The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-12
HE REFUSED TO ACCEPT
Benoit Will Not Take the Con-
tract offered Him.
HIS CHECK Is FORFEITED
The Matter Will Now Be Taken Into
the Courts-New Bid Will Be Ad-
vertised For at the Next Meet
ing of the Board.

Moses Benoit, to whom was awarded
the contract for building the new school
house in East Butte for s2S,673, and who
was given until noon yesterday to fur
nish a bond and sign the contract. re-
fused to accept the contract offered him
by the schoo trustees and his $1,000 GER
titled check has been declared forfeited,
and the affair will now be taken into
court.
The trustees have declared that Be-
mott, having refused to accept the con-
tract, is out of the matter altogether,
and at the next meeting of the board
they will advertise for new bids. AT the
noon hour yesterday President Long Of
the board and Trustees Lane n Mac
donald and Architect O'Brien were at
the office of the board waiting for Be
mott and his bondsmen To appear. He
was soon on hand with his partner. NJ.
Whiteway, and James H.. Lynch, one OF
his intended bondsmen.
Are you ready to sign the contract?'
asked Mr.. Long.
Il am ready to sign a contract accord
ing to the bid l made" said Benoit.
Mr.. Long then informed Mr.. Lynch
that there was some difference and mis-
understanding between the contractor
and the board, and that he wanted Mr..
Lynch to understand the matter before
he signed any bond.
Il am not going on any bond until the
matter is settled" replied Mr.. Lynch.
IF you go on the bond II will be with
the distinct understanding that the
contractor must put in the heating plant
under his contract" said Long.
That's for the contractor To say, and
not for me-" said Lynch. II am here to
sign any bond he approves"
Mr.. Whiteway then said that they
would sign no contract that called for
a heating plant, and Mr.. Long shut him
off and said the trustees would prefer
to talk to Mr.. Benoit, who appeared to
he the man who made the bid to com
plete the building. Benoit said he had
retained an attorney and wished to wait
until he came. A few minute later John
w. Cotter appeared and told the trustees
that he represented Mr.. Benoit and that
they woul sign a contract in accord
ance with their bid. and nothing more.
and that did not include a heating plant.
our bid was according to your speci-
fications," he said, and if you can show
US anything in the specifications about
a heating plant w may even sign that
You will find them there" said Presi-
dent Long.
Mr.. Cotter examined the specifications
again and said the only thing in them
in reference to a heating plant was the
statement that q separate bid with spe-
cifications," would be received for the
plant. Benoit not having submitted a
separate bid, il was conclusive hat he
did not mean to include the heating
plant i'm his general bid. Mr.. Cotter ar
gued that il was evident that the archi-
tect's specifications did not intend that
the heating plant should be ncluded in
"A general bid for the erection of the
building. for several references i'm the
specifications are made TO the heating
plant, showing that il was the in,
tent that a separate bid for hat should
be submitted. There was nothing in
the specifications to show, said Mr.. Cot.
ter, what kind of a heating plant was
to be furnished, except that they pro.
vided for steam heat capable of furnish
ing seventy degrees.
I'VE are willing to sign a contract In
accordance with our bid and the speci
fications and urnish a bond i'm any sun
required" sand Mr.. Cotter in conclusion
we understand, Mr.. Benoit, then
that you refuse to sign the contract al
submitted to your" asked MI. Long.
Yes, sir. III sign IL IL reference e
the heating plant is stricken out"
Nothing was stricken out, and theT
l Mr.. Cotter made a demand on the trus
tees for the return of Mr.. Benoit's s., 00
check, but Mr.. Long Informed him tha.
2 the check was in the possession of tn,
board and that the demand would hav,
to be made at a meeting of the board
He told MIR. Cotter that the check woulC
, be safe in the meanwhile. The confer
ence then came to an end, and the mat.
ter will come up again at the next meet,
ing of the school board.