Phœnix Ry. Co. v. Geary

209 F. 694, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1215
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedDecember 27, 1914
DocketNo. E-11
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 209 F. 694 (Phœnix Ry. Co. v. Geary) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Phœnix Ry. Co. v. Geary, 209 F. 694, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1215 (D. Ariz. 1914).

Opinion

MORROW, Circuit Judge

(orally). In this case it appears from the complaint and affidavits filed in its support that the Phoenix Railway Company of Arizona owns and operates a system of street railways in the city of Phoenix; that a track of this system extends along Washington street in that city from Sixteenth street on the eastern boundary of the city, westerly through the business part of the city to Seventeenth avenue on the west; that commencing at the eastern terminus of the Washington street line, at Sixteenth street, and then running west to Seventh street, a distance of nine blocks, the line consists of a single track; that from Seventh street to Seventh avenue, a distance of fourteen blocks, in the business section of the city the line consists of a double track; that from Seventh avenue to Seventeenth avenue, a distance of ten blocks, the line is a single track, with a switch for a turnout between Twelfth and Thirteenth avenues for the passage of cars meeting at that point. At Seventeenth avenue the line turns north in front of the State Capitol and runs one block to Adams street and then turns onto and runs along Adams street to Twenty-Second avenue, the western terminus of the road.

The order of the Corporation Commission which is the subject of the complaint in this case requires the complainant to double-track its line from Seventh avenue to Seventeenth avenue, a distance of ten blocks. In the State Capitol immediately west of Seventeenth avenue,, to which, point the Corporation Commission orders the extension of the double, track, is located the offices of the Governor of the state and the Assembly Chambers of the state Legislature, the courtroom of the Supreme Court of the state, and the chambers of its judges, together with the law library of the state. Therq are also in the State Capitol the offices of the land commissioners, who hold frequent, sessions, the Corporation Commission, the defendant in this case, the state tax commissioners, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General, with their assistants and clerks. All these people are dependent upon this single-track railway from the Capitol to Seventh avenue in the direction of the business portion of the city .of Phoenix. From Seventh avenue eastward to the business portion of the city the track is a double track. On Washington street between Tenth and Twelfth avenues is located the public library and its park, frequented by the people of Phoenix. In the vicinity of the State Capitol there is an estimated population of from 1,200 to 1,500. The city of Phoenix as a whole is [696]*696estimated to have a population of 25,000. Tor these people employed at the Capitol and living in that neighborhood, a reasonably quick service is required to and from the business portion of Phoenix. The affidavits before us set forth that there are delays in the transit of the cars over the single track of the railway, by reason of the fact that there is but a single turnout for this track between Seventh avenue and Seventeenth avenue; that a car going either east or west arriving at the turnout between Twelfth and Thirteenth avenues ahead of a car going in the opposite direction must wait until the other car arrives at the turnout.

It appears to the court from the evidence that this is a real, substantial inconvenience to the public residing in and frequenting that part of the city of Phoenix in and around the Capitol and the public library, and we believe it to be the duty of the complainant upon the showing made upon this motion to comply with the order of the Corporation Commission and double-track this line from Seventh avenue to Seventeenth avenue, so that the inconvenience of delays may be avoided.

It appears that the cost of the double trackage will only amount to about $13,000; that the value of the company’s street, railway property in Phoenix is something like $500,000. We think it would be no great hardship upon the complainant to make this improvement.

In a growing, prosperous city like Phoenix, where the population is steadily on the increase, the complainant might very properly keep well up and abreast of the actual requirements of the population. The complainant is a public service corporation, and there is, of course, something due to the convenience of those who are compelled to use the complainant’s line for transportation, to those who are employed in the State Capitol, and to those who find it necessary to visit it on either business or pleasure. In addition, there is the public library and its park on Washington street between Tenth and Twelfth avenues. The convenience of those who use the car line in visiting the library ought to be considered. Then there is a population of 1,200 or 1,500 in the neighborhood of the Capitol. Many of these people must go to the business section of Phoenix every day. This car line is their method of transportation, and any delay in meeting cars at the turnout must be a great and perhaps at times serious inconvenience. A double track would enable each car to pass on its way without any delay at the turnout between Twelfth and Thirteenth avenues, instead of waiting for the car passing in the opposite direction. We are of opinion that the complainant has not made a sufficient showing to prevent the enforcement of this order of the commission. The Corporation Commission is authorized by section 36, c. 90, of the Statutes of the state (act approved May 28, 1912, Session Laws of Arizona 1912, p. 521), to require public service corporations (after hearing) to make additions, extensions, repairs, or improvements to, or changes in the existing plant,.equipment, apparatus, facilities, or other physical property of the corporation, to promote the security or convenience of the public. The order under consideration was made after a hearing, and there is a presumption in favor of its reasonableness. In our opinion that presumption has not been overcome in the showing that has been made [697]*697upon this hearing. But in view of the heavy penalties provided by the statute for the failure of any public service corporation to comply with its terms or the orders of the Corporation Commission, we are not prepared to dismiss the bill. We think jurisdiction should be retained by the court to see that no injustice is done the complainant while complying with .the order. We have every confidence in the present Attorney General, and have no doubt that so long as he remains in office he will deal reasonably and justly with the corporation pending its compliance with the order. But the affairs of men are uncertain. The present Attorney General may not remain in office. He may be called elsewhere, and.some one else in that office may seek to enforce the penalties of the statute against this corporation while it is proceeding in good faith to comply with the order. We are dealing with a statute and not with individuals. The corporation should have sufficient time to lay the double track ordered by the commission. It cannot be done in a day. Material may have to be procured from a distance and it may be hard to secure deliveries. We know that as a general rule steel rails cannot be delivered promptly upon the order being given for them. We are of the opinion that the Attorney General and the counsel for the complainant can agree upon a reasonable time for complying with the order of the commission, and such agreement will be made an order of this court.

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Related

Corporation Commission v. Southern Pacific Co.
99 P.2d 702 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1940)
Phoenix Railway Co. v. Lount
187 P. 933 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1920)

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Bluebook (online)
209 F. 694, 1914 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1215, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phnix-ry-co-v-geary-azd-1914.