The respondents, claiming to be the owners of a perpetual franchise to collect tolls for the use of a bridge across the Canadian river, brought suit in the United States District Court against the members of the state highway commission of Oklahoma, the Attorney General of that state, the county attorneys of McClain and Cleveland counties, and other persons, residents of the neighborhood, to restrain a threatened interference with the maintenance of the bridge or the collection of tolls. 50 F.(2d) 628. The jurisdiction of the federal court was invoked upon the ground of diversity of citizenship. The defendants (petitioners in this court) made a motion, without answering, to dismiss the complaint. The complainants moved at the same time for an injunction pendente lite. The District Court denied the motion for an injunction, and granted the motion to dismiss. The Circuit Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed the decree and directed judgment in favor of the complainants for the relief demanded in the complaint. 58 F.(2d) 41, 47. A writ of certiorari brings the case here. 287 U.S. 582, 53 S.Ct. 16, 77 L.Ed. --.
The facts exhibited in the bill are these: On April 22, 1911, the county commissioners of McClain county, Okl., adopted a resolution whereby there was granted to Carter and Halsell, or their assigns, a franchise to construct and operate a tollbridge across the Canadian river at the city of Purcell, the bridge to be erected within the time prescribed by law. The tolls enumerated in a schedule were not to be increased 'by the bridge company,' though they might be reduced. By the terms of the resolution, the grant was to be 'perpetual,' subject only to such limitations as were provided by law. The grantees were to be at liberty to transfer their rights and privileges to 'any individual or corporation,' with the same effect as if the grant had been made to the assigns directly. On May 16, 1911, the county commissioners of Cleveland county on the other side of the Canadian river adopted a like resolution for the grant of a like franchise to the same grantees. On May 18, 1911, Carter, one of the grantees, together with Walling and Hamill, the present respondents, caused a corporation, known as the Purcell-Lexington Toll Bridge Company, to be organized under the laws of Oklahoma, with a corporate life of twenty years. Thereafter in December, 1911, while the bridge was in course of construction, the grantees of the franchises, together with the respondents, conveyed the bridge, its approaches, and all the rights and privileges embraced within the franchises or either of them, to the Purcell-Lexington Toll Bridge Company, its successors and assigns. The corporate life of the Purcell-Lexington Toll Bridge Company was to expire, as we have seen, on May 18, 1931. Before that time, and on April 2, 1931, the bridge company conveyed to the respondents and to Carter, and their assigns, the bridge and the accompanying franchises; the respondents receiving afterwards from Carter an assignment of his interest, whatever it might be. Thereupon the defendants, who are the petitioners here, gave notice that on May 18, 1931, the bridge would become a free bridge and part of the free highway system of the state of Oklahoma. The members of the state highway commission, the Attorney General, the county attorneys, as well as the neighboring residents, who, it seems, are also the county commissioners, announced a purpose to prevent the collection of tolls by the respondents, and to cause the bridge to be kept open for free and unimpeded passage. This suit for an injunction followed.
The District Court held that the county commissioners were without authority to grant a franchise to individuals except in trust for a corporation organized under the bridge law; that the term of the corporate life was also the limit of the duration of the privilege to charge and levy tolls; that a perpetual franchise, if intended, would be void under article 2, § 32, of the Constitution of Oklahoma, prohibiting 'perpetuities'; and that the bill should be dismissed. The Circuit Court of Appeals, in reversing this judgment, held that the franchises were not invalid because granted to individuals; that, upon assignment to a corporation organized for a term of twenty years, the franchises were not cut down in respect of their duration, but continued in full force when conveyed by the assignee to others; that the term 'perpetuities' as used in article 2, § 32, of the Constitution of Oklahoma, had in view the creation of future estates, and did not limit the enjoyment of a privilege or franchise; and that the complainants should have an injunction as prayed for in the bill.