Case Name: THE UNITED STATES v. MASON & HANGER COMPANY
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1922-12-04
Citations: 58 Ct. Cl. 700
Docket Number: 
Parties: THE UNITED STATES v. MASON & HANGER COMPANY.
Judges: 
Reporter: United States Court of Claims Reports
Volume: 58
Pages: 700–700

Head Matter:
THE UNITED STATES v. MASON & HANGER COMPANY.
[56 C. Cls. 238; 260 U.S. 323.]
Judgment was rendered against the United States-in the court below: On appeal the judgment was affirmed, and the Supreme Court decided :
A building contract, made through the War Department, provided that the contractor should be reimbursed for such actual net expenditures in the performance of the work as might be approved or ratified by the contracting officer, including “ such bonds, fire, liability, and other insurance as the contracting officer may approve or require;” that monthly statements of costs should be made, upon which, in case of disagreement, the decision of the contracting officer should govern; and that statements so made and all payments, made thereon should be final and binding on both parties. Held, that where a payment made by the contractor as a premium on its bond to secure the performance of the contract was thus approved and repaid as part' of the cost of the work, the decision and action of the officer were conclusive, and that the Comptroller of the Treasury was without power to deduct the amount from other moneys due the contractor, upon the ground that the expense was not among those for which the contract promised reimbursement.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice McKenna
delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court December 4, 1922.