardill1' Ne stdriW No'! Ho'ughton;t1 'Michigáify and westward fromNestbEia to: Marengo; iWiscdnsiny, thence westward through ••AhhlandjcíW^iscohsiny;. and Superior,) ‘Waseohsiny ft®■.PulpthyiMinpegotay pqaip.xisingj425í;milpsip£;maín,;line,¡fgh jmileai.pfJ.^)ra,p(;h,lin^, pud l-Q2,.piilp?-p,í,leased,- l'ipe, ^fotaLpf ra^prp^imatply of’ land aid'rights' |ari¡Lpuhteá(' tjd,^ih,717,941?;'ah1 b,f pW5é&beV:f^íT'944yt'áfe¿pf9ümfg 'f bs the'hupdrf df^the literst&td"’comméfóéi1 doiinliisidi'?'s¿ b'ür'éau df'whli^ ktionh!' f,[t coibií ’ííov'io >-i ts r.;i bcmichm c.v* mW

’ * :“The} fcbrtidh1 df* ft/e lineé > extending:. ‘from-.- Mam quettfe thrdttghoNebtoriajlo'' Houghton >waá -£oppajeply o^whed.and!operated by theyMarquetfepljpugiitop;.^ Ontonagon — Railroad Company, and is-known-as MH&O mortgage ;ñiétrfct:-c^heAf§íoiklin'íñg'''í)0'ftrbns [643]*643of, the .debtor’s” railroad, extending • westward .from Nestoriá and eastward frorh■ Márqhette,, áre collecknown as the,DSS&A

connection'!rith'the abode pailrM’t^ Mineral .Range, 2b milés lóhg,-' exfendiiig froil ÉoughtóñlMichiganj through ’Háñdó'ek'*tp'Cajifnaietj*.* ’The'’ cost óf xdpimdu^ifíhAf 'the/^tóiri^ralNahge'ljarlróadj, léiss déprebia&&f* 'jpliafe1 H)¿,lW(‘óf land' !áhd; pights', was $797,917 a‘á[ ¿hpptíember ‘31) l94l; accórárhg'ío' tíre re^orttotl’.lhb'/^^ df; vahíatioiis] This ídilt'b'ad'has'Válíie 'bnhcibally'aF'a ''feedérí'tb the ’debtor’s liriesf'1"t,,f*s ,r'::ií v i;i' Arr»

..“Qn January 2, 1937,,the debtor began this:píocpódíng1' by: 'fi|ih¿! ‘ íñ 'líiia $du£t*:,á' petition5’ hhóydpg that ’it 'wás hínábie1 fp. ihpet ithdéht^ds^d^ mkthrbd áñd!fthat'-ít desíyed íó!; effect ''a'plah'pf, r'épfgahi2á~ tidh; piirsñaht to,' Aectiod" 775 of’ lbs1 haufeiiptcy ‘ apt. The,' debtor’^' obligations) ;at ;thát lime inclüdedópü addífioh to’ large1 ■ amoiifi'tó cóf üíi’s'ócuféd,! d'óbt';the ibF lowing amounts of debt secured b‘y' 'b'utstáhdirig mortgages - of ,it^:,properties:- .¡..g a

“■Bonds;¡secured by ;the. ;MH&0 $.%;.-m.or.tr:anhr. b ;m•.«i ••■•jgage .of 1885t.(hereinafter called,Sixes),gw , g ¡\„ assumed by the principal debtor......$.1,400,000

“Bop^s.ipdarel.by fhe ^S.S&N.b^^r^t ; ,...ihortgage [pf 1887 .{.hereinafter- called y‘"\ Fives)..,...;^dl/,,,..';;i,. :... ' 4,ooo[ooo

“Bonds 'secured oy‘ '[•fliq'.í&^&AÍ^cdA'édlí- r(‘"/ !,t”' iS dated mortgage' of ’ 1890 ’ (h'eféihafteF ír‘;;;rrw: wt palled Fours) .... •. ..... .;í;g.. .g....:,;... /15,1Q7-,Q00 “Fnpaid ipter;esf pn.Fóurs> ,.g.i. ,¡,,Sh... ¿(¡21,599,315

;,, ■ i->c ‘-Total. ,:... uw<'...hgA

■ “On danhary 30,: 1937, Ihe corirt-appbinted^.-tru'sitees in bankruptcy! Hi. 'dñiheh'ilk.

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

Related

E. F. MacDonald Co. v. Department of Treasury
233 N.W.2d 678 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1975)
United Air Lines, Inc. v. Department of Treasury
185 N.W.2d 192 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1970)
McLouth Steel Corp. v. Corporation & Securities Commission
124 N.W.2d 900 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1963)
Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Co. v. Corp. & Securities Commission
123 N.W.2d 258 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1963)
Detroit Edison Co. v. Corporation & Securities Commission
105 N.W.2d 110 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1960)
Armco Steel Corp. v. Department of Revenue
102 N.W.2d 552 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1960)
Mississippi State Tax Commission v. Tennessee Gas Transmission Co.
116 So. 2d 550 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1959)
Duluth, SS & AR Co. v. C. & S. COMM.
92 N.W.2d 22 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1959)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
92 N.W.2d 22, 353 Mich. 636, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/duluth-south-shore-atlantic-railroad-v-corp-securities-commission-mich-1958.