122 Mich. 115 | Mich. | 1899
The case made below, as stated by the plaintiffs and appellants, was as follows: On or about October 1, 1894, plaintiffs were the owners of a well-drilling machine, and were engaged in the business of drilling farm wells in the vicinity of Marlette, Sanilac county. Defendant was the owner of a farm near Marlette, upon which he did not live at the time. The parties entered into a verbal contract, under the terms of which plaintiffs were to put down a drive well on defendant’s farm, — a well that defendant could not pump dry, — for which defendant agreed to pay plaintiffs $1.25 per foot. Plaintiffs commenced .work, and, after going down about 100 feet, struck shale rock, and got “hung up.” Defendant was present at this time, and designated a new place for plain
The plaintiffs offered no proof of the damages sustained by the breach of the contract by defendant, except as the cost of the work in the effort to find water bears on the question. The plaintiffs contend -that the value of labor expended is the proper measure of damages. We do not consider this position tenable. The award of damages for a breach of contract is for the’ purpose of compensating the nondefaulting party for the injury sustained. It is apparent that, up to the time when the plaintiffs attempted the last boring, the labor which they had expended, and which, according to their present claim, amounted to nearly $250, had been expended in vain. No part of its cost could have been recovered if they had completed the contract. Why, then, should they recover it now, unless, instead of compensating them for the injury which they sustained by the breach, they be permitted to recover a sum which has no true relation to the damages sustained,
The judgment is affirmed.