City of St. Louis v. Laclede Power & Light Co.

Plaintiff city in this suit seeks to collect from the defendant company five per cent of the company's gross receipts arising from its business of supplying electricity for light, heat and power within the city for the years 1929 to 1933 inclusive. The petition was in five counts. The total amount for which judgment was sought was $473,419.83. The trial court found for the defendant and plaintiff city appealed.

The pleadings were not questioned. We will state the principal facts upon which the case must be determined. In the year 1857 the State Legislature created and incorporated the Laclede…