, 1874-02-08

against the owner, or lessee, and original con-
tractor, for go mich as the work and material
shaL be shown to be reasonably worth
first deducting SO much as shall have been ri1.bt @
tnl]y paid on said original contract by the owner
or lessee,-the balance to be divided between
such claimants in proportion to their respective
interests, to be ascertalned By the court; the
promises to be sold within thirty days from date
o1 such decree, unless the judgment shall be
sooner paid"
The original contractor, in this case. has
drawn nearly all tue money stipulated in the
eontract, aud as the owner has fulfilled his part
OF the bargain, the building cannot be held for
the pay OF the sub-contractora, workincmen.
and those persons who furnished materials
Therefore the Lien law is
WORTHLESS TO THIN
as they cannot collect their claims with its aid.
30 many instances Of this kind have occurred.
where the Lien law Was worthless, that there Is
no" demand for it's repeal; but there are two
clauses 10 that law which meet the waa,s OF
these agsrleved parties. II properly understood,
the owner, the original contractor tho eub-con-
tractor the 1aborer, aud tho persons who FUR
nish the material.
In Sec. 2 is this clause: IL To -. You are
ployed by - rs laborcr Tor have furnished
mat erlals, OF am about to furnish 1naterialsl on
or for Your house or building; aud that l shall
hold tho house, building, and your interest in
the ground, liable fox my services thereon [or
materials furuished1."
SEC. 8: "No payments to the original con-
tractor, or to his order, shall be regarded as
f!ghtfu1ly made, il made III Tioiation of the
rights ard interests of the persons intended to-
be benefited by this act.''
These two clauses cover the whole ground,
and place redress
WITHIN THE REACH OF ALL.
L the sub-contractor, the mechanic, the laborcr
the person who furnishes the material, shall
r1.or.% - r.
ten notice that they will hold the property liable
for the work performed or material furnished,
they can obtain justice IN any Of courts for.
If the owner Of tho property pay the original
contractor the whole amount for which the con-
tract calls in defiance OF such written notice. his
proparty is still liable for the SUE, due those who
gayo such notice. Therefore the Lien law is rs
good for the mechanic as for the contractor, and
he can, if he fulfill it's requirements, recover his
just dues under its provisions: Such course
OF procedure would do more to break up the ne
furious system Of giving contracts to the lowest
bidder than anything that can be said or written.
and would drive irresponsible contractors out OF
the field, leaving it open to honorable men.
Before the building season again commences,
every man should understand the Lien law, in
order to guard against injustice. A lawyer re-
marked, not long ago, wien speaking upon this
subject, s There is scarcely lawyer in this city
who would not be wiling to give poor working
man advice FREQ Of charge, aud tell him how to
profit by our laws, which are good enough if
they are properly understood. At the samo
time, it would pay d poor man to give 8 good
lawyer handsome fee to inform him how to pro-
tect himself against uuscrupulous designing
men,"
For the benefit OF this class, the form Of
WRITTEN NOTICE.
prescribed BY law is given below and it would be
we'll Tor those whose interests it is likely to affect
to cut 1t out OF this paper, and lay it away for
future use:
T. ". H.: You hereby notified that I ern-
ployed by J. B. as laborer, about to furnish
materials, for your house building; and that
shall hold the house, building and yoCr interest in
the ground, atle for my services thereon materials
furnished. JOHN SAITH.
[Date.]
MRs, Ii, D. WySKooP,