Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-06-01
GIVEN A HARD BLOW.
vsuncAinn aso u1Go1 os - n0nso Ixrxs-
- WAknA naag - nsv~ksA ~
- Co., Oounu6l

Drrsorr. Mich Nay si.-Msyos Pin.
gree has von his tight against The ssrs<4
Railway company. The dscasaon e
Judge Taft. United stasss circuit judge.
wss read in the federal court THE morn
ing. II hoids that the ordlnancs of isss
wss Invalid
The cAse sruse &C follows. Ia lsss3 the
Detroit common council granted 10 tie
Detroit City Railway company fran
chise. extending over . Ferlod ~ thirty
years In ls-s the ordinance wss
amended. in Consideration oS certain
concessions OF the s.Art ~ the COMPANY.
o. eytrud for thiris yoars from that
date giving u coafinuei esistenoe an.
isience until I.1e The right was frat
transmitted g. the Detroit Stsees Raj.
way company. tie successsr q tie he
trui City Railway company. and later
to the citlzrns' Street Railway Goa.
psny. the present cafporatioa.
f,nSres's Crusade
NasoF fingree hcgsn a crusade
against the street fallssgy cor PAM. lie
discovered whGi he believed A. he 4 fstsi
the compan, ihs right 4 the s,r,.s.ts
Detroit uniil l2se Ii nae pointed ont
o him TIA. tho conaca had na legal
right "a e1irEd the franchise hesara fhs
original lIfe - the company. Ihm uas
just the pointer for which MayoI Pia.
gree bad IL, q seekine aud he 4as Dot
STOW IN asai!ing himself . a. ~ "a be
started cut 10 find "a attoTlts Z. lake
charge - his csse. boNer.r. he claimed
IL h. badly hampered b, Tie tact that
the railway company had retained uss4
II the moro aide iaRserr - ihr city lie
q, las; retained Z 4 Kent wish bes.fou
Hancbe't - Saginaw. M counai
The iirsf point sas wen bY The cosn
pany II securing the removal n the case
from the Wayne clrcait - The United
Stairs court. on the ground = local IRE
sudice. This move was bitterly fought
on behalf ~ the CITY. hut later frso;ioc
o. remand was denied rs the Uriira
States court judges Tie case was
heard before Judges Taft aud swan
Judge Severens being m several ~esks
ago. and the decision which vac reached
ios.ay has since been pending.
Tan's Decision.
Judge Tafi's opinion Is very long. lie
the case and then saye. J'hess foar
questions arise
!. Did the courcil, on Novemler IA
1872. have power % extend The richts .
the company Tor fourteen years beyond
i,s corporate lifef
, CoucediEg the invalidity = the a.
dinaDce gre TIE parties in par deiicts-
equally al fault - that equity vii noi
intervene e restsre tho cats rights !.
parted with by an act without as
powers
3 Does the tax litigation on the ~
einance n ls7s make tho matter fes
adlpdicafa and is the csty estoEstsl
from denying the validity ~ the orh
4 nance,
!. Does the Investment ~ ~ mach
capital N good faith q the ealidit, x
THE ordinances nsfop The city ffou
amending ihc charteri
These laiE;s are disguesc3 ~ fo!ioNs.
]. The ciiy's power o. grant is ~
serted hy defendants O. eRisf Onhor the
charter and the stafnfoe TIE street
railway laws are general statutes The
peculiar harirhile which cne constrtlc
ton WlI Work g. = particular company
l'eeause Il may have expended large
amounts . money ou me fa8ih 30 he
correctness n a different construction
cannot iufucncc the court Furthef-
uiofe. the United States supreme court
has limited municipal poxers - The a.
prrFs words n the acts authorizing
ihen. ~ Geriysi sas as are made ty ~
ccSsarg Implication
Ilc iaw - Hlrh gan is lot difert,
from that ~ tfher states ia re4uiriar
that municipal Nrfnnenis MAJ nli
e,ceed the powers authorized ~ 80
legislature There l. no reasob " IS f<s
strict ff'is q cons ractlor ehagli1 bs Sc.
parted frnm - i.ils caeo
Power 81 the sit..
No power esiete IL fhe ciiv. ou;sid~ -
the railway scts. - grant vested sa4e
neri in tie streets The power g. t.
sent Viii. o.. indirecty Conferred ts
sesii. = Z tbe iasir fafshF a. nsf
etssrils nF.ifs TIE power g. Ea,nf tte
eaFeulent l1Hi power imrliru pia@t
30 limited o. ihe ilessP4lts Which giros
rise q = imflicatbon. An lnerifs SIC
limitation thus arising ~ that fhf ease
rneni is T. - given. J cannei oecssf.~
the conclusion. which s.fne - ne Gear
o. Demonstration that he power A
consent . hr trefclred ~ the cits ar.l.-r
the statute ir llBuifsi ib tifne g. tie ife
i n the franchise" TIE cif-a firhf t8
+ grant the easeineaf only ari-ss ff..m fbe
E necessity for the eS.jo3n,ens = flss ten
: chiss. The gfaffs n the cts and eists
iugeiher are equal 10 'hees thas The iaQ
I isiafure. euf1tsteut unArr tie clustila.
7 tloH. shai grant . Franchise O. huiid
and oT'eratc n street Tailfos3 itrungh
i specified sfFrsie
IL is sncgnsts.i that the psvsrs - fhs
Z city under the charter are T. te co-sad
{ cred The citF has the f-rvef g. revr-
late the paf - tie Ffrtr:s Witch rsovrc-r
are sf-rils lfg gtsis;ifN lnief - rtn
4 erai powers The csiuncii rsas licenes q
street rs.iwsy ciFup pstF - rea ifs sa-s
ga q etreai rat this voui5 D. oriF IN
( eter,.ise a iis legislative power ~.
Farsf council. ~ rufce<riiur no
might n its Discretion. revoke 80 i
rena4 IL u4ust - ~. bersaae y - Ftfl
Established tilst iH sncb saivrfdififs
l@ciaiaffrs ft.diet = is n~f fle-nift.si -
rs.e - sie .ass ~. Legislative rrfvtt -
- sfrfssssrt vithfsss srrsfees ssnffsan