City of Clinton v. Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad Company, 24 Iowa 455 (1868), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of Iowa. The case dealt with issues related to municipal powers, the rights of railroad companies, and the legal principles governing the relationship between cities and railroad companies.
The City of Clinton filed a lawsuit against the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company, claiming that the railroad company had obstructed a public street by constructing tracks across it. The city sought an injunction to remove the tracks and prevent further obstruction. The primary issue was whether the railroad company had the legal right to lay tracks across a public street within the city limits, and whether the city’s ordinance requiring the removal of the tracks was valid.
The Court held in favor of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company, stating that the railroad company had the legal authority to lay tracks across public streets within the city limits. This decision was based on the legislative grants the company had received, which provided it with the necessary authority. While cities have the power to regulate the use of their streets, this authority is subordinate to the rights granted by the state legislature to railroad companies. The Court emphasized the public interest in supporting the development and operation of the railroad system, which necessitates allowing railroads to construct tracks across public streets. Therefore, the city’s ordinance requiring the removal of the tracks was deemed invalid, and the injunction sought by the city was denied.
See: Opinion of the Attorney General Relative to the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad Company (1868); Opinion of the Attorney General on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad Company Land Grant (1868)
See also: Cedar Rapids & Missouri River R. Co. v. Herring, 110 U.S. 27 (1884)
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]