Mahlon Pitney

“ The supreme court of Washington has held that the provisions of municipal charters are subject to the legislative authority of the state; that the Public Utilities Act superseded any conflicting ordinance or charter provision of any city; and that contractual provisions in franchises conferred by municipal corporations without express legislative authority are subject to be set aside by the exercise of the sovereign power of the state. Ewing v. Seattle, 55 Wash. ”

“ Plaintiff's briet contains some general attacks upon the effect of the Commission's order in requiring plaintiff to carry passengers over portions of 'separate and distinct franchise routes' upon payment of a single fare. This criticism is not well founded. Even were the several portions of its lines separately owned, they being operated practically as a single system, it would be within the bounds of reasonable regulation to establish through service and a joint rate. ”

“ One ground of complaint respecting the order of the Commission is that, in requiring passengers to be carried beyond the limits of a particular franchise, it in effect confers the transfer privilege upon holders of commutation or '4-cent' tickets. ”