Pacific Gas & Electronic Co. v. Police Court

The application is for a writ of certiorari to review and annul the judgments entered in said courts, rendered in a criminal action prosecuted by the people against said petitioner, for the violation of a certain ordinance of said city of Sacramento.

The petition filed herein shows that petitioner • is a public utility corporation and owns and operates a street railway system in the city of Sacramento consisting of approximately sixteen miles of double track, and eight miles of single track; that, during the years 1908 to 1912, inclusive, petitioner, under contracts therefor with the city of Sacramento, spruuded the streets occupied by its tracks and received from said city as compensation therefor under said contracts the sum of $9,527.00, which sum was raised therefor by said city through the exercise of its regular taxing powers. The city commission of the city of Sacramento passed the ordinance in question, designed to compel the petitioner, at its own expense, during certain specified months of each year, to sprinkle a portion of said streets. Believing that said ordinance was void and of no effect, petitioner failed and refused to comply with any of the provisions thereof,…