Little Rock & M. R. v. East Tennessee, V. & G. R.

47 F. 771, 1891 U.S. App. LEXIS 1510
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Western Tennessee
DecidedSeptember 16, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 47 F. 771 (Little Rock & M. R. v. East Tennessee, V. & G. R.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Western Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Little Rock & M. R. v. East Tennessee, V. & G. R., 47 F. 771, 1891 U.S. App. LEXIS 1510 (circtwdtn 1891).

Opinion

Hammond, J.

The Little Rock & Memphis Railroad extends from Memphis, Tenn., to Little Rock, Ark., where it has a physical connection with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, extending from St. Louis, Mo., by way of Little Rock, to Texarkana, at the junction of the boundaries of the states of Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, where it connects with other railroads running into Texas and across the continent. The East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad, with its leased line of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, extends eastwardly from Memphis to the eastern boundary of the state of Tennessee, and with its connections runs into many states and to the sea-board. The Iron Mountain road has a branch of its road running from Bald Knob, Ark., to Memphis. At Memphis the eastern and western connections are made by rail through the streets of the city, and by railroad transfer ferries across the Mississippi river; but it is alleged in the bill that as to passengers the connection with the Iron Mountain road must be made by ordinary vehicles, through the streets, transferring them from one railway car to another from the stations of each road, while the connection with the Little Rock road may be made by rail through the city and across the river; wherefore the bill alleges the traveling public prefers the Little Rock & Memphis road, and would largely patronize it, but for the alleged discriminations against it, which it is the purpose of the bill to remove. These discriminations consist, as appears from the averments of the bill, of a traffic arrangement made between the Iron Mountain road and the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia system, whereby through ticketing of passengers is made to points beyond Little Rock over the Bald Knob branch of the Iron Mountain road, which is refused to the Little Rock road, and, coming this way, the Iron Mountain refuses [773]*773to sell through tickets over the Little Rock road to Memphis or beyond. This arrangement is carried out by the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia declining to sell through tickets over the Little Rock, and the Iron Mountain refusing to recognize such tickets on its road; and the bill states specifically the facts and figures which show how hardly this discrimination bears upon the Little Rock road, and deprives it of travel which, before the Bald Knob branch was built, it enjoyed as a monopoly, and would yet enjoy, the bill states, if the choice of the traveling public was allowed to operate in favor of its better facilities and shorter route. The bill avers that this discrimination is in violation of the interstate commerce act of congress, and prays for a mandatory injunction and other process to compel the defendant roads to sell and recognize through tickets over the plaintiff road, and for general relief.

It may be observed here that the bill does not complain of any discrimination to Little Rock or points on the plaintiff road between Little Reck and Memphis, and it is stated in the argument that the East Tennessee Virginia & Georgia system still sells tickets over the plaintiff road to Little Rock, if desired, as well as over the Iron Mountain; but the trouble arises over points beyond Little Rock west, and beyond Memphis east. To this bill there has been a demurrer filed, because — First, there is no equity in it; second, there is no complaint cognizable under the interstate commerce act, and no conduct is averred violating it; third, the matter complained of is not subject to legislative or judicial control, and cai. be reached only by mutual agreement; and, fourth, not coming within the interstate commerce act, the court has no jurisdiction, a diversity of citizenship not being averred. The bill is based upon the plaintiff’s construction of the third section of the interstate commerce act, which reads as follows:

“Sec. 3. That it shall be unlawful for any common carrier subject to the provisions of this act to make or give any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person, company, firm, corporation, or locality, or any particular description of traffic, in any respect whatsoever, or to subject any particular person, company, firm, corporation, or locality, or any particular description of traffic, to any undue or unreasonable prejudice ordisadvuntage in any respect whatsoever. Every common carrier subject to the provisions of this act shall, according to their respective powers, afford all reasonable, proper, and equal facilities 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 shall not discriminate in their rates and charges between such connecting lines; but this shall not be construed as requiring any such com mon carrier to give the use of its tracks or terminal facilities to another carrier engaged in like business.” 24 Kt. 380.

The questions made about the jurisdiction may be easily disposed of so far as they relate to the authority of the court to adjudicate the issues tendered by the bill. The subject-matter of the suit is one arising under an act of congress, and the court has jurisdiction without regard to any diversity of citizenship of the parties. Kentucky & Indiana Bridge Co. v. Louisville N. R. Co., 37 Fed. Rep. 567, 615. The argument for [774]*774the demurrer proceeds, however, upon the theory that the jurisdiction of the court here is limited by the provisions of the interstate commerce act prescribing certain remedies which may be taken in this court for its enforcement. It is hardly necessary to decide that question; but, if it be, there can be but little doubt that the plenary jurisdiction of this court to entertain all controversies arising under an act of congress, either at law or equity, has not been abbreviated by this act in relation to controversies arising under it, but the special remedies, so far as they are special, are merely supplemental to the ordinary remedies existing under the subsisting judiciary act, which governs all our jurisdiction. This is fairly inferable, if not directly decided, from the decision of Circuit Judge Jackson, just cited; and in my judgment there can be no doubt of this, whether it has been so decided or not. Whatever jurisdiction a court of equity may entertain of this controversy may be entertained here, if not under the regulations of the interstate commerce act, prescribing certain remedies, then under the judiciary act, giving us the powers of an equity court as to all cases and controversies arising under any act of congress.

But when we come to consider that branch of the demurrer which denies the equity of this bill, as in all other demurrers of like kind, it presents for judgment the question whether the bill states an equitable right .and asks an equitable remedy, taking the facts averred to be true as stated. It is not so much a question of jurisdiction, often, as it is a question of the sufficiency or merits of the bill; and, that being the case here, we proceed to consider it in that view. If this bill averred that the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad refused to give passengers going over the plaintiff road the same rates and facilities, including through tickets and traffic transfers, that it affords to the Iron Mountain road for passengers going to Little Rock or any other point in the plaintiff road, the court w’ould not hesitate to say that it would be a violation of this section of the interstate commerce act.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
47 F. 771, 1891 U.S. App. LEXIS 1510, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/little-rock-m-r-v-east-tennessee-v-g-r-circtwdtn-1891.