In late february 1972 a coal waste impoundment dam along the buffalo creek in logan county, west virginia collapsed. Read the buffalo creek disaster how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won by gerald m. Negligent strip mining and heavy rain produced a raging flood. Grosberg gerald sterns the buffalo creek disaster 1 and the lawsuit which is the subject of his book provide an excellent vehicle to complement a conventionally taught civil procedure course. On the surface it looks like a simple trial book, to someone who didnt read the book that exactly what it is. The nook book ebook of the the buffalo creek disaster. An effective supplement to a conventional civil procedure course lawrence m.
Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia. On february 26, 1972, a sludge dam on the middle fork of buffalo creek in logan. A detailed list of witnesses and a summary of testimony are given in addenda b. The buffalo creek disaster essay 3619 words bartleby. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won stern, gerald m. Published by stern in 1976, his book chronicles the events preceding and following the buffalo creek flood of 1972. Although a book for laymen, it is still used in many law school civil procedure courses. The purpose of this assignment is for students to think critically about ethics and law. This book is particularly significant in the aftermath of the teton dam disaster in idaho this past june. Sep 05, 1976 this book is particularly significant in the aftermath of the teton dam disaster in idaho this past june.
For the flood that followed the collapse of west virginias buffalo creek dam in 1972. From the buffalo creek disaster book, the law involves the use of a rightful procedure in seeking justice. Students are expected to have a minimum word count of words. It is a painting with several layers composing its art. The commission concluded after eight public hearings, 91 witnesses, and 2,000 pages of transcript that pittston has shown flagrant disregard for the safety of residents of buffalo creek and other persons who live near coalrefuse. They are based upon hypotheticals proposed by professor charles a. Gerald stern, from the time he had accepted the case, in my opinion, was out for establishing justice. To ask other readers questions about the buffalo creek disaster, please sign up. This book provides a good description of many aspects of civil process, but it also raises questions about the use of courts to achieve justice for powerless people. The disaster cause by a dam corruption which was used to block black water produced in mining procedures. This is seen immediately after the disaster, where the pittston company is claiming the disaster is an act of god, when in fact, it had neglected renovating the dams drainage system.
Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia university. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment d. When we begin to scratch the surface, we see the authors live in this book. One, the buffalo creek disaster, about the case itself, was by jerry stern. Free the buffalo creek disaster essay exampleessays.
As such, its a great book for those interested in the process of lawyering. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the pittston coal company burst. The overall theme in the book, the buffalo creek disaster, is one of complexity. The west virginia mining catastrophe killed 125 people, mostly women and children. Sterns the buffalo creek disaster in terms of critiquing the authors thesis, supporting arguments, supporting evidence and authority, style, and content. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won 9780307388490 by stern, gerald m.
The other, a runnerup for a national book award in 1975, is everything in its path, by kai erikson describing the story of the disaster from a sociologists point of view. The disaster killed 125 people, injured more than 1,000, and left about 4,000 people homeless. Memories of the buffalo creek flood disaster home facebook. Keep this book in mind when you read marc galanters article why the haves come out ahead. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the pittston coal company burst, sending a million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern west virginias buffalo creek hollow. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won at. This page will have archives of old newspaper articles, photographs, and hopefully some audio clips of people discussing the disaster. No one could be more qualified to write on this topic than.
Porter filed with the court two telephone books worth of victim statements. The buffalo creek disaster logan wv history and nostalgia. Study buffalo creek disaster flashcards from steve t. Gerald sterns the buffalo creek disaster 1 and the lawsuit which is the subject of his book. This book was an outstanding depiction of how our court systems in the united states work. Prologue on the morning of the 26th february 1972 a coal companys massive coalwaste refuse pile which dammed a stream in middle fork hollow collapsed in the buffalo creek valley. The management of buffalo creek and that of pittston is highly unethical. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the. Rees, in his article, a calendar of buffalo creek hypotheticals for the civil procedure course, 18 ohio n. Logan county, west virginia, includes a small area known as buffalo creek. Paper details read the buffalo creek disaster and write a reflection incorporating a discussion of ethics. Learn buffalo creek disaster stern with free interactive flashcards.
