Flynn v. White Breast Coal & Mining Co.

32 N.W. 471, 72 Iowa 738
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedMarch 17, 1887
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 32 N.W. 471 (Flynn v. White Breast Coal & Mining Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Flynn v. White Breast Coal & Mining Co., 32 N.W. 471, 72 Iowa 738 (iowa 1887).

Opinion

Seevers, J.

. lease: with cSase: rent'1'" cfseoi option and before oonsumma-chase. I. It is stipulated in the lease that the defendant “is hereby invested witli the right and option of purchasing the [leased land] at any time within the period of ten years from March 1, A. D. 1881, at the agreed price of $10,000, said right , . , \ . r / , , ° -to be exercised by giving [to the detendantj a written notice of its election to purchase said land; * * * and, upon making said election, it shall be, and is hereby made, the duty of [the plaintiff ] to make, execute and deliver without delay to [the defendant] a good and sufficient warranty deed, * * * conveying said real estate to [the defendant] * * * in fee-simple, upon receipt of the purchase-money; but the exercise of this election shall not relieve [the defendant] from the payment of any royalty in arrears.”

In November, 1882, the defendant concluded to avail itself of the option to purchase, and a notice in writing to that effect was served on the plaintiff on December 21,1882, and on the succeeding day he caused to be prepared a deed conveying the premises to the defendant, which was tendered to it within a day or two thereafter, the same to be delivered upon the payment of the purchase-money. Eor several reasons, which will be sufficiently referred to hereafter, the purchase was not finally‘Consummated by the delivery of a deed and payment of the purchase-money, until in March, 1883. During such period the defendant mined a large amount of coal, for which the plaintiff claims compensation at the price named in the lease.^ This claim is resisted by the defendant, [740]*740on the groiind that, when the option to purchase was exercised, there was a completed contract, and tlie defendant became the equitable owner of the land and coal, and that the plaintiff was not entitled to compensation for the latter, for the reason that it passed, by the contract of purchase, with the land, to the defendant. The court thought this position not well taken, and found for the plaintiff, upon the theory, we may suppose, that there was no completed contract of purchase; and whether there was or not is the question to be determined on this branch of the case.

The defendant contends that the offer to sell upon tlie terms stated in the lease was a continuing offer, and that upon its acceptance it became a contract, which could be enforced by an action for specific performance; and we understand the defendant further contends that it is immaterial whether such an action could have been successfully maintained or not, because the land has in fact been conveyed, and the purchase-money paid, and that, when this action was commenced, the contract had been fully executed. As we understand, this proposition is conceded by the plaintiff, with a qualification, and that is that defendant must have done all it was required to do. In other words, that it must have fully complied with the terms and conditions of the option or continuous offer made by the plaintiff, and, as the defendant failed to tender or offer to paj'- the purchase-money until March, 1883, that the purchase was hot consummated until that .time.

Counsel for the defendant have cited many authorities in sujiport of their position, all of which have been examined, but we think they are clearly distinguishable from this case. They are mostly actions brought for specific performance, when the purchase-money had been paid-or tendered, and the party was entitled to a specific performance, and the questions determined related to the terms and conditions upon which it should be granted. ¥e do not deem it necessary to cite all of these cases, and distinguish them. One citation [741]*741will be sufficient. Willard v. Tayloe, 8 Wall., 557, is greatly relied on, and in some particulars it is precisely like the case at bar. In that case, as in this, there was a lease of the premises, with an option to the lessee to purchase at a named price within a specified time. The option was exercised, and the similarity between the cases ends, for the reason that, when the option in the cited case was exercised, a tender of the purchase-money was made, and, upon the failure of the lessor to accept it and make a conveyance, as he had bound himself to do, an action was brought for specific performance. Now, whatever is said by the court has reference to the facts of the case; the material thing being that the lessee had fully complied with the offer to sell. lie had done all he could, and all he was required to do. In this case we understand that the plaintiff offered to sell for the stipulated price, and to execute a conveyance upon the payment of the purchase-money, and the defendant agreed to make such payment. The conveyance and payment were concurrent in point of time. The plaintiff made the offer, and he could do nothing more until it had been accepted, and the defendant was ready to perform on its part. The mere acceptance in writing, as we construe the offer, was not sufficient. The defendant should also, at least, have made an offer, or expressed a readiness, to pay the purchase-money upon the execution and tender of the deed. Certainly the defendant would not have been entitled to a conveyance until it made such a tender. Until it did this, an action for a specific performance could not have been maintained. It follows, therefore, we think, that there was not in fact a completed contract. The defendant had not done all it was required to do. Until such a tender was made, the plaintiff was not required to deliver the deed. Suppose, upon receiving the written notice, the plaintiff had said, “ I am willing to perform on my part,” and nothing more was done by the defendant, could it be regarded as a purchaser ? We think not, for the deed was to be made and delivered upon payment of the [742]*742purchase-money. The defendant could not have compelled ■the plaintiff to take the money, but it could have made the tender, and this, we think, it was bound to do. It, therefore, is immaterial whether the deed executed by the plaintiff on the 22d day of December, 1882, was sufficient or not, and it will be conceded that the objections made to the form of the deed were well taken. The plaintiff’s title was good, and such a title as he could convey was afterwards accepted by the defendant. Under the lease, the defendant was authorized to mine coal, ■and was bound to pay therefor. As the defendant did not become a purchaser before March, 1883, it follows that the lease remained in force until that time, and the defendant must pay for all coal mined during that period. Upon this branch of the case the judgment of the district court is correct.

The defendant contends that if it failed to comply with the option or contract of purchase, interest on the purchase-money is all the plaintiff would be entitled to recover. In this we do not concur, for the reason that we think the lease remained in full force and effect until there was a conveyance, or until the plaintiff failed unreasonably to make the conveyance.

land:construction: royalty. 2_ooal II. The lease was executed in February, 1881, and the term was to commence on the 3d day of March, in that year.

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Bluebook (online)
32 N.W. 471, 72 Iowa 738, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/flynn-v-white-breast-coal-mining-co-iowa-1887.