Court Opinion

ID: 9832000
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 21:32:05.7626+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:40.870594
License: Public Domain

*544On Appellant’s Motion for Rehearing.
The motion asserts that we erred 'in upholding the constitutionality of that portion of chapter 226 (p. 380) 42d Leg. (Vernon’s Ann. Civ. St. art. 1119), which prescribes that rates shall not be fixed so as to allow in excess of 10 per cent, per annum yield on “actual costs of physical properties, equipment and betterments” ; and that such holding is in conflict with that in the Farmersville Case (Tex. Civ. App.) 55 S.W.(2d) 195. We did not so hold. That portion of the act, was not involved in this case. The remaining portions of the act were held valid in the Farmersville Case, with which we are in full accord.
By several assignments it is urged that we erred in holding that appellant’s remedy was by appeal to the Railroad Commission, because the commission’s authority is only to review unjust, unreasonable, and discriminatory rates; and the relief here sought was against any rates whatsoever. It is not necessary to decide here whether (granted the right of a utility under any circumstances to engage in cut-throat competition) it would be necessary, before resorting to the court, to assert such right through the prescribed channels of appeal. Our holding, which we endeavored to make clear in the opinion, is that no such right exists, regardless of the proper forum in which to seek its enforcement.
The decision in the Great Northern Utilities Case on final hearing on the merits ([D. C.] 1 F. Supp. 328) throws no further light on the subject. As stated in our original opinion, we are in accord with the holding of the circuit judge, but cannot concur in the holding of the two District Judges in that case. The decision, whatever its real basis may be, is not binding upon this jurisdiction.
The motion is overruled.
Overruled.