State of Indiana v. Scott Construction Company

174 N.E. 429, 97 Ind. App. 652, 1931 Ind. App. LEXIS 8
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 23, 1931
DocketNo. 14,127.
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 174 N.E. 429 (State of Indiana v. Scott Construction Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Indiana v. Scott Construction Company, 174 N.E. 429, 97 Ind. App. 652, 1931 Ind. App. LEXIS 8 (Ind. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

Lockyear, C. J.

— This is an action upon a contract between the appellee and the state of Indiana through the state highway commission for the construction of a highway improvement project between Shoals and West Baden.

This is the second appeal in this action. On the first appeal, the cause was remanded with instructions to the trial court to find the facts specially and to state conclusions of law thereon. 89 Ind. App. 714, 166 N. E. 775.

On this appeal the record shows that the trial court found the facts specially and stated conclusions of law thereon. The issues in this case and the facts found by the court, center around one paramount issue, to wit: whether the contract contained a clause denominated “Rock Excavation” and the construction of the contract.

The appellee filed an itemized bid for said work in which were two items, to wit:

97,065 Cu. Yards excavation without classifi-
cation @ 56c per cu. yard............................$54,336.40
22,555 Cu. Yards special borrow @ 60c........$13,533.00

and twelve other items in tabulation. The bid was a part of the contract which the appellant contends, put the appellee under a duty to excavate everything in the *654 right of way including dirt, rock, or any other substance at 56c per cubic yard.

The findings of the court on the main question at issue are as follows:

That by the terms of the said contract, the appellee’s bid is made a part of the contract as if written herein. That among the general provisions and specifications set forth in the standard specifications heretofore alleged to have been adopted and made a part of the written contract, and among such specifications relating to changes, extra work and the manner for the payment of the same were the following provisions:

Change of Plans. The contractor shall make no change from the plans and specifications unless so authorized in writing by the engineer. In case of any discrepancy between the sealed and figured dimensions of any drawing, the engineer shall make such corrections and interpretations as may be necessary to carry out the intent of the contract.

The engineer reserves the right to make such alterations in the plans, or in the character or quantity of the work as may be necessary from time to time not to exceed twenty per cent of the contract price. The contractor agrees to make such changes at the unit prices bid for the items involved.

Special Provisions. All special provisions will be stated in or attached to the proposal form and shall prevail even though they conflict with these specifications.

Extra Work. Work other than that provided for in the contract shall be performed by the contractor wherever, in the opinion of the engineer, such work is necessary to properly complete the proposed improvement. This work will be paid for as agreed upon previously by the contractor and director. If no such agreement can be made or where this method of payment is imprac *655 ticable, the director may order the contractor to do such work on a “Force Account” basis.

Special Borrow. Whenever it is necessary to obtain additional material for the construction of embankment or shoulders from outside the right of way, such material shall be known as special borrow.

That among the specifications adopted by the appellant for the execution of the work under the contract, hereinbefore set out in these findings, special specifications prevailed over general specifications and that the following special specifications were adopted as a part of the specifications governing the execution of the contract for the execution of the work hereinbefore set forth in these findings.

Rock Excavation. When solid rock is encountered which cannot be removed by the methods being employed by the contractor in excavating earth, the contractor will be paid for such material excavated a price equivalent to three times the price bid on earth excavation. Any boulder greater than one-half cubic yard in dimension will be classified as rock excavation. No material excavated and classified as rock excavation by the engineer will be included in the measurement of earth excavation.

That this specification prevailed over other specifications as to classification.

That the appellant by and through its engineer, approved by the appellant director of said highway commission pursuant to the contract herein set out between the parties to this action adopted and allowed 22 estimates, covering the current monthly quantities at the contract price of the different classes of work covered by the contract, including the several items of excavation designated as earth, special borrow and rock in other estimates as excavation, special borrow and in other estimates earth, special borrow, rock.

*656 That in estimates 3 to 22 inclusive, the project engineer, the chief engineer, and the director each classified certain of the material excavated as rock, such estimates being paid upon warrants signed and authorized by the chief engineer and director of public highways, drawn upon the state treasurer from the funds^ appropriated for the purpose of the improvement provided for in this contract herein set out.

That upon each of such estimates partial payment was made under the contract, and a percentage of such estimates was retained by the state highway commission, according to the provisions of the contract.

That the appellee and the appellant acted upon, relied upon such estimates and appellee made payments to subcontractors employing the classification set forth in such estimates.

That the parties to the contract, by such conduct, construed the contract to provide for rock excavation, hereinbefore set out in the special specifications and construed by such conduct and actions the contract to provide for earth excavation, special borrow, and rock excavation and not excavation without classification.

The court thereupon finds that the parties to this contract by such conduct and by the payment of such estimates are bound by their construction of such contract to the extent that such contract provided for rock excavation and classification pursuant to such special specifications in this finding set forth, and to provide for earth excavation and classification and that both of the parties to this action acted upon such construction of such contract and made estimates and payment pursuant to such classification and construction and are bound thereby.

That all the work performed by the appellee for the appellant as set forth in this finding and all the amounts so found in this finding, and the work done, has been accepted, approved, employed, and used by the defend *657 ant since its completion and have been fully and finally accepted by the appellant by and through its chief engineer and director.

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Bluebook (online)
174 N.E. 429, 97 Ind. App. 652, 1931 Ind. App. LEXIS 8, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-indiana-v-scott-construction-company-indctapp-1931.