Hamilton v. City of Rocky Mount

The plaintiff alleges that the defendant in its private and corporate capacity owns and operates a plant for generating and distributing electricity for profit, not only to citizens within the corporate limits, but to persons and corporations outside the city; that for accomplishing these purposes the defendant owns and maintains also a system of wires, poles, and transformers within and without the city limits; and that a part of the electric current, not sold for profit, is used in lighting the streets.

If it be conceded for the present purpose that the lighting of its streets by the…