Salt Lake Hardware Co. v. Chainman Mining & Electric Co.

137 F. 632, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 5008
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Nevada
DecidedApril 28, 1905
DocketNo. 756
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 137 F. 632 (Salt Lake Hardware Co. v. Chainman Mining & Electric Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Salt Lake Hardware Co. v. Chainman Mining & Electric Co., 137 F. 632, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 5008 (circtdnv 1905).

Opinion

HAWLEY, District Judge

(orally). This is a suit brought under the provisions of the mechanic’s lien laws of Nevada (Cutt. Comp. Laws, § 3881 et seq.) to foreclose a mechanic’s lien upon defendant’s mill and mines situate in White Pine county, Nev. In its claim of lien the complainant states that on March 15, 1901, “this lien claimant and said Chainman Mining & Electric Company made and entered into a certain contract in writing, wherein and whereby this lien claimant agreed and undertook to furnish certain mill machinery and material, and construct and install the same into a mill for said Chainman Mining & Electric Company upon the premises [633]*633hereinafter described, and said Chainman Mining & Electric Company agreed to pay this lien claimant the sum of $50,097.50 therefor. That said contract specified the various articles of machinery and material to be furnished. * * * That acting under said contract, and pursuant to the terms thereof, • and as a continuous part thereof, this claimant furnished said machinery and material to said Chainman Mining & Electric Company, and installed and constructed the same into a mill upon the mine of said company, * * * and during the progress of said work, and as a continuous part of the performance of said contract, furnished and installed in said mill, at said company’s instance and request, extra material, machinery, and fixtures, not provided for or mentioned in said contract, of the aggregate value of $3,311.12. * * * Upon which indebtedness it has paid the sum of $41,751.28, leaving due, owing, and unpaid the sum of $11,657.34, with interest thereon at the rate of 8 per cent, per annum from July 31, 1902, after deducting all just credits and offsets. That the first of said material and work was furnished on the 22d day of May, 1901, and the last thereof on July 16, 1902.” There are several separate and independent questions presented in the suit, which will be noticed under separate heads.

1. Was the lien of complainant filed within 60 days after the completion of the contract? When was the furnishing of the machinery and its installation in the mill completed? The claim on behalf of complainant is “that the last work was performed and material furnished on July 16, 1902.” On behalf of defendant the claim is “that the contract of the complainant was completed in December, 1901, and at a date not later than May, 1902.” This point presents some difference in the opinion of the respective parties as to when the contract should be considered as having been completed. The complainant, for the purpose of getting its money due on the contract, wrote several letters to the defendant, that the contract was practically completed in December, 1901. The defendant, for the purpose of delaying the payment of the money due, wrote letters in reply that the mill had not been completed, and that there were many things yet to be done. In a letter of March 14, 1902, complainant says:

“We finished, or practically finished, our contract in the latter part of November of last year, and the mill should have been started up at that time, making our last payment due on or about December 15th, but as we fully realized that you were making changes at that time in your management and were laboring under disadvantages, we did not push for a settlement, or even demand that you start up the mill and test the machinery to find if it was perfect, but left it open, waiting the arrival of Mr. Dunham,”

Under date of March 19, 1902, complainant writes Mr. Dunham, “Mr. Weller writes us that you are about ready to start up the mill;” and in a letter to Mr. Dunham April 2, 1902, complainant-says:

“Our Mr. Forbes calls my attention to a clause in one of your recent letters in which you refer to the contract payments not being due on account of the mill not having started. You possibly overlooked the fact that as soon as the machinery has been put in motion, that the mill is presumed to have started, [634]*634whether you put ore Into it or not Mr. Weller informs us that he has had every piece of machinery in the mill in operation. "That being the case, the mill has started, and you must so consider it.”

On the other hand, defendant, through its superintendent, Dun-ham, on May 28, 1902, wrote to complainant, “Your work has not all been completed by a good deal, and there are a number of things for you yet to complete;” and on June 12, 1902:

“We do not see how your contract for machinery and installation is finished until the tanks are made tight, the silver plates set, pumps and shafting installed in a workmanlike manner, one full set of screens furnished for each Chillian mill, turn-tables made over or new ones, so that the cárs will run on them, the tailing cars should be put in line and made over so that it will not require three men and a horse to move them, the turn-tables are too small for the cars, and a car will not run on them until the guard-rail is cut off; we lack one set of screens to start the Chillian mills, the screens you sent are too small, and the set that came with the mills are broken. Mr. Weller is and has been working for you on the above incompleted work. Mr. Weller is installing one of the solution pumps now, up to today it would not run, neither pump is bolted down yet. The line shaft is not in line, and many details yet to be finished by you before we can possibly start the machinery to give the mill a test.”

These letters—and there were many others of like import—establish the fact that the principal part of the contract in relation to the installation of the machinery was performed prior to January 1, 1902. But there were several other matters which the defendant claimed had to be done by complainant before the contract could be fully completed. The court must, therefore, look elsewhere to find other facts tending more clearly and directly to show just what was done. The allegation of the complaint is that the last work was performed and materials furnished on July 16, 1902. The answer avers:

“This defendant is informed and believ.es, and upon such information and belief alleges the facts to be, that said contract was completed on or before the 1st day of December, 1901.”

As bearing on the actual belief and claim of the defendant, it is proper to notice the fact that in defendant’s cross-bill it is averred:

“That by reason of the neglect and failure of said Salt Lake Hardware Company to complete said contract and said mill within the time specified in said contract, as hereinbefore alleged, your orator was unable during said time, for a period of eight months after said contract and said mill should have been completed, to operate its said mill,” etc.

It further appears that in December, 1901, defendant changed its general manager and other officers theretofore employed by it, and the new officers made alterations in the plans .and specifications hitherto adopted, which delayed the work on the mill. But, in addition to this, without further giving the details of the testimony, it affirmatively appears without any contradiction that Mr'. Weller was working continuously for the complainant from June 3, 1902, up to July 16, 1902, lining up, boxing, calking tanks, setting pulleys, and doing sundry work arising in starting new machinery. It is, however, claimed that this work done by Weller was upon additional contracts made by the parties, and no part of the original contract. . We will have occasion hereafter to show the agreement [635]

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Bluebook (online)
137 F. 632, 1905 U.S. App. LEXIS 5008, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/salt-lake-hardware-co-v-chainman-mining-electric-co-circtdnv-1905.