St. Louis Southwestern Railway Co. v. United States

Mr. Justice Brandéis

delivered the opinion of the Court.

Prior to July 1, 1910, claimant entered into a contract with the Post Office Department to carry the mails over a part of its line for the period of four years from that date. Prior to July 1,1911, it entered into a like contract to carry the mails over another part of its lines. These contracts were in form and substance similar to that involved in New York, New Haven & Hartford R. R. Co. v. United States, 258 U. S. 32, and other recent cases. By them the amount of compensation was fixed by a weighing prior to the date of the contract.…