Ogden Daily Standard | 1914-09-15 | Page 2 | Judge Issues an Injunction

JUDGE ISSUES AN INJUNCTION San Fraueisco, Sept. 14 On the ground that a fine of $15 000 a day is an excessive and ruinous penaln Judge Maurice T. Doollng of the United Uni-ted States district court issued a permanent Injunction today, restrain ing Attorney General U S. Webb and the State Railroad commission from enforcing the punitivo provisions of the pipe line act, passed by the last legislature, against the Associated Pipe Line company, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific company. The pipe line act, which became effects ef-fects e August 1a, 1913, declared all pipe lines common carriers, and ordered or-dered all pipe line companies to file their rates with the commission, or stand liable to a fine of 50 cents a barrel a da. As the Associated Pipe Line company has a capacity of 30,-000 30,-000 barrels a day, this would amount in their case to a penalty of $15,000 daily The Standard Oil company complied i with the act and filed its rates, but the Associated and six other principal princi-pal oil lines did not The effect of the decision rendered today Is to remove re-move from their future what the court called the "dread of excessive and unreasonable penalties," until the state courts, or if need be. the United Uni-ted States supreme court, can pass on the constitutionality of the act. i i