Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Eckroat

1935 OK 539, 46 P.2d 464, 173 Okla. 17, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 518
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 14, 1935
DocketNo. 22992.
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1935 OK 539 (Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Eckroat) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Eckroat, 1935 OK 539, 46 P.2d 464, 173 Okla. 17, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 518 (Okla. 1935).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This was an action at law, commenced in the district court of Oklahoma county, Okla., by Frank P. Eckroat and William M. Eckroat, as plaintiffs, against Phillips Petroleum Company, as defendant, to recover the sum of $1,212.62, the cash price or bonus for certain oil and gas leases or contracts, authorizing exploration for oil and gas, and production of same, if found, upon two small strips of land within the corporate limits of Oklahoma City, Okla.

The case was tried before the court, without the intervention of a jury, and judgment was entered in favor of the plaintiffs against the defendant for the full amount of demand. From that judgment the defendant prosecutes this proceeding in error. Parties are referred to as they appeared in the trial court.

■ The plaintiffs’ petition sets forth two causes of action. The first cause is predicated upon an alleged agreement on the part of the defendant to pay plaintiffs the sum of $591.42, for a community oil and gas lease on a strip of land between lots 1 to 12, inclusive, of block 19, of Eckroat’s addition, and block 2 of Schilling’s addition to Oklahoma City. The second cause is upo» a like agreement whereby defendant wa* to pay plaintiffs the sum of $621.20 for a like lease on the strip of land between block 20 of Eckroat’s addition and De-Boult’s subdivision of lots 1 to 16, of block 1, of Schilling’s addition to Oklahoma City. Plaintiffs allege that on May 30, 1930, they were the owners of the respective strips of land, and about that date executed lease contracts thereon, under an arrangement whereby owners of the adjoining property joined therein, with the understanding that the leased premises were to form two “drilling areas” in compliance with ordinances of the city; that the defendant acquired its rights under such leases, and made application for and secured permits from the city to drill oil and gas wells on each of the “drilling areas,” moved its machinery and drilling equipment upon each of such areas, fenced the strips of laud owned by plaintiffs, made excavations thereon, and erected thereon a portion of its machinery for drilling of an oil and gas well in each of the areas; and that the defendant failed to pay the agreed price or bonus, and in December, 1930, disclaimed liability for such bonus.

The answer of the defendant was as to each cause of action separately, but the defenses were substantially the same. It de *18 n(ied that plaintiffs were the owners of the land described in the petition; alleged that plaintiffs represented they were the owners of the land, and upon such representations were permitted to join in the lease; admitted that it agreed to pay a bonus for the lease, subject to approval of title by defendant’s attorneys: that the title to property was examined by defendant’s attorneys, who reported that plaintiffs did not own tbe land, and alleged that in truth and in fact plaintiffs did not own the land and never had owned it; admitted that it had not paid the bonus and disclaimed liability therefor. The answer as to plaintiff’s first cause admitted that a permit to drill an oil and gas well was issued, and that defendant drilled a well upon the area; and, as to the second cause, admitted that defendant secured a permit therefor and commenced the drilling of a well upon the area.

The plaintiffs in their reply alleged that defendant, having obtained possession of the land under agreement with plaintiffs, and still retaining the possession of the land and the 'benefits of the contract, is estopped to deny plaintiff’s title to the property.

The defendant in this court contends: (1) That plaintiffs were bound to furnish a merchantable Ititle; (2) that the evidence is conclusive that the land in question was dedicated to the public by express dedication and by user, and that plaintiffs have no title thereto; and (3) that even though plaintiffs have title, it is not a marketable one.

The plaintiffs in this court contend; (1) That in an action at law tried to the court without a jury, same will not be reversed where there is evidence to sustain the judgment; and (2) that the defendant is es-topped to deny plaintiffs’ title.

From these contentions in this court, it is evident that the only assignment of error relied upon for reversal of the judgment of the trial court is that the judgment is not sustained by sufficient evidence and is contrary to law. The defendant assigns other errors, but its brief is confined to this one assignment of error.

The plaintiffs introduced in evidence the original amended plat of Eckroat addition to Oklahoma City (plaintiffs’ exhibit 4, it. pp. 117 to 121) ; this was identified by the witness Frank Bailey, deputy county clerk of Oklahoma county, who said it was the original of said amended plat, and that it was kept in the lower vault of the office of the county clerk. The defendant introduced a certified copy of this amended plat (defendant’s exhibit 7, R. p. 135). These-instruments appear in the record or case-made by photographic copies. One of the strips of land in question lies south of lots 1 to 12, inclusive, in block 19, and the other strip of land lies south of block 20, as shown by the amended plat aforesaid, and these strips are a part of the strip extending the full width, east and west, of the amended plat, at the south boundary thereof, which is 16 feet wide at the east end and 6 feet wide at the west end. On the original of the said amended plat a continuous line is drawn around ’this strip, except at the east end, which is open. On the certified copy of this amended plat, the north boundary line of this strip, instead of being a continuous line, is broken at Ohio street and College street, and at the two north and south passages, deemed to be alleys. If the original of this amended plat is to govern, and this court is of the opinion that it should, because it is impossible to say what errors were made in the drafting of the certified copy, then there is an ambiguity as to the extent of the dedication intended. All the marks and lines upon this amended plat, as well as the written dedication, must be considered, and if possible such an interpretation should be followed as will give effect to all lines and statements. There are differences in other linos that appear upon a comparison of the original of the amended plat with the certified copy thereof, which can only be explained upon the theory that the draftsman who made the certified copy endeavored to improve upon the original.

The trial court, in its admission of evidence, evidently did so upon the theory that the original of the amended plat was ambiguous. The plaintiffs and the defendant, in the trial court, both introduced testimony as to contemporaneous and subsequent acts of the parties, and the use of the strips of land in question. As to users, the plaintiffs introduced evidence to show that the strips of land had not been used by the public; and the defendant introduced evidence to show that the same had been used by the public as an alley.

The unbroken line along the north boundary of this strip, as shown by the original amended plat, indicates that the dedicators did not intend for the public to pass from Ohio and College streets into this strip, and did not intend access from the alleys running north and south into this strip. Either the unbroken line on the north of the strip in question, or the opening at the east end, *19 was an error.

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Bluebook (online)
1935 OK 539, 46 P.2d 464, 173 Okla. 17, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 518, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phillips-petroleum-co-v-eckroat-okla-1935.