Gray v. K.C. Municipal Corp.

194 S.W.2d 207, 239 Mo. App. 675, 1946 Mo. App. LEXIS 294
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 22, 1946
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 194 S.W.2d 207 (Gray v. K.C. Municipal Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gray v. K.C. Municipal Corp., 194 S.W.2d 207, 239 Mo. App. 675, 1946 Mo. App. LEXIS 294 (Mo. Ct. App. 1946).

Opinion

*677 BLAND, P. J.

This is an action brought by Frank L. Welch, now deceased, doing business as Frank L. Welch Plumbing Company, for labor and material furnished the defendant, Kansas City, at various times during the years 1938 and 1939. The petition asked judgment in the sum of $6420.05. The case was tried before the court without the aid of a jury, resulting in a judgment in favor of the plaintiff below in the sum of $5682.18. Both parties have appealed.

During the pendency of the appeal plaintiff died, his widow was appointed administratrix of his estate and the cause was revived in her name. Prior 'to the submission of the case she, likewise, died, and the case has been revived in the name of Ellen M. Gray, Administratrix d.b.n.c.t.a., of the estate of Frank L. Welch, deceased.

Kansas City (hereinafter referred to as the City), assigns errors in reference to the allowance, by the trial court, of a great number of the items covering the labor and material furnished amounting,.in all to the sum of $4575.10. The court disallowed certain items and plaintiff appealed, alleging error in connection with the court’s action in regard to the same. The two appeals have been consolidated in this court as one ease.

At the conclusion of the evidence the City offered a finding of facts and declaration of law, which the court refused. The City insists that the court erred in its action in this respect. The requested finding *678 and declaration amount to a demurrer to the evidence, and the City now insists that there is no evidence to support the findings of the trial court. Plaintiff insists that the City, having requested a finding of facts, now is in no position to complain that there are not sufficient facts upon which the court could make a finding.

This case is briefed in this court, by both sides, on the theory that the old practise in this court applies relative to eases heard before a trial court without the aid of a jury. However, under the new code, which applies to the procedure in this court after January 1, 1945: [See Anson v. Tietze, 190 S. W. (2d) 193; Klebba v. Otto, 187 S. W. (2d) 499, 500, 501.] “The appellate court shall review the case upon \both the law and the evidence as in the suits of an equitable nature. The judgment shall not be set aside unless clearly erroneous, and due regard shall be’ given to the opportunity of the trial court to judge of the credibility of the witnesses”. [Laws 1943, p. 388.] Consequently, this proceeding is to be reviewed by us as are suits in equity. In such suits we arrive at our own conclusions as to the law and the evidence, and the findings, if any, of the 'trial court are not binding upon us, although they should be given due deference. [St. Louis Union Trust Co. v. Busch, 145 S. W. (2d) 426; Miller v. Farmers Exchange Bank, 107 S. W. (2d) 852; Summers v. BondChadwell Co. et al., 145 S. W. (2d) 7, 12; Phillips v. Alford et al., 90 S. W. (2d) 1060; St. ex rel. Northwestern Mut. Life Ins. Co. v. Bland, 189 S. W. (2d) 542; A. A. Electric Machinery Co. v. Block, (#20635) decided by this court, but not yet reported.] The point made by plaintiff is ruled against her.

The sole contention of the City, is that there is no evidence upon which to base the judgment rendered in favor of the. plaintiff below to the extent of $4575.10. It is admitted that no written contract was entered into for the labor and materials furnished the City. However, there is no contention made by the City that the labor and materials were not furnished, or, that the charges made therefor are not reasonable.

Section 3349 Revised Statutes Missouri 1939, provides: “No county, city, town, village, school township, school district or other municipal corporation shall make any contract, unless the same shall be within the scope of its powers or be expressly authorized by law, nor unless such contract be made upon a consideration wholly to be performed or executed subsequent to the making of the contract; and such contract, including the consideration, shall be in writing and dated when made, and shall be subscribed by the parties thereto, or their agents authorized by law and duly appointed and authorized in writing. ’ ’

Section 92 of the City Charter (Revision of 1928) reads, in part, as follows: “. . . No contract or order imposing any financial obligation on the city shall be binding upon the city unless it be in writing and unless there is a balance otherwise unencumbered to the credit *679 of the appropriation to which the same is to be charged, and a cash balance otherwise unencumbered in the treasury to the credit of the fund from which payment is to be made, each sufficient to meet the obligation thereby incurred, and unless such contract or order bear the certificate of the Director of Finance so stating; . . . All contracts and purchases shall be awarded to the lowest and the best bidder after due opportunity for competition in accordance with this charter and the ordinances of the city; but, unless otherwise provided by ordinance, it shall not be necessary to advertise for bids in any newspaper in case of contracts and purchases involving an expenditure of less than ‡2,500. . . . ”

Section 80, Art. 4, of the City Charter, provides: “Division of Purchases and Supplies: There shall be in the department of finance a division of purchases and supplies. The Commissioner of Purchases and Supplies shall make all purchases and contracts for purchases for the city in the manner provided by ordinance; provided, however, that in all cases there shall be opportunity for competition.

“Whenever the interests of the city will be thus promoted, he shall purchase goods, supplies and material at ‘wholesale or in bulk and the same shall be paid for out of any funds appropriated in this department for that purpose.” This section also provides that supplies may be supplied out of the general stores of the Division of Purchases and Supplies.

It will be noted that the Statute and the City Charter provisions purport to prohibit the City from contracting for labor and materials except by written contract. However, plaintiff’s theory of recovery, as disclosed in his petition, is that the labor and materials were obtained by the City in connection with emergency work done omvarious buildings and installations. The City suggests (but apparently does not insist) that the statute and the charter provisions make no exceptions in cases of emergencies, and even if the labor and materials were furnished in response to emergencies, plaintiff cannot recover. There is authority to support the assertion that it is to be presumed that it was not the intention of the law makers to prohibit the City from having work done when a proper emergency arises, allowing no time to comply with such preliminaries as competitive bidding, a written contract, or the like. [2 Dillon on Municipal Corps., sec. 802; Menzies v. Harlem Loan Ass’n., 62 N. Y. S. 726.] However, it is unnecessary for us to pass upon that question for the reason that after examining the. record we find there is no evidence that any of the contested items were furnished in response to an emergncy.

“An emergency is . . . ‘any event or occasional combination of circumstances which calls for immediate action'or remedy; pressing necessity; exigency; a sudden or unexpected happening; an unforeseen occurrence or condition.’ ” [Glass v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Needles v. Kansas City
371 S.W.2d 300 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1963)
Paasche v. Frame
225 S.W.2d 382 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1949)
Gershon v. Ashkanazie
199 S.W.2d 38 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1946)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
194 S.W.2d 207, 239 Mo. App. 675, 1946 Mo. App. LEXIS 294, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gray-v-kc-municipal-corp-moctapp-1946.