Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/275/207/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 00:42:57+00:00

Document:
and adjacent waters, and who for that purpose devote their towboat to public use, are common carriers, not because of any legislative fiat, but by reason of the character of their business, and are subject to legislative regulation of their rates for such towage. P. 275 U. S. 211.
2. The rule that towboats not having exclusive control of vessels towed are not to be held to the strict liability of common carriers does not affect this question, and a notice in the carrier's tariff that all tows are at the owner's risk is immaterial, since a common carrier is such by virtue of his occupation, not by virtue of the responsibilities under which he rests. P. 275 U. S. 211.
3. A state regulation fixing reasonable rates for towage of logs by common carriers does not deprive shippers of property in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing them from securing lower rates through private contract with such carriers. P. 275 U. S. 212.
Error to a judgment of the Supreme Court of Washington sustaining an order of the Department of Public Works of the State of Washington declaring a specified rate on the towage of logs to be just and fair, and directing a towage company to collect it for towage done for the relator lumber company.
October 17, 1924, the Department of Public Works, after hearing upon a complaint of relator, made an order which declared that a specified tariff rate for towing logs from Clifton to Lake Union in Seattle was "just, fair, and no more than sufficient," and directed the Shively Towboat Company to collect from relator charges based on that rate for towing done between March 1, and May 1, 1924. The superior court affirmed the order.
Relator appealed to the supreme court, and there challenged the validity of the order and statutory provisions under which it was made on the ground that they are repugnant to the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court held them valid and affirmed the judgment. 137 Wash. 602.
things not here material, that the business of towing logs was not affected with a public interest or within the jurisdiction of the department. Then followed the hearing, order, and judgments above referred to.
The statutes of Washington declare that towboats operated "for the public use in the conveyance of persons or property for hire over and upon the waters within this state" are common carriers. They require that charges made by common carriers "shall be just, fair, reasonable, and sufficient;" that the carriers file with the Department of Public Works schedules showing the rates to be charged; that the names of carriers who are parties to joint tariffs shall be specified therein, and that each party, other than the one filing the tariff, shall file such evidence of concurrence as may be required. And the statutes make it unlawful for any such carrier to collect different compensation than that provided for in the schedules, and prohibit it from charging any person a greater or less compensation than that collected from others for like contemporaneous service. Other provisions authorize the department to prescribe and enforce the rates to be charged by all common carriers including towboats. Remington's Complied Statutes, § 10344 et seq.
private carrier cannot be converted into a common carrier by mere legislative command. Frost Trucking Co. v. Railroad Commission, 271 U. S. 583, 271 U. S. 592; Michigan Commission v. Duke, 266 U. S. 570, 266 U. S. 577.
virtue of the responsibilities under which he rests." Liverpool Steam Co. v. Phenix Ins. Co., 129 U. S. 397, 129 U. S. 440. The Shively Company stands the same as the other parties to the tariff. It was engaged in the general towboat business; it towed logs for others, as well as for relator; it held itself out as a common carrier in that line of business, and, by the tariff, gave public notice to that effect. Its towboat was devoted to the public use, among other things, for the transportation of logs. By its own choice, it became a common carrier. Terminal Taxicab Co. v. District of Columbia, 241 U. S. 252. The state had power to regulate its charges. Munn v. Illinois, 94 U. S. 113. The purpose of the regulations complained of is to establish reasonable rates to be charged, and to prevent unjust discrimination, by public carriers. Such regulations would be of little value if the state law permitted the shippers by private contract with public carriers to obtain the towing of their logs for less than the prescribed rates. Relator was free to have its logs towed by a private carrier for such compensation as might be agreed, and without regard to the rates established by the department. The order was not aimed at any such transaction. It being conceded here that the charges in question are not excessive, the relator's contention that the state rate regulation deprives it of its property in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment has no foundation.
* The Steamer Webb, 14 Wall. 406, 81 U. S. 414; The Margaret, 94 U. S. 494, 94 U. S. 496; Transportation Line v. Hope, 95 U. S. 297, 95 U. S. 300.

References: § 10344
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