Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Michigan Railroad Commission

198 F. 1009, 1912 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1381
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedAugust 5, 1912
DocketNos. 5,471, 5,476
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 198 F. 1009 (Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Michigan Railroad Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grand Trunk Ry. Co. v. Michigan Railroad Commission, 198 F. 1009, 1912 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1381 (E.D. Mich. 1912).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada and the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway Company filed each its separate bill to restrain the Michigan Railroad Commission and the Attorney General of that state from enforcing certain orders of the Commission made under the authority of the Michigan Railroad Commission Act (being Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1909, as amended by Act No. 139, P. A. Mich. 1911), relating to the intracity transportation of car load freight between complainants’ terminal tracks and their junctions with other roads, and to restrain the enforcement of any penalties or remedies provided for the violation of the orders of the Commission or of the acts of the state of Michigan in question. Applications for interlocutory injunctions were heard under section 266 of the New Judicial Code (Act March 3, 1911, c. 231, 36 Stat. 1162 [U. S. Comp. St. Supp. 1911, p. 236]).

Complainants contend that the statute and orders of the Commission in question are unconstitutional and void, first, as denying the equal protection of the laws, in violation of the fourteenth amendment to the federal Constitution; and, second, as contravening the commerce clause of that Constitution. These objections present the larger questions in the case. Other objections, addressed to the validity of the statute and of the proceedings involved, will be stated later. The purpose of the Commission Act, as indicated by its title, is “to [1012]*1012define and regulate common carriers and the receiving, transportation and delivery of persons and property, prevent the imposition of unreasonable rates, prevent unjust discrimination, insure adequate service, create the Michigan Railroad Commission, define the duties and powers thereof, and to prescribe penaltiés for violation thereof.” The term “railroad,” as usecHn the act, is declared to include all railroads, whether operated by steam, electric or other motive power, except logging or other private railroads not doing business as common carriers, and street and electric railroads engaged solely in the transportation of passengers within the limits of cities or within a distance of 5 miles of the boundaries thereof. The provisions of the act are made applicable “to the transportation of passengers and property between points within this state, and to the receiving, switching, delivering, storing and handling •of such property, and to all charges connected therewith, including icing and mileage charges.”

By section 7 of the original act, the railroads subject to its provisions are required to “afford all reasonable and proper facilities by the establishment of switch connections between one another and the establishment of depots and otherwise for the 'interchange of traffic between their respective lines and for the receiving, forwarding and delivering of passengers and property to and from their several lines and those connecting therewith,” and to “transfer and deliver without unreasonable delay or discrimination any freight or cars or passengers destined to any point on its own line or on any connecting line” without discrimination in rates and charges between such connecting lines.

Any person delivering property for transportation is given the right of routing shipments, and of prescribing over what connecting line transportation shall be made; and it is declared to be the duty of the initial carrier to observe the direction of such shipper, and, in case such direction is not given, “to so route the freight as to give the property the benefit of the lowest rate published between points of origin and destination.” By the same section the Commission is empowered, upon application, to require steam railroads and interurban and suburban railways to interchange cars, car load shipments, less than car load shipments, and passenger traffic “where it is practicable and the' same may be accomplished without endangering equipment, tracks or appliances of either party,” and to require the construction of physical connections upon such terms as the Commission may determine. The same section provides that:

. “Every corporation owning a railroad in use shall, at reasonable times and 'for a reasonable compensation, draw over the same the merchandise and cars of any other corporation or individual having connecting tracks; Provided, such cars are of the proper gauge, are in good running order and equipped as required by law and otherwise safe for transportation and properly loaded.”

With the further proviso that:

“If the corporations cannot agree upon the times at which the cars shall be drawn, or the compensation to be paid, the said Commission shall, upon petition of either party and notice to the other, after hearing the parties in-tei'ested, determine the rate of compensation and fix such other periods, hav-ys reference to the interests of the corporation or corporations and the public co be accommodated thereby.”

[1013]*1013The award of the Commission is declared to be “binding' upon the respective corporations interested therein until the same shall have been revised.”

By sections 22 and following, provision is made for hearing by the Commission of complaints of unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory rates (joint or otherwise), regulations, or practices, and for the fixiiig of maximum rates, and for setting aside unreasonable or discriminatory regulations, practices, and services, and the substitution of proper action in lieu thereof.

By sections 26 and following, provision is made for action in chancery against the Commission by any common carrier or other party in interest who may be dissatisfied with any order of the Commission of the nature of that above referred to, and the court is empowered “to affirm, vacate or set aside the order of the Commission in whole or in part, and to make such further order or decree as the courts shall decide to be in accordance with the facts and the law.” Either party is given the right of appeal to the Supreme Court of the state; and in all actions under this provision the burden is upon the complainant “to show by clear and satisfactory evidence that the order of the Commission complained of is unlawful or unreasonable, as the case may be.”

By the amendment of 1911 a new subdivision was added to section 7, as follows:

“(d) Every common carrier operating within this state shall receive and transport at reasonable rates any and ail ear load traffic offered for transportation under the usual conditions locally consigned between points in the ' same city or town and shall receive and transport at reasonable rates from any junction point or transfer point or intersection with another railroad in such city or town any and all such car load freight destined to team tracks or other sidings on any line operated by the delivering carrier, and shall deliver such car or cars upon such team tracks or sidings in the city or town where such car or ears are received from such connecting line when required so to do: Provided, that when delivery is requested which will involve the use of a private siding not owned or controlled by consignee, said consignee shall file with both receiving and delivering carriers written permission signed by the owner or lessee of such private siding authorizing the use of same.

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Bluebook (online)
198 F. 1009, 1912 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1381, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grand-trunk-ry-co-v-michigan-railroad-commission-mied-1912.