Interstate Commerce Commission v. Stickney

Citations

• 215 U.S. 98
• 30 S. Ct. 66
• 54 L. Ed. 112
• 1909 U.S. LEXIS 1736

Syllabus

<p>A carrier may charge and receive compensation for services that it may render, or procure to be rendered, off its own line, or outside- of the mere transportation thereover.</p> <p>Where the terminal charge is reasonable it cannot be condemned, or the carrier charging it required to change it because prior charges of connecting carriers make the total rate unreasonable.</p> <p>In determining whether the charge of a terminal company is or is not reasonable the fact that connecting carriers own the stock of the terminal company is immaterial, nor does that fact make the lines of the terminal company part of the lines or property of such connecting carriers.</p> <p>The inquiry authorized by § 15 of the Hepburn Act of June 29, 1906v c. 3591, 34 Stat. 584, relates to all charges made by the carrier; and, on such an inquiry, the carrier is entitled to have a finding that a particular charge is unreasonable before he is required to change it.</p> <p>Where the charge of a terminal company is in itself reasonable the wrong of a.shipper, by .excessive aggregate charges should be corrected by proceedings against the connecting carrier guilty of the wrong.</p> <p>The convenience of the commission or the court is not the measure of justice, and will not -justify, striking down a terminal charge when the-real overcharge is the fault of a prior carrier.</p>