Pearsall v. Great Northern Railway Company‪.‬

This case turns upon the question whether the right given by its charter to the Minneapolis and St. Cloud Railroad Company to connect with any railroad running in the same general direction, and, by a subsequent amendatory act, to consolidate its capital stock, or its property, road or franchise with those of any other railroad, could be taken away by a subsequent act inhibiting the consolidation, lease or purchase by any railroad of the stock, property or franchise of any parallel or competing line. A different question would have been presented if any such contract had been made and carried into effect, before the act of 1874 was passed, since it might be claimed that the rights of the parties had become vested, within the meaning of section 17 of the original charter of the Minnesota and St. Cloud Railroad, and as such could not be destroyed or impaired by subsequent legislation, without infringing upon