Boynton Furnace Co. v. Gilbert
Boynton Furnace Co. v. Gilbert
Opinion of the Court
George W. and Mary Wilson and the Union Hotel Company are among the defendants in this case. George W. and Mary Wilson are husband and wife. Mary Wilson is a lessee of the Union Hotel Company for an hotel building known as “ Union Hotel,” in Le Mars, Iowa. She, through her agent, George W. Wilson, on the nineteenth day of November, 1890, entered into a written agreement with the defendant Gilbert, whereby Gilbert, for a consideration of one thousand, eight hundred and fifty dollars, was to put into said Union Hotel one of the “Boynton patent hot water heaters No. 10,” with a guaranty as follows: “Said heater is guarantied to be of sufficient’ capacity to heat third floor whenever required. In putting in the plant
The defendant Gilbert filed his separate answer, pleading a guaranty on the part of the plaintiff company to furnish a heater to heat the building in question, and that he entered into the contract with Wilson at the instance and request of the plaintiff, and relying on its representation as to the capacity of the boiler to heat the building; and that, in pursuance thereof, he contracted with the plaintiff for the boiler. The answer avers that there was a breach of the guaranty in this: that the boiler was entirely insufficient to heat the building in conformity to the contract. The defendants Wilson and wife and the Union Hotel Company unite in an answer averring a breach of the guaranty on the part of Gilbert. The district court gave judgment against Gilbert, but, as we have said, denied the lien as against the other defendants.
It is not a controverted fact in the case but that, as between Gilbert and Wilson, there was a breach of the guaranty; and it isa clearly established fact that after such breach, and in pursuance of an agreement
There is quite a serious complaint because of an after agreement between Gilbert and Wilson to so change the plan as to furnish hot water for lavatory purposes, and this is urged as a reason why the boiler was not sufficient to heat the building. No doubt the change had some effect, but it is clearly apparent that the boiler was entirely inadequate to the purpose of heating such a building. This is so manifest from the evidence that it should not be questioned. We think this appears mainly from the plaintiff’s own evidence. Its own statement as to the cubic feet of space t-ho boiler would heat shows that it was not equal to the requirements of the contract. The plaintiff knew it, became a subcontractor, and it is asking its lien by virtue thereof. It must take notice of the contract under which it claims its lien, and if, as a subcontractor, it
One Wood is a defendant in the case, but only as assignee of Gilbert, who became insolvent, and any further reference to him is unnecessary. The contest on this appeal is really between the plaintiff and Wilson.
We think the decree of the district court right, and it is AEEIBMED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Boynton Furnace Company v. John Gilbert
- Status
- Published