
    ERIE COAL & COKE CORPORATION v. THE UNITED STATES
    [58 C. Cls. 261; 266 U. S. 518]
    Judgment ivas rendered in favor of the United States in the court below. On appeal the judgment ivas affirmed, and the Supreme Court decided:
    1. Where by the terms and conditions set forth in the advertisement of a public sale of public property, acceptance of a bid will not be final until execution of a contract between the bidder and the United States reserving to the Government the right to rescind the sale within a time specified, the Government may exercise the option by refusing to make such contract with the bidder to whom the property has been knocked down, and such refusal gives the bidder no cause of action against the United States.
    2. Rev. Stats., sec. 3744, requiring contracts to be reduced to writing and signed by the contracting parties with their names at the end thereof, applies to public sales of surplus supplies by the Secretary of War under the act of July 11, 1919, 41 Stat. 105.
   Mr. Justice ButleR

delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court January 5, 1925.  