Board of Commissioners v. Hill

23 N.E. 779, 122 Ind. 215, 1890 Ind. LEXIS 71
Indiana Supreme Court·Decided February 20, 1890·No. No. 13,974·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

Olds, J.

The board of commissioners of Clinton county, at the regular June session, 1885, ordered the construction of a stone and brick culvert across Armstrong branch, where said branch crosses South Main street, in the city of Frankfort, the culvert to extend the- entire width of said street, sixty feet, and appointed James R. Brown, the county surveyor, engineer and superintendent, to prepare specifications for such culvert, and, after giving thirty days’ notice thereof, to receive proposals for such construction; to contract with the best bidder therefor, and to superintend the construction of said culvert; the said Brown entei’ed upon the discharge of said duties, gave notice and received bids, and the board contracted the work to Francis M. Hill, the appellee, his being the best bid; the appellee com[217] menced the construction of said work, under his contract; at the September term, 1885, the engineer allowed the appellee an estimate of $430, which the board then allowed and paid; the appellee did no more work on said culvert until 1886 ; in May, 1886, there came a heavy rain and washed said culvert out, and destroyed it; after the culvert was washed out it was ascertained and determined that the east and west boundaries of said street were some nine feet further east than said culvert had been located, and, upon consultation between the- city authorities of Frankfort and the individual members of the board, the commissioners stated that if Hill would reconstruct the bridge at the point where desired, corresponding with the street, the county would donate him fifty dollars, and the city authorities told the appellee the city would pay him fifty dollars; appellee then reconstructed said culvert at the proper place, corresponding with the correct lines of the street. After the culvert was reconstructed, at the December term, 1886, of said board, the engineer aforesaid reported the final estimate of materials furnished, and labor performed by appellee in the construction of said culvert, the entire amount of the contract paid being $542.22. The board deducted $430 paid the appellee on the former estimate, leaving a balance of the original contract price of $112.24, and added $50, making $162.24, which sum said board allowed, and paid the same to said appellee. Afterwards, at a special' session of the board, on the 29th day of January, 1887, appellee filed his claim, for work done on said culvert, in the sum of $290.20, and the board disallowed said claim. Appellee appealed to the circuit court. The board moved to dismiss said appeal, which motion was overruled and the board excepted.

It is urged that the claim is not properly itemized and' dated. This objection is not well taken; the account is dated and itemized. It is further urged that the claim is for voluntary services, and hence no appeal lies. We do not think the claim, as presented, comes within the line of vol[218] untary services for which no appeal lies from the decision of the board of commissioners; the claim is for work, and labor, and materials.

The appellee filed an amended complaint in the circuit court-, to which amended complaint appellant demurred for cause that the complaint does not state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, which demurrer was overruled and exceptions taken, and this ruling is assigned as error.

The amended complaint is as follows:

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Board of Commissioners v. Hill, 23 N.E. 779, 122 Ind. 215, 1890 Ind. LEXIS 71 (Ind. 1890).

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