City of Pasadena v. Railroad Commission

This is a proceeding to review an order of the Railroad Commission fixing the rates and fares to be charged by the Pacific Electric Railway Company for passenger transportation in and near Los Angeles. Petitioners claim the Commission’s rate-fixing order is in violation of section 21 of article XII of the California constitution, which contains an inhibition against the charging of a greater sum for a through rate than for the aggregate of the intermediate rates.

The Pacific Electric Railway Company operates an extensive interurban passenger railroad business in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino, California, and, in addition thereto, operates extensive street railway passenger service or local service in the city of Los Angeles and the larger suburban cities of Southern California.

The decision of the Railroad Commission in question was rendered by the Commission in six consolidated proceedings and after extensive investigation by the Commission on its own behalf, and after extended hearings conducted over a period of more than three and a half years, during which hearings and in which time all the activities of the carrier were investigated for…