United States ex rel. W. A. Rushlight Co. v. Davidson

71 F. Supp. 401, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2736
CourtDistrict Court, D. Idaho
DecidedApril 16, 1947
DocketNo. 1583
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 71 F. Supp. 401 (United States ex rel. W. A. Rushlight Co. v. Davidson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Idaho primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States ex rel. W. A. Rushlight Co. v. Davidson, 71 F. Supp. 401, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2736 (D. Idaho 1947).

Opinion

CLARK, District Judge.

This is an action prosecuted by the plaintiffs, W. A. Rushlight Company, Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Company and Montgomery Electric Company, against the defendants C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid as C. F. Davidson Company and Continental Casualty Company, with the defendant Continental Casualty Company appearing by separate answer to the complaint and cross complaint against the defendants C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid. [404]*404Also the Continental Casualty Company prosecutes a third party complaint against William J. Parker (who was made third party defendant) for judgment for any and all amounts for which judgment may be entered herein against the defendant Continental Casualty Company and in addition, attorneys fees and costs expended by it. A cross action is also prosecuted by the Casualty Company against C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid for the same relief as prayed for against William J. Parker.

There were several other parties to this suit appearing by complaints in intervention but through settlements made out of Court it has narrowed down so that the only remaining issues to be settled by the Court are between the parties mentioned above.

This action is authorized by Section 270a (b), Title 40 U.S.C.A. Section 270a(a) (2) makes provision for a “payment bond” by contractors engaged in building or construction work for the Government and the provisions for such payment bond operate for the “protection of all persons supplying labor and material in the prosecution of the work provided for in said contract for the use of each such person.”

On or about the 13th day of January 1944 the defendants C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid, doing business as C. F. Davidson Company, as principal contractor made and entered into a contract in writing with -the United States of America wherein and whereby said C. F. Davidson Company agreed to furnish all material for and to •perform the work for a certain project known as “Five Thousand Man Service School Area at the United States Naval Training Station, Farragut, Idaho,” in accordance with specifications, schedules and drawings made a part of said contract, which said contract was marked and designated as “Contract N O Y-6910,” and as required by the Act of Congress hereinbefore referred to, the defendants C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid, as principals, and the defendant Continental Casualty Company, as surety, did, under date of January 13, 1944, make, issue and deliver to the United States of America a construction “payment bond,” said bond being conditioned as required by said Act of Congress and guaranteeing prompt payment to all persons supplying labor and materials in the prosecution of the work provided foe in said main contract aforesaid.

After the execution of the contract between C. F. Davidson Company and the United States of America, the plaintiff Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Company entered into a sub-contract in writing with said C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid wherein and whereby, for a consideration of $62,000, the said C. F. Davidson Company employed' the plaintiff Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Company to do and perform a portion of said main contract as follows: “To construct outside water and sewer system as called for in said main contract and its plans and specifications.”

After the execution of the contract between C. F. Davidson Company and the United States of America, the plaintiff Montgomery Electric Company, on November 31, 1943 entered into a subcontract in writing to install a complete inside electrical system and outside electrical distribution system under the main contract for the price of $65,000.

After the date of April 21, 1944 the plaintiff W. A. Rushlight Company entered into a subcontract, orally, wherein and whereby for a consideration of $400,000 the defendants C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid employed the plaintiff to perform a portion of the main contract as follows: “All the plumbing and steam distribution in connection with the construction of a five thousand man service area at U. S. Naval training station Farragut Idaho, under contract N O Y-6910 in accordance with the plans and specifications.”

Although the cases were combined in one action they were presented at the trial in the following order:

1st, the claim of the Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Company;
2nd, the claim of the Montgomery Electric Company;
3rd, the claim of the W. A. Rushlight Company.
These actions were prosecuted against C. F. Davidson and C. W. Reid doing business as C. F. Davidson Company, and the Continental Casualty Company, and
[405]*4054th, the cross action prosecuted by the Continental Casualty Company against C. F. Davidson, C. W. Reid and William J. Parker.

These claims will be dealt with in this opinion in the same order in which they were presented at the trial, and in the interest of brevity, throughout this opinion, the parties will be referred to as follows: The Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Company, as the Sprinkler Company. The Montgomery Electric Company, as Montgomery. The W. A. Rushlight Company, as Rushlight. The C. F. Davidson Company as Davidson and the Continental Casualty Company as the Bonding Company.

The Rushlight Automatic Sprinkler Ccnn.pany:

, The claim of the Sprinkler Company is based on a subcontract with Davidson wherein and whereby for a consideration of $62,000 Davidson employed the Sprinkler Company to do and perform a portion of the main contract as follows: “To construct the outside water and sewer system .as called for in said main contract and ■its plans and specifications.” The Sprinkler 'Company claims that they fully and faithfully carried out and completed their contract prior to November 30, 1944. That ■they performed additional work and furnished additional material, not required under their sub-contract, pursuant to the • orders, directions and requests of David- • son, at the agreed value of $18,068.82, and •that by the terms of the original contract . and the extra work and materials furnished Davidson owed the Sprinkler Company • these amounts and admits payment from Davidson of $55,800, leaving a balance of : $24,268.82.

Davidson admits the contract and admits that the Sprinkler Company furnished some , additional work and material concerning which the defendant Davidson admits that the sum of $8,830.22 is a proper charge and , admits that $8,414.66 was for labor and ma- • terial that were not within the terms of the original plans and specifications but . claim that the items embraced in this a' charge have not, so far, been approved by the United States Government as constituting extra labor or materials or as not being within the terms and provisions, of the Sprinkler Company’s sub-contract, and deny on information and belief that the amount is owing. They admit that the only amount paid to the Sprinkler Company is $55,800 but deny the balance of such claim.

Pending the trial and before the taking of testimony commenced, it was stipulated both as to the claims made by the Sprinkler Company and as to the claims made by Davidson, as follows:

a. Original contract price $62,000.00
b. Materials and supplies furnished on open account 8,830.22
c. Change Orders 972.79
d. Rock excavation allowed 3,722.25

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
71 F. Supp. 401, 1947 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2736, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-ex-rel-w-a-rushlight-co-v-davidson-idd-1947.