Brown v. Homestake Exploration Co.

Plaintiffs brought this action for damages for the alleged breach of a written contract for the exploration and development of lands for oil and gas.

In the month of October, 1922, plaintiffs were the owners of three separate oil and gas prospecting permits recently issued by the United States of America on government land, pursuant to the Act of Congress of February 25, 1920 (sec. 14 [30 U. S. C. A., sec. 223]). One of these permits comprised 837.17 acres of land located in township 34 north, range 2 west. The lands described therein were in eight separate tracts, noncontiguous to each other,…