The news of the buffalo creek disaster broke variously across the nation the next few days, in part due to the difficulty of getting to the site. Understand more than 700 works of literature, including to kill a mockingbird, the catcher in the rye, 1984, and lord of the flies at. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It involves the use of the litigation process for the purpose of fighting injustices in the society. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the pittston coal company burst, sending a million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of. Whether youre studying hamlet or hunger games, well make sure you get the big idea. As a first year law student, this book incapacitated the essence of civil procedure that we are learning in class. The buffalo creek disaster occurred in logan county, west virginia on 26 february 1972 when water and coal mining refuse burst through a dam owned by the buffalo mining company, a subsidiary of the pittston coal company. The buffalo creek disaster book papers marketplace. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university studyblue.
In a matter of minutes, 118 were dead and over 4,000 people were left homeless. The story of the surviviors unprecedented lawsuit by gerald m. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most costly and deadly preventable mining related catastrophes. Sterns lucidity and anger as he details the complex.
The photos displayed within our listings are stock photos provided by ebay and the publisher as a visual aid. The buffalo creek disaster essay court, united states on. At best, however, the stern book is an incomplete version of what happened. The buffalo creek disaster book summary images all. One of the most significant mining disaster happened at a little valley that located in buffalo count, west virginia in february 1972. Buffalo creek disaster, miscellaneous, free essays. The following hypothetical problems are based on the buffalo creek book. About the buffalo creek disaster one saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the pittston coal company burst, sending a million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern west virginia s buffalo creek hollow.
Stern, is an account of how the survivors of the worst disasters in coal mining history, picked. More than thirty years ago, one of the deadliest floods in u. This assignment is also designed to help improve undergraduate student writing outcomes. The collapse of the buffalo creek dam and subsequent flood disaster has received a great deal of attention in the literature since its occurrence in 1972. The new york times ran an associated press wire story on the front page of its sunday, february 27th, 1972 edition, above the fold, bearing the headline. September 2, 1972 west virginia ad hoc commission of inquiry into the buffalo creek flood released its report. All notes and memoranda of a any and all interviews conducted by pittston or buffalo creek mining employees or agents within fortyeight hours of the february, 1972, dam burst as well as b any and all observations recorded by such employees or agents within the same period. One of worst floods in us occurred here 26 february 1972, when buffalo mining co. The most comprehensive, accurate, and useful guides to classic and contemporary lit on the internet.
A blowbyblow account of a landmark lawsuit by the chief attorney for the survivors of the 72 buffalo creek disaster. Buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards and study sets quizlet. The buffalo creek mining company bcmc is a subsidiary firm of the pittston co. Essay the buffalo creek disaster by gerald m stern. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won.
Buffalo creek disaster ye hao gbl395 summer 2014 synopsis. The day was february 26, 1972, a day that will live on in the hearts and minds of the victims and survivors of the buffalo creek disaster. The buffalo creek disaster buffalo creek hollow was a small valley that consisted of about seventeen coal communities which were adjacent to buffalo creek when operation of the mine commenced in 1945 the practice dumping of slurry, or coal mining waste into the hollow also began. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won by gerald m. A landmark book that gives impassioned challenge to the social meaning of disasters the new. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in c. On february 26, 1972, 2million gallons of debrisfilled muddy water burst through a makeshift miningcompany dam and roared through buffalo creek, a narrow mountain hollow in west virginia. The buffalo creek disaster is a book by gerald m stern, about how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coalmining company.
The 1977 sorokin awardwinning story of buffalo creek in the aftermath of a devastating flood. Buffalo creek is broke and have no money, hence the shareholders need to be sued. Choose from 37 different sets of buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards on quizlet. This lawsuit would be proper to file in district court of west virginia as compared to the federal court. The buffalo creek disaster left hundreds of people to suffer without homes, belongings, jobs, family, and friends. Sterns the buffalo creek disaster in terms of critiquing the.
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