American Surety Co. v. State ex rel. HUMFELD
American Surety Co. v. State ex rel. HUMFELD
Opinion of the Court
The desert land board of the state of Oregon entered into a contract with the Jordan Valley'Land & Water Company, hereinafter called the contractor, for the construction of an irrigation system to reclaim certain desert lands under the provisions of the Carey Act (Comp. St. § 4685). To secure the performance of
It is contended that, where the same statute creates a liability and provides a remedy, the remedy so provided is exclusive, and that the provisions in the bond in the present case which protect those who furnished labor and material are to be disregarded, as surplusage. But the statute here relied upon must be construed in connection with certain other sections of the Oregon Laws. Section 2991 provides that all contractors who shall enter into a formal contract with the state for the construction of any building or the prosecution and completion of any work shall be required to execute the usual penal bond, with good and sufficient sureties, “with the additional obligations that such contractor or contractors shall promptly make payments to all persons supplying him or them labor or materials for any prosecution of the work provided for in such contracts,” and further provides that persons so supplying labor or material shall have a right of action and may bring suit in the name of the state against the contractor and his sureties,
The plaintiff in error relies upon Sauve v. Title Guaranty & Surety Co., 29 Idaho, 146, 158 Pac. 112. That was a case in which a purchaser of water rights from a construction company brought suit against the surety on the construction company’s bond to recover damages for failure to complete an irrigation project; the plaintiff contending that by the construction contract it was expressly provided that the contractor would carry out a former contract between the construction company and the settlers, and that in that respect it was different from the ordinary Carey Act construction contract. The Supreme Court of Idaho held that all settlers who had purchased water rights under either contract would have equal protection under the bond, and that there could be no right of action by any individual settler. The court said of the statute:
“It also declares the purpose of the bond and provides the manner of its enforcement. The liability and the remedy is created by the same statute. This being true, it would seem to us that the remedy provided in the statute is exclusive, and that the respondent company is in a position to insist upon the statutory remedy being followed.”
But the court also observed:
“It might be conceded that provisions other than those contained in this section may be inserted in the contract and become binding upon the construction company, provided the interest of the state and of the settlers on the project are in no manner jeopardized by such provisions. But it is clear to us that the bond equal to the sum of 5 per cent, of the estimated cost of the works and conditioned for the faithful performance of the provisions of the contract * * * was never intended to secure such additional provisions.”
The court cited also the statutory provision of Idaho that the bond should be in a penal sum equal to 5 per cent, of the estimated cost of the works, and “conditioned for the faithful performance of the provisions of the contract with the state.” The Idaho law differs materially from the Oregon law, in that in the latter no limit is placed upon the amount of the penal sum of the bond that may be required of the contractor, and express provision is made for protection by the bond of the claims of third parties who furnish labor and material in the performance of the contract.
Nor do we find merit in the contention that the foregoing view of the law applicable to the case has the effect to nullify the terms and provisions of the Carey Act or the legislation of the state in accepting the same. The Oregon law expressly provides for a bond to insure the performance of contracts for irrigation of the lands received under the Carey Act. It is obviously the intention of the law to require a bond sufficient for that purpose, as well as sufficient to protect the claims of laborers and those who furnish material. The statute, as we have seen, places no limit upon the amount of the penal sum of the bond that may be required. By thus protecting laborers and materialmen, substantial inducement is offered to extension of credit to contractors, resulting in distinct benefit to them and the promotion of reclamation schemes.
The judgment is affirmed.
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Reference
- Full Case Name
- AMERICAN SURETY CO. OF NEW YORK v. STATE OF OREGON ex rel. HUMFELD
- Status
- Published