Public Service Commission v. Williams

23 Pa. D. & C. 467, 1935 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 146
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Dauphin County
DecidedMay 23, 1935
Docketno. 1127
StatusPublished

This text of 23 Pa. D. & C. 467 (Public Service Commission v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Dauphin County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Public Service Commission v. Williams, 23 Pa. D. & C. 467, 1935 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 146 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1935).

Opinion

Wickersham, J.,

The petition of the Public Service Commission alleges, inter alia, that on September 28, 1934, it filed its bill of complaint against William H. Williams, the defendant, wherein the petitioner averred that the defendant had been operating a toll foot bridge as a public service company in the villages of Jacob’s Creek and Van Meter, Westmoreland County, in violation of the Public Service Company Law, and of a “cease and desist” order of the petitioner, and prayed that an injunction might issue restraining the defendant and his agents from operating the said toll foot bridge as a public service company. It was further averred that on September 28, 1934, this court ordered that a pre[468]*468liminary injunction issue as prayed for; that upon hearing said injunction this court granted a final injunction restraining the said William H. Williams from operating a toll foot bridge as a public service company in the aforesaid villages, which was personally served upon the defendant October 26, 1934; that in open violation of the above described order the defendant has continued, since October 24,1934, to operate the said toll foot bridge as a public service company and has collected toll for the use of said bridge from various persons on various dates; and that since October 24, 1934, the petitioner has not granted authority or permission to the defendant to operate in any manner as a public service company. The petitioner prayed that an attachment issue against the defendant, William H. Williams, to enforce the order of this court.

Upon presentation of said petition a rule was granted upon the said defendant to show cause why an attachment in contempt should not issue as prayed for in said petition, returnable January 14,1935.

To said rule so granted the defendant filed an answer admitting that he was served with the bill of complaint but denying he had anything to do with the toll foot bridge mentioned in said petition; alleging that he is not operating a toll foot bridge as a public service company in said villages, and upon service of the injunction upon him discontinued any and all connection whatever he might have had at that time with the operation of said bridge. He denied the whole of paragraph 6 of plaintiff’s petition and avers that for many years past as well as the times hereinabove referred to he has had no ownership, management or connection with the said toll foot bridge; that he has not operated either as owner, agent, servant or employee the said bridge, and especially avers that he has not collected toll as a public service company for the use of said bridge from any person whatsoever, and that he has in no way violated any order of this court [469]*469whatsoever; and that he has not in any manner either by act or deed violated the order of this court by collecting toll for the use of said foot bridge as a public service company in which he had no interest or concern whatsoever.

This case came on to be heard and testimony was taken from which we make the following:

Findings of fact

1. Some time prior to October 1926, certain persons, registered under the Fictitious Name Act as “Jacob’s Creek Improvement Association”, erected a foot bridge across the Youghiogheny River between the Village of Jacob’s Creek on the east bank of said river and the Village of Van Meter in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, on the west bank of said river.

2. On March 7, 1927, the defendant, William H. Williams, and others, filed an application asking the Public Service Commission of Pennsylvania to approve the operation by them of a toll bridge, being the same bridge as that here involved. This application was dismissed by the commission in February 1928.

3. On March 15, 1929, the defendant filed an application in his own name with said Public Service Commission for permission to operate the bridge as a toll bridge. In this application he alleged he owned the bridge and swore to the truth of the allegations as well as to the application. The commission refused his application.

4. The report and order of the commission dated July 9,1929, was served upon the defendant and since he took no appeal is conclusive upon him both as to the facts stated therein and as to the reasonableness of the finding.

5. In January 1930, a bill of complaint was filed with the commission by the Jacob’s Creek Ferry Company alleging that defendant, doing business as Jacob’s Creek Improvement Association, had been operating the bridge for hire for 3 years. This complaint was sustained by the commission on March 31, 1931.

6. In that case, the respondent, being the defendant in [470]*470the instant case, claimed that he operated the bridge not as an individual but as an officer of the Jacob’s Creek Improvement Association and that the service has been limited to the members of that association only.

7. The commission found that the so-called association was not a bona fide organization but rather a device to collect tolls for the use of the bridge, and an order to this effect was served upon the defendant.

8. In May 1930, the defendant, in his own name, applied to the commission for the right to operate the bridge as a toll bridge, which application was refused by the commission on March 31, 1931.

9. In the beginning, cards were issued to users of the bridge; then keys were issued by means of which a locked gate at the end of the bridge could be opened; still later a turnstile operated by tokens or 5 c pieces was installed; but since 1931 defendant has charged 75c or $1.00 per month for the right to pass over his land for the purpose of crossing the bridge.

10. To reach the eastern or Jacob’s Creek end of the bridge it is necessary to pass through an enclosed portion of defendant’s house. In this portion of the house there is a chair and a table at which defendant or his agent sits on certain days of each month to receive the fee of 75c or $1.00.

11. The land at the western end of the bridge is leased by the Jacob’s Creek Improvement Association from the Pittsburgh Coal Company. Access to or from the bridge at that end is open to the public.

12. Recently repairs were made to the bridge but paid for by the Jacob’s Creek Improvement Association from funds in the hands of its treasurer. There is no evidence that defendant has at any time made or paid for any repairs to said bridge.

13. On application of the Public Service Commission of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania this court granted an injunction directing the said defendant to cease and [471]*471desist from “operating the toll foot bridge as a public service company” in the Villages of Jacob’s Creek and Van Meter, Westmoreland County, on October 24, 1934.

Questions Involved

1. Under the pleadings and the testimony taken at the hearing before the court does it clearly appear that the defendant is operating the said bridge and taking tolls therefrom in violation of the injunction granted by this court?

2. Under the pleadings and testimony is the said William H. Williams acting in contempt for disobedience to the injunction granted by this court?

Discussion

It will be noted that the defendant was restrained by this court from operating a toll foot bridge as a “public service company”.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
23 Pa. D. & C. 467, 1935 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 146, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/public-service-commission-v-williams-pactcompldauphi-1935.