Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Railroad Commission

Under proceedings instituted upon its own motion, the Railroad Commission of California issued an order November 13, 1933, fixing the rates to he charged by the Pacific Gas & Electric Company in its gas service. The order considerably reduced the company’s net annual revenue, the Commission putting the reduction at $1,-744,881. The company brought suit in this court to restrain enforcement of the order upon the usual constitutional grounds. An interlocutory injunction was granted by a statutory three-judge court. As there was grave doubt in the mind of the court as to whether the evidence supported the Commission’s order ( 5 F.Supp. 878, 881 ), the cause was referred to a special master to take testimony and evidence upon the issues and to report to the court his findings of fact and conclusions of law. The reference was later modified by stipulation of counsel providing for the submission of the cause upon the record already made before the Commission, together with certain supplementary evidence to be introduced. Three municipalities and one individual taxpayer, claiming to be interested in the cause, filed petitions in intervention which were granted, and interveners were…