People v. Detroit United Railway

173 N.W. 396, 207 Mich. 143, 1919 Mich. LEXIS 397
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 17, 1919
DocketDocket No. 102
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 173 N.W. 396 (People v. Detroit United Railway) 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
People v. Detroit United Railway, 173 N.W. 396, 207 Mich. 143, 1919 Mich. LEXIS 397 (Mich. 1919).

Opinion

Moore, J.

This is certiorari to review the finding of defendant guilty of violating a city ordinance. We quote sufficiently from the opinion of the trial judge to indicate the questions involved as follows:

[144]*144“This is a complaint against the Detroit United Railway charging a violation of a city ordinance on the 11th day of September, 1917, in that it did not stop its cars at the crossing or intersection of Woodward avenue and Chamberlain avenue in the city of Detroit when hailed and signaled so to stop by certain persons, who desired to become passengers thereon, one such person being T. Frank Hooley, the complainant in this case.
“The city ordinance of the city of Detroit, chapter 245, section 19-a, page 600 of the Compiled Ordinances of the city of Detroit of 1912, provides as follows:
“ ‘Sec. 19-a. All cars carrying passengers operated upon any line of street railroad in the city of Detroit shall come to a full stop immediately before crossing any street or avenue in said city whenever signaled to stop by any person desiring to take passage thereon or to alight therefrom; and all cars operated on any such line or lines shall be brought to a full stop before crossing any street or avenue at which any two lines of street railway intersect.’
“The court finds the facts in this case to be,
“First, that the Detroit United Railway, the defendant' herein, owns and operates a street railway line running over the streets and avenues within the limits of the city of Detroit, and especially upon Woodward avenue and across and by Chamberlain avenue where it intersects Woodward avenue as described in this complaint. That for some time the intersection of Woodward avenue and Chamberlain avenue, as above described, and where complainant stopped and hailed said car has been a regular stop marked by the company with a sign indicating that it was a proper place for its cars to stop, to take on and let off passengers.
“Second, that the complainant on the day mentioned in the complaint was at the said intersection of Woodward and Chamberlain avenues as above described, and hailed or signaled for the stopping of car number -, operated by the said railway company, and that the said car refused to stop upon the signal and hailing of the said complainant.
“Third, that Chamberlain avenue intersecting Woodward avenue, the point mentioned in said complaint, [145]*145is in the city of Detroit, and within the provisions of the said ordinance.
“Fourth, that this part of the city has greatly developed in the past few years, and within it are hundreds of families requiring the service of the said street railway company, and that the local service rendered by the said company is inadequate; that while there is local service on said line on Woodward avenue at the intersection of Chamberlain avenue, this is very frequently changed to limited service where the cars run by, and refuse to stop for passengers at said point, at such times rendering local service wholly inadequate. That people are required to walk from twelve to fifteen hundred feet across some three or four other street crossings intersecting Woodward avenue to get cars marked ‘limited’ run by said company on said streets; and in a modem city in keeping with the desire and necessity for rapid transit, such distances to walk to take a car are an unreasonable burden upon the public.
“Fifth, that Hooley is a resident of Royal Oak, and that when attempting to take the car mentioned in said complaint, he was about to go to his residence in Royal Oak, beyond the city limits, and that Chamberlain avenue intersecting Woodward avenue, as described in the complaint was a proper place under the ordinance of the city of Detroit to wait and board said cars, either local or limited for transportation, either in or outside of the city of Detroit.
“There is no evidence in this case to indicate that the section of the said ordinance providing for the stopping of cars in and upon the streets of the city of Detroit is unreasonable. In fact, the ordinance has stood for many years, and this is the first time it has ever been questioned by the defendant which has been operating cars in the city of Detroit for a great number of years. There is nothing in the original grant to the Detroit United Railway over the property described in the complaint before becoming part of the city of Detroit, to indicate any limitation upon the powers of the city of Detroit, to regulate its traffic within the city limits, as here sought by said ordinance.
“It was indicated in the argument of counsel that [146]*146the stopping of limited cars at street crossings in the city of Detroit as designated by the city ordinance, is a burden upon express or rapid transportation, and that people outside of the city of Detroit are entitled to the use of rapid transit as well as those who live within the city limits. If this contention is right, then the Detroit United Railway may mark all of its cars or any number of its cars “express” and may run them from one central part of the city of Detroit through the entire city, across any number of streets, without stopping to take on or let off passengers. It is just as much a convenience for a passenger to be able to take a limited car at convenient places upon the streets of the city of Detroit, as it is that they should have rapid transit from a certain point of the city to the city limits. * * *
“Therefore this court finds that it is such a convenience to the public of the city of Detroit, for passengers coming in and going out of this city to other parts of the State to have the convenience of boarding these cars, either local or limited, at such street or avenue as they may be conveniently at.
“Therefore I find this defendant guilty and the sentence of the court is that it be fined the sum of fifty dollars.”
Testimony on the part of the defendant indicates as follows:
“Summary of cars operated on respective dates.
July 31st.
North bound. .86 Locals 9 Limiteds 30 Expresses
South bound. .86 Locals 9 Limiteds 27 Expresses
August 13th.
North bound. .82 Locals 9 Limiteds 34 Expresses
South bound. .88 Locals 9 Limiteds 26 Expresses
August 17 th.
North bound. .82 Locals 9 Limiteds 30 Expresses
South bound. .84 Locals 9 Limiteds 28 Expresses
August 22d.
North bound. .81 Locals 9 Limiteds 26 Expresses
South bound. .89 Locals 9 Limiteds 27 Expresses
August 28th:
North bound. . 54 Locals 9 Limiteds 29 Expresses
South bound. .69 Locals 9 Limiteds 30 Expresses
[147]*147September 17th.
North bound.. .88 Locals 9 Limiteds 40 Expresses
South bound..

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Related

City of Detroit v. Detroit United Railway
184 N.W. 516 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1921)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
173 N.W. 396, 207 Mich. 143, 1919 Mich. LEXIS 397, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-detroit-united-railway-mich-1919.