Case ID: us-ct-cl_17/html/0429-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "The Chief Justice", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

(14 C. Cls. R., 508; 104 U. S. R., 464.)
    Charles Murphy, appellant, v. The United States, appellees.
    
      On the claimant’s Appeal.
    
    
      The claimant excavates a pit for the Mare Island dry-dock under a written contract and is paid the contract price. He is also paid for earth which fell in from the hanks as earth excavated. He then presents to the Navy Department a claim for certain-injuries suffered in the progress of the work, such as the defendants’ delay in the construction of 'a coffer-dam, thereby hindering him in the prosecution of his work, requiring him to haul excavated material an unreasonable distance, forbidding him to use gunpowder in the work of excavating, cfc. These claims are considered, some are allowed, and some rejected, and the result, called “an award,”is submitted to the claimant. He accepts the amount awarded, and receipts iiufidl for it as “ amount awarded as damages arising out of contract for excavating tlie dry-dock pit,” cj-c. He then brings his action to recover damages. Most of the items set up are those submitted by him to the Navy Department. The only additional one is “for damages, loss of time, expenses, and for losses on property, §45,000.” On the trial, this amount is sioollen in the claimant’s request for findings to §283,125.47.
    Tlie court below decides that tlie acceptance of the amount awarded was an award and satisfaction for all claims growing out of tlie contract-
    judgment for the defendants. The claimant appeals.
    The judgment of the court below is affirmed on ike same grounds.
   The Chief Justice

delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court, January 16, 1882.