In the case of Port Richmond and Bergen Point Ferry Company v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of Hudson County, 1913, the U.S Supreme Court was asked to decide on a dispute between a ferry company and county board over toll rates. The Port Richmond and Bergen Point Ferry Company had been granted permission by Congress to operate a ferry service across Kill Van Kull, a strait separating Staten Island from New Jersey. However, when the Board of Chosen Freeholders in Hudson County attempted to regulate their tolls under state law, the company objected arguing that only federal authorities could control interstate commerce activities such as theirs. The court ruled in favor of the county board stating that while Congress did have exclusive jurisdiction over interstate commerce matters like navigation rights or obstructions on navigable waters; it didn't extend this authority towards setting fares for ferries operating within states' boundaries unless explicitly stated otherwise. Therefore, local governments were allowed to regulate these services provided they didn't interfere with any existing federal regulations or obstruct free navigation.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Port Richmond and Bergen Point Ferry Company v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of Hudson County argued that the majority's decision was a misinterpretation of both New Jersey state law and federal commerce laws. The dissent contended that the ferry company, as an interstate commercial entity, should be subject to regulation by Congress rather than local authorities such as Hudson County's board of freeholders. It further suggested that allowing local bodies to regulate interstate commerce could lead to inconsistent rules across different jurisdictions, potentially disrupting trade and travel between states. Additionally, it disagreed with the majority’s view on whether or not ferries were considered part of public highways under New Jersey law; arguing instead they are separate entities deserving their own specific regulations.