Sheward

The defendant is a corporation supplying a portion of the inhabitants of Los Angeles with water for domestic use by means of its system of water works in that city, and the plaintiff is the owner of a certain house and premises connected with the water system of the defendant, and dependent upon it for all water necessary for domestic use or consumption. In the month of February, 1890, the city-jcounciL of .Los Angeles, in accordance with the requirements of the constitution, adopted an ordinance “ regulating the rates and compensation to be collected by any person or corporation supplying water for domestic use and private purposes to the inhabitants of that city during the year commencing July 1, 1890, and ending June 30, 1891.” By the first section of this ordinance, it fixed certain specific rates for the use of water furnished for dwelling-houses, according to the size of the house, and with additional rates for water used for certain specific purposes, such as bath-tubs, water-closets, lawn-sprinklers, etc., commonly called house rates. The second section of the ordinance declares: “ Any person or corporation *637 furnishing water to the inhabitants of the city of Los…