Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-11-01
CITY WON A
 BIG VICTORY City Attorney Sorrells' Ser vice Pipe Case is Affirm ed in Supreme Court. MUST REFUND MONEY Consumers Will Rehabilitation of State Wide Importance
 Elliott Upheld.
MUST REFUND MONEY

largely due the credit for the victory of the city of Pine Bluff yesterday in the Arkansas Supreme Court at Lit tie Rock, when the decision of Judge J. M. Elliott in ruling that the Pine Bluff Corporation had to make ser vice pipe extentions free of charge anu that an ordinance requiring it to do so was valid, was affirmed by the higher court. By the decision the city won a victory that will mean much to water consumers in this city and it will probably result in the Pine Bluff Corporation having to pay several thousand dollars back into the hands of local citizens, who have paid for service pipe connections |since h, injunction was asked for against t..e City by the water con- pany.
 Under au agreement, which was made at the time the matter was up in the .oca; courts the consumers were to be refunded money paid to the Pine Bluff Corporation while the suit was pending. The case is one of the most interesting from legal standpoint that has been recorded in this state .n years. As water com- panies in various other cities over the state are charging consumers for making service pipe connections to water mains, the decision will be of value to patrons of water companies in other cities as well.
 It was stated yesterday by lawyers that consumers who have paid for sncn service in the past three years can recover the amounts involved. if they saw fit to so into court ana de mand the return of their money. The water company has fifteen days to file a motion for the rehearing of the case, but unless 1t Is tho intention of counsel for tho water company to take the case to the United States court, this is not likely.
 For eome years tho water company has boon charging consumers here $f7.50 for making service pips cca- nectioas from tho water maine, us- ually located in tho ceater Of the streets, when the connections were made from paved streets. From dirt streets 2 charge of @13.S8 was made. City Attorney Sorrells some months ago brought this matter to tho at- tention of the City Council. n A.s determined speech before that body he cited the law to the aldermen and made the positive statement that the Pine Bluff Corporation had no legal | to chare for such service, authority to charge for such service, pared an ordinance, which reQuirea the water company to make such at the curb without charge. The ordinance was adopted and the Pine Bluff Corporation, in the absence of Chancellor John M. Elliott. asked for temporary injunc- tion in the circuit court and Judge A. B. Grace granted it.. The injunc- tion temporarily restrained the city from enforcing the ordinance.
 Upon final hearing before Judge r Elliott in the Jefferson chancery court the injunction was dissolved and Judge Elliott held that the or dinance was valid. Under it's char ter the water company cla med that. it had the right to make such charges bus Judge Elliott ruled. differently. T he Pine Bl1ff sCofporation sapealed thc case to the Supreme Court. The f case was heard in that court on Oc- tober 24, when City Attorney sorrel s appeared persenally for the City and as Gaef the cess- .s., iA
 The decision of the Supreme Court yesterday affirmed thzt of Judge F. listt. Y
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