In late february 1972 a coal waste impoundment dam along the buffalo creek in logan county, west virginia collapsed. However, a flood which occurred in this region one cold winters morning in. Id, at 274303 recounting the terms of the settlement. Sterns the buffalo creek disaster in terms of critiquing the authors thesis, supporting arguments, supporting evidence and authority, style, and content. The buffalo creek disaster how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal companyand won by gerald m. For the flood that followed the collapse of west virginias buffalo creek dam in 1972like the one in idahowas a manmade natural disaster. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The initial violent intrusion by the flood waters was followed by a second phase of the traumatic cycle, the physical dislocation of the survivors, with disruption of their ground and surround. A blowbyblow account of a landmark lawsuit by the chief attorney for the survivors of the 72 buffalo creek disaster. The specific contribution of the psychiatrist to the team study of the human disaster at buffalo creek focuses on the course of psychic trauma. Learn buffalo creek disaster stern with free interactive flashcards.
How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal companyand won. Logan county, west virginia, includes a small area known as buffalo creek hollow. Rees, in his article, a calendar of buffalo creek hypotheticals for the civil procedure course, 18 ohio n. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most. 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. When operation of the mine commenced in 1945 the practice dumping of slurry, or coal mining waste into. It involves the use of the litigation process for the purpose of fighting injustices in the society. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal mining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won, 2011, 320 pages, gerald m. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the scarlet letter and what it means. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university studyblue.
Although a book for laymen, it is still used in many law school civil procedure courses. Choose from 44 different sets of buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards on quizlet. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment d. This book is particularly significant in the aftermath of the teton dam disaster in idaho this past june. The buffalo creek disaster the story of the surviviors unprecedented lawsuit vintage by gerald m. The buffalo creek mining company bcmc is a subsidiary firm of the pittston co.
Remembering the buffalo creek disaster coal tattoo. The buffalo creek disaster meet your next favorite book. Saturday, february 26, 1972, was a day logan county, west virginia, resident, tom sparks, never forgot. Memories of the buffalo creek flood disaster home facebook. The buffalo creek disaster essay 3619 words bartleby. For the buffalo creek disaster, like the recent coal mine fire tragedies at farmington, west virginia, and at hyden, kentucky, could have been prevented it need not have happened. Sterns lucidity and anger as he details the complex. You are reading the buffalo creek disaster by gerald m. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This page will have archives of old newspaper articles, photographs, and hopefully some audio clips of people discussing the disaster. A summary of chapters 14 in nathaniel hawthornes the scarlet letter. On a rainy saturday morning, february 26, 1972, 125 people. Paper details read the buffalo creek disaster and write a reflection incorporating a discussion of ethics.
A classic book on this harrowing subject, the retelling of the buffalo creek flood in 1972 is wrenching and heartbreaking, also an indictment of a coal company that could have, and should have, provided safeguards against the very thing that caused this disaster in the first place, i. Pittston moved for summary judgment because pittston is not a proper party. This lawsuit would be proper to file in district court of west virginia as compared to the federal court. Headlines of the charleston daily mail of charleston, wv reporting early death toll of 66 people killed during the buffalo creek flood disaster, the result of a giant coal waste wall of water from failed gob dams high in the hills upstream, also showing houses tossed about in the ravaged watershed. Thoughts related to the buffalo creek disaster order description. Buffalo creek notes motions what is a motion o a procedural device to bring a limited contested issue before court for decision. The buffalo creek flood didnt serve as a tipping point for policy change with regard to technological disasters, however it may serve as an early case study for physical and mental health professionals looking to develop theories about the cause and effect of. 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. More than thirty years ago, one of the deadliest floods in u.
Pittson got sued because they were the sole shareholders of the buffalo creek corporation. Negligent strip mining and heavy rain produced a raging flood. For the flood that followed the collapse of west virginias buffalo creek dam in 1972. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia. 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. From the buffalo creek disaster book, the law involves the use of a rightful procedure in seeking justice. This is absolutely the best teacher resource i have ever purchased. In a matter of minutes, 118 were dead and over 4,000 people were left homeless. The purpose of this assignment is for students to think critically about ethics and law. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia university.
One of the countrys worst miningrelated disasters occurred february 26, 1972, on buffalo creek in logan county. The buffalo creek disaster 1977 edition open library. Buffalo creek disaster, miscellaneous, free essays. 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. Most of the facts in this section of the article about the buffalo creek disaster are derived from a book written by gerald stern, the chief legal counsel for 625 plaintiffs who sued for damages resulting from the event. An effective supplement to a conventional civil procedure course lawrence m. They are based upon hypotheticals proposed by professor charles a.
The disaster occurred in logan county of west virginia. Cases and materials aspen casebook series charles l. Buffalo creek winds it way down thru these communities and empties into the guyandotte river at the edge of the town of man. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won gerald m. Then, on october 6, a letter from the president of lorado coal mining company discussed the. The flood occurred on a late february saturday morning. The buffalo creek disaster by professor gerald m stern, 9780307388490, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
One, the buffalo creek disaster, about the case itself, was by jerry stern. Students are expected to have a minimum word count of words. Different types filed by each party only 2 parties o motion for depositions to be held in buffalo creek o motions to dismiss the case filed by defendant pittston not enough evidence. On february 26, 1972, a sludge dam on the middle fork of buffalo creek in logan county gave way. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university.
By piercing the corporate veil, we can get the diversity of citizenship. 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. Buffalo creek case notes buffalocreeknotes motions. 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. 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. 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. Clearly and simply, people living downstream from the buffalo mining companys coal refuse dam at saunders were the victims of gross negligence. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.
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. This assignment is also designed to help improve undergraduate student writing outcomes. It may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. Stern, 0307783847, 9780307783844, knopf doubleday publishing group. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the scarlet letter, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The following hypothetical problems are based on the buffalo creek book. Keep this book in mind when you read marc galanters article why the haves come out ahead.
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