Hawkins v. Texas Co.

Mr. Justice S medley

delivered the opinion of the Court.

As an exception to Rule 37, and “to prevent physical waste,” the Railroad Commission of Texas, with its chairman, Colonel Thompson, voting “no,” granted to petitioner, J. C. Hawkins, on December 23, 1940, a special permit to drill a tenth well on a 21.6 acre tract of land in the eastern part of the East Texas oil field. This suit to test the validity of the order was filed by respondent, The Texas Company, which is the owner of an oil and gas lease of a 30.54 acre tract of land, on which there are six producing oil wells, lying to the…