Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Co. v. Town of Crown Point

The question involved in this appeal is as to the power of incorporated towns to compel, by ordinance, a railroad company to keep a watchman *422and erect and maintain gates at points where the tracks cross a street, and impose penalties for the failure so to do.

It is the law in this jurisdiction that municipal corporations possess and can exercise such powers only as are granted by the legislature in express words and those necessarily or fairly implied or incident to the powers expressly granted, and those essential to the declared objects and purposes of the corporation.

No incidental powers…