Bethlehem Steel Corp. v. Shonk Land Co.

Harshbarger, Justice:

A predecessor of Shonk Land Company, Ltd. purchased 11,347.66 acres of land in Kanawha and Boone Counties in 1903. Cabin Creek Consolidated Coal Company leased the property in 1914 (all parties refer to this as the Base Lease) for a term ending December 31, 1948, and later leases extended the term until 1968. In 1936, Cabin Creek transferred its interests in the Base Lease to Traux-Traer Coal Company which in 1947 erected a coal processing 1 plant there, and then re-leased to Oglebay-Norton Coal Company. Bethlehem Steel, our appellant, acquired the Base Lease from…