Northern Pacific Railway Co. v. United States

Plaintiff, a common carrier, owns and operates various lines of railroad extending from Wisconsin to the Pacific Coast. The line from Ashland, Wisconsin, to Portland, Oregon, and branches therefrom in the State of Washington were built by the aid of grants of public land, under the organic act of July 2, 1864 (18 Stat. 365), and other acts of Congress. Another line from St. Paul to Duluth, Minnesota, was similarly constructed under an act of Congress approved March 3, 1857 (11 Stat. 195), and subsequent acts.

Plaintiff, alone or in connection with other initial or intermediate carriers, in the…