St. Mary's Gas Co. v. County of Elk

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
St. Mary's Gas Co. v. County of Elk, 191 Pa. 458 (Pa. 1899)
1899 Pa. LEXIS 840
Dean, Fell, Green, Mitchell, Pee, Sterrett

St. Mary's Gas Co. v. County of Elk

Opinion of the Court

Pee Curiam,

The controlling facts of this case sufficiently appear in the pleadings, in connection with the opinion of the court below, and hence it is unnecessary to recite or summarize them here.

*465A careful consideration of tbe record has not convinced us that there is any error in the decree, or in the proceedings leading up thereto, that requires either reversal or modification. On the contrary, we are all satisfied that the decree is based upon correctly ascertained facts and sound principles of law. All the questions involved, both of fact and law, have been so fully considered and correctly determined, that further discussion of them by us is deemed unnecessary.

As to one of the most important questions of fact in the case, the learned trial judge found, upon sufficient evidence, “that the gas in the 684 acres is necessary and indispensable to it (the plaintiff company) in carrying out the public purpose for which it was incorporated, and is part of its capital stock on which it pays a tax to the state.” This finding brings the case within the principle that whenever the extent of the right of eminent domain is not specifically defined and limited by the law, the question as to the necessary and proper exercise of that right by the corporation invested therewith is one which must ultimately be determined by the courts, and not by the corporation itself.

Without further comment the decree of the court below is affirmed on the opinion of its learned president and the appeal is dismissed at appellant’s costs.

Reference

Full Case Name
St. Mary's Gas Company v. The County of Elk, T. J. Shaffer, Treasurer of the County of Elk, The School District of the Township of Ridgway, the Township of Ridgway and the Overseers of the Poor of Ridgway Township
Cited By
5 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Corporations—Public corporations—Act of May 29, 1885. Companies organized under the act of May 29, 1885, are public corporations. Eminent domain—Determination of the right—Corporation. Whenever the extent of the right of eminent domain is not specifically defined and limited by the law, the question as to the necessary and proper exercise of that right, by the corporation invested therewith, is one which must ultimately be determined by the courts, and not by the corporation itself. Taxation—Natural gas companies—Corporations—Local taxation. A natural gas company organized -under the act of May 29, 1885, is a corporation engaged in a business of a public interest, and cannot be taxed upon land by the local authorities where it appears that the gas in the land is necessary and indispensable to the company in carrying out the public purpose for which it was incorporated, and is part of its capital stock on which it pays a tax to the state.