West v. Klotz

37 Ohio St. (N.S.) 420
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1881
StatusPublished

This text of 37 Ohio St. (N.S.) 420 (West v. Klotz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
West v. Klotz, 37 Ohio St. (N.S.) 420 (Ohio 1881).

Opinion

Okey, C. J.

Tbe Nes Silicon Steel Company erected a rolling mill at Sandusky, and subsequently failed, and- tbe question presented is as to tbe priority among its creditors.

[421]*421On December 10, 1875, Klotz & Kromer filed in tbe court of common pleas of Erie county, a jietition to enforce a mechanic’s lien on property in that county belonging to the Steel Company. Among the defendants in the action, beside the Steel Company, was William T. W est (plaintiff in error), who claimed as successor of Lester S. Hubbard, under a mortgage on the same property executed by the Steel Company to Hubbard as trustee for its bond holders. Answers, cross-petitions and replies were filed, and after a decision of the cause in the court of common pleas, it was appealed to the district court, where it was held that the lien of Klotz & Kromer, as mechanics, was superior to that of West as such trustee under the mortgage, and the court ordered that the property should be sold to satisfy the liens thereon; and thereupon, on leave of this court, this petition in error was filed by West to reverse the judgment of the district court.

All the evidence is set forth in the record, and there is no material conflict therein. Klotz & Kromer furnished to the Steel Company a large quantity of material to be used, and which was used by the Steel Company in the erection of a rolling mill on the premises above referred to, at Sandusky city. This was done under a written proposition of Klotz & Kromer, assented to in writing by the Steel Company, on December 24, 1872, though the proposition embraced materials already furnished as well as materials to be thereafter furnished. The acceptance was in these words: “The Nes Silicon Steel Company hereby accepts the above proposition and agrees to pay as follows: eighty five per cent, to be paid on delivery of work once in each month, and balance to be paid on the completion of the rail milland the acceptance was signed by the president of the Steel Company. The first material was furnished on the 10th of November, 1872, and the last on March 14, 1874. The materials were furnished continuously, so that the whole constituted one account, which account amounted to $76,531.42. The first payment was made on the account on December 19, 1872, and the last on December 31, 1873, the payments in the aggregate amounting to $57,769.83, and leaving a balance due Klotz & Kromer of [422]*422$18,761.59. On March 20, 1874, they asserted, in the form prescribed by statute, a mechanic’s lien for their claim, and subsequently brought suit and recovered judgment thereon in the court of common pleas of Erie county. No doubt their lien for such balance is entirely valid and should date from November 10,1872; but the question is whether such lien is superior to the lien of the mortgage.

Previous to August, 1872, the Nes Silicon Steel Company was incorporated under the laws of the state of New York, and engaged in the business of manufacturing steel at Rome, in that state. On August 7, 1872, that company made a proposition to the citizens of Sandusky city, with a view to the erection of a rolling mill at that place. The proposition, signed by the president of the company, was as follows : “ The Nes Silicon Steel Company, of Rome, N. Y., proposes to the citizens of Sandusky, Ohio, as follows: If the citizens of Sandusky will donate five acres of land to the Nes Silicon Steel Company in some suitable location for a rolling mill in said city, and loan on bond and other security hereafter named, and on the conditions hereafter named, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in cash, the Nes Silicon Steel Company will erect on said five acres of land, in a good and workmanlike manner, and of good and suitable material, a rolling mill for rolling railroad rails, of a capacity of at least fifty to sixty tons per day of twenty-four hours, and puddling furnaces sufficient for re-rolling; to commence and prosecute the same vigorously, as soon as notified by the-citizens of Sandusky that this proposition is accepted, to an early completion of the same, to be done within one year from said notice, and when completed, to stock and run and operate the same for five years, at least, after its completion, destruction by the elements excepted. This proposition is as follows : The Nes Silicon Steel Company proposes, as soon as the aforesaid land is deeded to it, to execute a mortgage on the same, to a trustee appointed by both parties, for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to secure the payment of bonds for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and to issue bonds to the same amount, payable in five years, bearing ten per cent, annual interest, payable semi-an[423]*423nually, and to place the same in the hands of said trustee, agreed upon by both parties. Coupons for said interest to be attached to said bonds. Interest shall only be paid on said bonds from the time the moneys are actually received by said company, to be adjusted by the trustee before delivering the bonds. Said bonds' are to be guaranteed by Elisha P. Wheeler, Charles H. Horton, Coe Robertson, William Evans, W. L. Graham, David Robertson, J. C. Robertson, E. Gulick, and as many other persons as the above named may choose to do so. The duties of said trustee are to hold the bonds in trust for the parties hereto, and to receive the money from the citizens of Sandusky for said bonds at par, and to dispose of said bonds and money as follows: When said company shall' present to him bills or accounts for materials, work or machinery, used in erecting said rolling mills and puddling furnaces, eighty-five per cent, of the amount of said bills or accounts shall be advanced to said company, lie receiving its receipt therefor, and describing the bill or account; and when said mill and'furnaces are completed, the fifteen per cent, remaining shall be paid on the same, not exceeding the amount of said bonds, and when the amount of said bonds has been paid to said company, said trustee shall deliver said bonds to the parties subscribing for the same, to the amount each has so subscribed. In case of the failure of the Nes Silicon Steel Company to pay said bonds or the coupons attached thereto, then, at the request of any bondholder then unpaid, said trustee shall proceed to collect said bond or coupon from the company, or guarantors of said bond, and pay tbe avails to the holder of said bond. Said Nes Silicon Steel Company is to get and keep its works insured against loss or damage by fire, and the policies assigned or payable to said trustee, for the benefit of the bondholders. Any bondholder is to have the privilege, at any time within one year after the completion of said mill, to take the stock of said company at par in place or lieu of the amount of bonds he may hold, by delivery of such bond or bonds.”

On August 16, 1872, a largo number of the citizens of San-dusky assented to the proposition. Several of them agreed to advance to the Steel Company certain sums of money, and re[424]*424ceivo therefor bonds so secured. Among the citizens who had interested themselves in this matter was William H. Mills, one of the defendants in error, who owned lands adjoining San-dusky. In consideration that he was not to be called upon to loan to the company any money, he agreed to and did convey to the company ten acres of his land, on which the rolling mill was to be and was erected, its value then being, it is said, $10,000. And among the subscribers to such loan were Klotz & Kromer, plaintiffs below, who, on October 16, 1872, agreed to lend to the company $5,000, and receive from the company bonds therefor, so secured.

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Bluebook (online)
37 Ohio St. (N.S.) 420, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/west-v-klotz-ohio-1881.