Flanders v. Welch

5 Pa. D. & C.2d 672, 1954 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 32
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Elk County
DecidedAugust 3, 1954
Docketno. 1
StatusPublished

This text of 5 Pa. D. & C.2d 672 (Flanders v. Welch) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Elk County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Flanders v. Welch, 5 Pa. D. & C.2d 672, 1954 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 32 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1954).

Opinion

Trambley, P. J.,

This case is before the court on preliminary objections filed by defendants to plaintiffs’ complaint.

From the complaint it appears:

That William T. Flanders is a resident of Gibson Township, Cameron County, and plaintiff, Robert A. MacMillan, is a resident of Gibson Township, Cameron County.

That defendants, Donald C. Welch and Warren J. Bauman, are residents of Lock Haven, Clinton County.

That on or about January 27, 1953, defendants came to the place of business of plaintiff, William T. Flanders, Sinnamahoning, Cameron County, and told plaintiffs that they were interested in securing gas and oil leases in the vicinity and inquired of plaintiffs if they knew of any lands which were available for leasing.

[674]*674That at that time defendants promised and agreed orally with plaintiffs that if plaintiffs would give them information or help or assistance, by or through which they, defendants, would secure any oil or gas leases, they would give plaintiffs a 1/32 interest or override in the proceeds from any gas or oil wells drilled on such leases, in payment for such information.

That relying on this promise and agreement by defendants, plaintiffs told defendants of certain land situate in Benezette Township, Elk County, owned by Samuel Bateman or by Samuel Bateman and Alice G. Bateman, his wife, which they, plaintiffs, believed could be leased. Whereupon, defendants or one of them contacted the Batemans concerning leasing said land.

That at the time defendants or one of them talked to Mr. Bateman about leasing this land, Mr. Bateman stated that he and his wife would not lease their land until a well being drilled on an adjoining farm was completed.

That defendants then told plaintiffs to keep themselves informed of the progress of the well being drilled on the farm adjoining the Bateman’s property and to contact them, defendants, as soon as said well was completed.

That approximately two or three weeks thereafter, said well being drilled on the farm adjoining the Bate-man property was drilled in. Whereupon, plaintiffs called defendant, Donald C. Welch, by telephone and informed him of the fact.

That the next day defendant, Donald C. Welch, returned to Elk County and was successful in securing a gas and oil lease on the Bateman property from Samuel Bateman and Alice C. Bateman, his wife. Said lease agreement was dated February 24, 1953, between Samuel Bateman and Alice C. Bateman, his wife, lessors, and Warren J. Bauman and Donald C. [675]*675Welch, lessees, whereby the lessors granted, demised, leased and let unto the lessees 32 acres of land, more or less, situate in Benezette Township, Elk County.

That on March 2, 1953, defendants, together with their wives, for a consideration of $5,000 and the 14 of the oil produced and saved from the premises, and the !4 of the gross proceeds of the sale of gas produced and saved from said premises, which 14 of the said oil and gas included any royalty or interest therein-before sold or reserved, conveyed, transferred and assigned unto Lock Haven Development Corporation, its successors and assigns, the southermost 25 acres of said leasehold estate, reserving to themselves the northern seven acres thereof.

That about two weeks after defendants secured said lease from Samuel Bateman and Alice C. Bateman, his wife, plaintiffs, not having heard further from defendants, traveled to Lock Haven and requested Donald C. Welch, one of the defendants, to carry out the agreement he and defendant, Warren J. Bauman, had made with plaintiffs by assigning to them the 1/32 of the proceeds from any gas and oil wells to be drilled on the Bateman property.

That at that time defendant, Donald C. Welch, offered to pay plaintiffs cash in lieu of the 1/32 override or interest in the Bateman lease, but plaintiffs told defendant, Donald C. Welch, that they were not interested in a cash offer. No specific amount of money was mentioned by any of the parties.

That defendant, Donald C. Welch, then informed plaintiffs that the board of directors of Lock Haven Development Corporation was meeting the following afternoon and that he would bring the matter of the assignment to plaintiffs of the 1/32 of the proceeds from gas and oil wells to be drilled on the Bateman property before said board of directors, and that he [676]*676would get in touch with plaintiff, William T. Flanders, at his place of business immediately following said meeting.

That defendant, Donald C. Welch, is president of Lock Haven Development Corporation, and defendant, Warren J. Bauman, is secretary of Lock Haven Development Corporation.

That notwithstanding the promise of defendant, Donald C. Welch, that he would contact plaintiff, William T. Flanders, immediately following the meeting of the board of directors of Lock Haven Development Corporation, neither plaintiff, William T. Flanders, nor plaintiff, Robert A. MacMillan, have either seen or heard from defendant, Donald C. Welch, or defendant, Warren J. Bauman, since that time.

That defendant, Donald C. Welch, informed plaintiffs that he and defendant, Warren J. Bauman, had reserved to themselves seven acres out of the Bateman tract and that he and defendant, William J. Bauman, were willing to sublet said seven acres for $2,500 in cash and a 1/32 override on all oil and gas produced therefrom, and that they would give plaintiffs the 1/32 override on the oil and gas produced therefrom if plaintiffs would find a purchaser of the lease covering the seven acre tract.

That sometime later, plaintiffs were contacted by a man named Cross who was searching for oil and gas lands to lease. When plaintiffs mentioned the above seven acre tract, this man told plaintiffs that he was an official of or was connected with Lock Haven Development Corporation, and suggested to plaintiffs that if they would secure the lease on the seven acre tract from defendants and assign it to him, he would drill on the property and would give them a 1/32 override on the oil and gas produced, in which event plaintiffs were to release defendants from their promise [677]*677of an override of 1/32 on the oil and gas produced from the balance of the Bateman property. This plaintiffs refused to do.

That up until the present time defendants have either refsued or failed to assign or transfer to plaintiffs the 1/32 of the proceeds from the sale of gas and oil from wells to be drilled on the aforementioned Bate-man property.

Plaintiffs are advised, believe and, therefore, aver that the drilling of a well has been commenced by defendants or their assignee on the 25 acre portion of the Bateman property.

That on account of the peculiar nature of the subject matter involved in this case, and the fact that its value cannot be readily ascertained at this time, plaintiffs aver that no damages at law can adequately compensate them for defendants’ breach of said promise or agreement, and that they are entitled to have specific performance thereof.

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Bluebook (online)
5 Pa. D. & C.2d 672, 1954 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 32, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/flanders-v-welch-pactcomplelk-1954.