Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Co. v. Public Service Commission

The important question presented on these appeals which in our view of the cases makes it unnecessary to consider any others is: Does sec. 31.14, Stats., confer upon the Public Service Commission the jurisdiction to determine and regulate the common-law rights of all riparian owners to the use of nonsurplus water in a navigable stream? To determine this question requires a construction of sec. 31.14 which heretofore has not been construed. The primary source of construing the statute is the language of the statute itself. Sec. 31.14 is set forth in part in the footnote. 1

Sub. (1) of sec.…