Ewing v. City of Seattle

Citations

• 55 Wash. 229
• 104 P. 259
• 1909 Wash. LEXIS 740

Syllabus

<p>Street Railroads — Franchises—Restrictions—Municipal Corporations — Charters—Statutes. Charters adopted by cities of the first class are subject to and controlled by general laws; and Laws 1907, p. 192, authorizing cities to grant franchises to street railroads and to prescribe the terms and conditions thereof, supersedes the city charter of Seattle, art. 4, § 23, requiring such franchises to be sold at public auction to the highest bidder.</p> <p>Municipal Corporations — Franchises—Legislative Authority— Control by Courts. The power conferred upon the legislative authority of municipal corporations to grant franchises for the use of the streets is purely legislative and cannot be controlled by the courts.</p> <p>Statutes — Subjects and Titles. An act entitled an act “relating to electric railways . . . and the use of streets and roads thereby” is sufficiently comprehensive to embrace provisions relating to the granting of franchises therefor by the legislative authority of cities.</p>