Monessen Borough v. Monessen Water Co.
Monessen Borough v. Monessen Water Co.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Nearly all of the questions raised in this proceeding have been decided adversely to the contentions of appellant in Greensburg Borough v. Westmoreland Water Company, 240 Pa. 481, the opinion in which case was handed down since the filing of the present bill. Counsel for appellant frankly concede this and content themselves with the discussion of a single question in their printed argument. It is contended that the water company has no right to sell its pumping plant to the steel company and the borough seeks to restrain that sale in a court of equity. It is argued that the ordinance under .which the water company obtained its. franchises from the borough constituted a contract between the parties and that the sale of the pumping station is in violation of that contract. It is true the ordinance and its acceptance did constitute a contract, but that contract had to do with the terms and conditions upon which the water company entered the borough; the maximum rates to be charged consumers; and the option or privilege undefi which the borough might take over the property and franchises of the water company at the expiration of the twenty-year period. The ordinance in so far as it undertook to reserve the privilege of. purchasing the property and plant of the water company simplyAecognized the statutory powers conferred by the Act of April 29, 1874, P. L. 481. The borough had no greater rights and privileges under the ordinance than it had under the statute. "Therefore, the simple question for decision is,, has the
We do not rest our decision on this ground, but, under the facts as found by the learned court below, the water company acted within its legal rights and was not bound to keep and maintain the old pump station, nor the land upon which it was erected, when in the proper development of its business, it was no longer necessary to do so. The privilege of purchasing at the end of twenty years "does not mean that the water, company must during that entire period keep and maintain the identical mains, machinery, equipment and plant that
Decree affirmed at cost of appellant.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Monessen Borough v. Monessen Water Company
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Equity — Equity pleading — Parties—Necessary parties. 1. A bill in equity seeking to enjoin the sale of the property of a water company to another corporation is defective for want of a necessaiy party, where it appears that such other corporation had an equitable interest in the property of the water company before the filing of the bill, but was not made a party thereto. Corporations — Water companies — Boroughs—Bight to purchase plant of water company — Sale of property by wafer company— Equity — Injunction—Act of April 29, 1874, Sec. 84, Clause 7, P. L. 78. 2. A borough ordinance under which a water company obtains its franchises, and which provides the terms and conditions upon which the water company rqay enter the borough, is a contract, but in so far as such ordinance undertakes to reserve to the borough the privilege of purchasing the property and plant of the water company at the expiration of twenty years, it simply recognizes the statutory powers conferred by the Act of April 29, 1874, Section 34, Clause 7, P. L. 73, and gives the borough no greater rights and privileges than it had under the statute. 3. -Where the privilege of purchasing the plant of a water company at the end of twenty years from the grant of its franchise is reserved to a borough, the water company is not required during that entire period to keep the identical machinery and equipment with which the plant was first installed. It is for the) water company to determine what equipment is necessary to furfnish a proper supply , of water, and its internal management caifmot be inquired into by the courts, unless there is a failure to jfurnish a sufficient Supply of pure water to the public or a neglecjt to perform its statutory duties or contractual obligations. V 4, A borough having the right to purchase the property of a water company at the expiration of twenty years from the grant of its franchise sought by bill in equity to enjoin the proposed sale of a pumping station to a steel company. It appeared that the water company had purchased other properties for another pumping station, had abandoned the pumping station on the property in •suit as -.no.'longer necessary and had entered .into an agreement with the steel company for the sale of the land occupied by such station. The steel company had paid two-thirds of the purchase price before the filing of the bill, but was not made a party defendant thereto. The court dissolved a preliminary injunction and dismissed the bill. Held, no error.