Hawaiian Tramways Co. v. Rapid Transit & Land Co.

1 D. Haw. 164
CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedDecember 4, 1901
StatusPublished

This text of 1 D. Haw. 164 (Hawaiian Tramways Co. v. Rapid Transit & Land Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hawaiian Tramways Co. v. Rapid Transit & Land Co., 1 D. Haw. 164 (D. Haw. 1901).

Opinion

-Estee, J.

This is a bill in equity filed by the Hawaiian Tramways Company, Limited, and verified by the oalth of W. H. Pain, as manager for said company, to enjoin the defendant, its associates, counsellors, solicitors, agents, contractors 'and servants from entering -into or upon King street, in the city of Honolulu, for the purpose of locating, constructing or operating a street railway therein, 'adjoining, alongside of or parallel with the street railway of the Hawaiian Tramways Company, Limited, and from digging up or subverting; the soil, surface or paving of said King street ior doingi any other acts in islaid King street tending to obstruct in any way the free and common use thereof as had theretofore been enjoyed, or tending to intermeddle or interfere with or obstruct the rights of the petitioner therein, or in the beneficial enjoyment of its franchises therein.

Petitioner 'also' prays for a preliminary -injunction -against the said Rapid Transit and Land Company from doing the aforesaid acts.

An order to' show cause why a preliminary and temporary injunction should not issue against it, was directed toi the Bapicl Transit and Land Company, made returnable on the 11th. da.y of November, 1901.

The facts as shown by the bill and the afiklavite and -oral testimony introduced at the hearing appear to be these:

That tire Hawaiian Tramways Company, limited, is a foreign corporation organized' under the laws of Great Britain and Ireland, and operating in the streets of Honolulu, the street railway hereafter mentioned; that in 'and by Act XVIII. of' the Session Laws of 1884, of the Kingdom of Hawaii, a grant was made to “William II. Austin and his associates ‘and 'assigns or such corporation as may be incorporated or organized by him or -them, to> construct, lay down, maintain, and operate for the term of thirty years from the passage of this Act, a single track street railway with all the necessary curves, switches and turnouts, or double track street railway through such of the streets mentioned in this Act........'along and upon the following [166]*166streets in the city of Honolulu......”. Among said streets enumerated, was King1 street.

The Hawaiian Tramways Company, Limited, is the successor in interest, of the said William R. Austin and his associates.

On July 7th, 1898, Act- 69 of the Session Laws of 1898 was passed by tire Legislature of the Republic of Hawaii and duly sigued by the President of the Republic. In and by said Act 69, a grant was made to Clinton Gr. Bailentyne and others, conferring the right “to. construct, lay down, maintain and operate for the term of thirty year’s after1 the railway authorized by this Act shall have been commenced, a railway, either single, or double track, or partly single and partly double, witb such curves switches, turnouts, poles, wires underground or overhead conduits and such other appliances and appurtenances as may from time to time be necessary for the use and 'operation thereof along and upon the following streets, roads and places in the District of Honolulu..........”

The portion of King Street in Palarna mentioned in the bill of plaintiff is not included in said list of streets and roads.

Section 3 of said Act provides tbe nature of the motive power to be used by the grantees of tbe franchise.

By Section 6 of the Act last ’aforesaid, it is provided—

“1st. Authority is hereby given the said Association and others to occupy thei streets and use the tracks of tbei Hawaiian Tramways Company, Limited, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of Chapter 34 of tbei Laws of 1884, entitled ‘An Act granting to William R. Austin, and bis associates, tbe right to construct and operate a street railway upon certain streets in tbe city of Honolulú/ provided that tbe said Association and others shall comply with tbe provisions and requirements of this Section.”
“2nd. Whenever it shall bei necessary to cross the tracks of any other railway, tbei said Association and others are authorized to construct and lay down ait their own expíense, proper crossings removing tire rails so crossed for that purpose; but such construction and renroval shall be done in such manner as to [167]*167least interfere with the traffic of such other- railway; and after-the crossings are laid, the expense of maintenance shall be borne equally by the said Association and others, and the owners or lessees of such other railway.”
“3rd. In the use: of any portion of the tracks of the Hawaiian Tramways Company, the ears of the Hawaiian Tramways Company or- of the said Association and others, shall not remain standing on the portion used jointly, but shall make only such s-tops as are required to take: on and let off passengers.”

It is further provided by Subdivision 11 of Section 2 of Act 69 of the Session Laws: of 1898, that “Whenever a majority of the: owners of property-on any street or road in said Honolulu shall, in writing, petition said association and others to lay a railway in such street or road, and the Executive Council shall consent thereto, such railway may be 1-aid thereon and thereafter may be maintained and operated for the nnexpired term of said franchise.”

By the provisions of Section 86 of an Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled “An Act to provide a government for the Territory of Hawaii,” approved the 30th cla,y of April, 1900, all of the powers and duties which by tlie laws of the Republic of Hawaii were conferred upon and required of said Executive Council, not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, were conferred upon and required of the Governor of the Territory of Hawaii.

The Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land Company, respondent herein, and a corporation organized and existing under -and by virtue of the law-s of the Republic of Hawaii, is the successor and assign of Clinton G. Ballentyn© and others.

It further- appears that ever since- the assignment of the rights, pirivileges and franchises granted to William R. Austin and his associates', to the petitioner herein, to: wit: some time prior to the 14th day of November, 1890, the petitioner -herein has operated and maintained and still opea-ates and maintains upon the streets of Honolulu, a street railway including the street known as King street therein, -and on that portion thereof refer-ed to in said bill.

[168]*168Tliat the Rapid Transit and Land Company, after becoming the assignee in interest of Clinton G. Ballentvna and his associatefe, and after its incorporation on August 31, 1898, began IDublicly to construct a street, railway in Honolulu, the said showing of cause alleging that said respondent “is now 'and since the 31st day of August last, has been operating a street railway of the type aforesaid through a number of the principal streets of said Honolulu under and by virtue of its said charter.”

It is admitted that the Rapid Transit and Land Company bad at the time of the. filing of the bill herein, commenced toi construct and is constructing a street railway along King street for a distance of morei than 1700 feet thereon and along that portion thereof westward from Liliha street and referred to in the bill, and in such construction of said portion of said street railway is1 running parallel tor tbei railway track of the said plaintiff and petitioner.

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Bluebook (online)
1 D. Haw. 164, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hawaiian-tramways-co-v-rapid-transit-land-co-hid-1901.