State ex rel. Denton v. Public Service Commission

277 S.W.2d 684, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 81, 1955 WL 76259
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 7, 1955
DocketNo. 22180
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 277 S.W.2d 684 (State ex rel. Denton v. Public Service Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Denton v. Public Service Commission, 277 S.W.2d 684, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 81, 1955 WL 76259 (Mo. Ct. App. 1955).

Opinion

SPERRY, Commissioner.

J. R. Denton, who will be referred to as plaintiff, applied to defendant, Public Service Commission, for a certificate of convenience and, necessity authorizing him to render regular service to Independence, Kansas City, North Kansas City, Richmond, Henri[685]*685etta and certain other points, as a regular carrier of freight by track, and for certain interstate authority. A hearing was held at Richmond, case No. T 11606, on December 11 and 12, 1952, at which time applicant offered his evidence. The hearing was then recessed and, on April 10, 1953, the evidence of protestants, Orscheln Bros. Truck Lines, Inc., Wagner Freight Lines, Inc., and Williams Transfer Company, was heard at Jefferson City. On September 9, 1953, the Commission issued its report and order granting the interstate authority, but denying the intrastate authority sought. Plaintiff removed the cause to the circuit court, which held that the order was not supported by the record and remanded the cause to defendant. Defendant appealed.

Briefly stated the scope of our review is to determine whether the Commission could reasonably have made its finding and reached its result upon consideration of all the evidence before it. The court has the power to “set aside decisions clearly contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence.” Our review, in this case, is similar to that of a court-tried case. Goetz v. J. D. Carson Company, 357 Mo. 125, 206 S.W.2d 520, 532.

It appears that Richmond, 45 miles distant from Kansas City, is served chiefly by Ors-cheln. Williams is authorized to render regular service from Kansas City, to Richmond and Henrietta. It furnishes daily service except Sunday, but did not, at the time the first hearing was held, maintain a freight depot at Richmond or Henrietta. Wagner renders regular service from St. Joseph through Kansas City, Richmond and Henrietta, three days per week. It maintains no depot at Richmond or Henrietta. The Santa Fe Railroad runs a train to Richmond from Kansas City, three times weekly.

Plaintiff formerly served the route which he now seeks authority to serve, but quit when the Commission denied his application for authority, some weeks before this hear-, ing began. He has authority to serve an irregular route from Richmond and vicinity to various points, and return,. except that he may not serve points on a regular route, including Richmond and Henrietta.

Seventeen witnesses, business men of Richmond, gave evidence in support of the application. Mr. Conner (plumbing and heating) stated that he receives from one to three shipments weekly from Kansas City; that it takes a week for him to get such a shipment; that service is unsatisfactory.

Mr. Phipps (plumbing and heating), stated that freight delivered to Orscheln at Kansas City is delivered at Richmond from two to nineteen days later; that Williams’ service is no better.

Mr. Smith (John Deere dealer and repairs), stated that he uses the services of both Williams and Orscheln, but that the service is very poor; that he never knows whether he will receive a shipment within three or four days, or a week, so uses his own truck for almost all of his freight service ; that he' has done so since Denton quit serving.

Mr. Pointer (plumbing and sheet metal), stated that he sometimes ordered daily from Kansas City; that Denton gave daily service; that, since he quit serving, witness uses rail most of the time and has not used either Orscheln or Williams very much.

Mr. Irons (plumbing and heating), uses his own truck to bring supplies to his place of business; has used all truck lines but the service was too slow and uncertain, so quit three years ago. Uses railroad for pipe shipments and his own truck for other merchandise. He needs daily, or next day service.

Mr. Lillard (ice cream manufacturing), ships major part of his products to Kansas City, Kansas City, Kansas, North Kansas City, Independence, and receives supplies from Kansas City. Sometimes freight lies on Orscheln dock at Richmond for two or three days. Williams doesn’t have a dock at Richmond and service is slower than by Orscheln. Orscheln is unconcerned about settlement for damaged or lost goods. He [686]*686stated that,he used the railroad for freight from the east because of Wagner’s poor service, and that he uses his own trucks to handle most of his business; that he formerly used Denton.

Mr. Taber operates an auto supply business at Richmond and a wholesale auto supply business at Henrietta. He tried to use Williams’ service but pick' up service was too sporadic and undependable; it is the only service to Independence and cannot be contacted regularly. Orscheln has left freight on the dock at Kansas City for two or three days. He needs same day service, which Denton will give, if permitted to serve.

Mr. Maslan (clothing), said that service was so undependable that he uses his own station wagon to bring in his merchandised The dock service of Orscheln, at Richmond, is such that he cannot use the service.

Mr. Lathrop (drugstore), needs next day service. He got it from Denton. With Williams’ service Monday’s order is delivered Thursday and, sometimes, Saturday.

. Mr. Lester, (oil and supplies), formerly used Denton’s service, which was satisfactory, Can’t use either Williams or Orscheln because too slow and unreliable. He said that Orscheln drivers were discourteous. He needs daily service, three or four times per week, from Kansas City. ■ He now uses his own truck.

Mr. Golladay (variety store), now receives shipments via Santa Fe, two or three times per week, because Orscheln service is unsatisfactory, drivers discourteous, packages often broken, merchandise missing, can’t collect damages. He finally quit using the service. .Needs daily service but now uses Santa Fe when he can direct the routing of merchandise ordered.

Mr. Ewer (Chevrolet dealer and service station), stated that he needs daily service, every day, and would use Denton. Because of slow and uncertain delivery by protestant carriers, together with lost and damaged goods, for which he could not collect, he uses the mails and the bus except for shipments from Chevrolet plant, which are often received several days late. He stated that service was better because of the hearing then being held.

Mr. Settle (drugstore), buys supplies at Kansas City and St. Joseph. He stated that he must have daily service in order to hold his. business; that the service from protestants is such that he now has Denton deliver merchandise at the home of witness’ son, in the country, then witness transfers it by automobile to his store; that he used Denton’s service before it was discontinued and will use it every day if it is authorized; that Wagner gives third day service from St. Joseph.

Mr. Pollock (I.H.C., dealer), stated that he needs overnight service from Kansas City. Would use Denton’s service.

Mr. Hill (newspaper publisher), needs next day service. It has taken as long as eight days to receive an emergency shipment from Kansas City to Richmond. He would use Denton’s service.

Mr. Handley (dehydrator plant at Henrietta), buys sacks, machine parts, and supplies at Kansas City. He stated that both Orscheln and Williams are very slow, varying from 24 to 60 hours from Kansas City; that it is not satisfactory for his business. He would use Denton’s service.

Mr. Miller (publishing and printing), used Denton’s service because he got dependable and quick service.

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Related

State ex rel. Egan v. Public Service Commission
319 S.W.2d 917 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1959)
State ex rel. Smithco Transport Co. v. Public Service Commission
307 S.W.2d 361 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1957)

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Bluebook (online)
277 S.W.2d 684, 1955 Mo. App. LEXIS 81, 1955 WL 76259, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-denton-v-public-service-commission-moctapp-1955.