The title of this book is the buffalo creek disaster and it was written by gerald m. A blowbyblow account of a landmark lawsuit by the chief attorney for the survivors of the 72 buffalo creek disaster. In a matter of minutes, 118 were dead and over 4,000 people were left homeless. Buffalo creek case notes buffalocreeknotes motions. Complaint pages 1 25 memorandum of law in support of the defendants motion pages 26 38 plaintiffs notice of taking depositions pages 39 49. Learn buffalo creek disaster stern with free interactive flashcards. Sterns lucidity and anger as he details the complex. Buffalo creek dam west virginia, 1972 case study asdso. The buffalo creek coal mining company was a succesfully running company back in the times of 19th century. The buffalo creek disaster was a real disaster in the american history. It involves the use of the litigation process for the purpose of fighting injustices in the society. The nook book ebook of the the buffalo creek disaster. Human relationships in this community had been derived from traditional bonds of kinship and neighborliness.
Jerry sterns account of the litigation over the buffalo creek dam disaster ought to be read by every wannabe trial lawyer so that he or she will understand the tremendous creativity real lawyering, particularly lawyering down in the pits, requires. Negligent strip mining and heavy rain produced a raging flood. One of the countrys worst miningrelated disasters occurred february 26, 1972, on buffalo creek in logan county. The buffalo creek disaster book summary images all. The buffalo creek disaster had significant impact on our nation. It may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. One of worst floods in us occurred here 26 february 1972, when buffalo mining co. For the flood that followed the collapse of west virginias buffalo creek dam in 1972. 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. Stern, 0307783847, 9780307783844, knopf doubleday publishing group. The buffalo creek disaster 1977 edition open library. In late february 1972 a coal waste impoundment dam along the buffalo creek in logan county, west virginia collapsed.
More than thirty years ago, one of the deadliest floods in u. Rees, in his article, a calendar of buffalo creek hypotheticals for the civil procedure course, 18 ohio n. The buffalo creek disaster was happened on february 26 th, 1972. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal companyand won. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university.
The west virginia mining catastrophe killed 125 people, mostly women and children. The survivors of the buffalo creek disaster suffered both individual and collective trauma, the latter being reflected in their loss of communality. Logan county, west virginia, includes a small area known as buffalo creek. Remembering the buffalo creek disaster coal tattoo. The buffalo creek disaster essay 3619 words bartleby. Why was proving the buffalo creek mining was reckless and wanton an important issue. Buffalo creek disaster, miscellaneous, free essays. The buffalo creek disaster logan wv history and nostalgia. 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. Clearly and simply, people living downstream from the buffalo mining companys coal refuse dam at saunders were the victims of gross negligence. 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. Worse than a tornado or an earthquake because it was completely and utterly avoidable. Review on the buffalo creek disaster after reading this book, i was deeply moved by the real story of it.
From there, a narrow twolane road follows the meanderings of lost creek. This page will have archives of old newspaper articles, photographs, and hopefully some audio clips of people discussing the disaster. You may choose other topics from the book for the remaining two thirds of your essay. Death of a mountain erik reece wes jones home page. Although this book will give you a summary of this ecological disaster, but it is. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit. The buffalo creek disaster book papers marketplace. A minewaste impoundment located on the middle fork of the buffalo creek watershed in logan county see figure 11. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia university. Include at least a brief discussion on sustainability. 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.
To ask other readers questions about the buffalo creek disaster, please sign. The 1972 west virginia flood disaster, by tom nugent new york. Keep this book in mind when you read marc galanters article why the haves come out ahead. From the buffalo creek disaster book, the law involves the use of a rightful procedure in seeking justice. Buffalo creek notes motions what is a motion o a procedural device to bring a limited contested issue before court for decision. Hall judge, pittson, the management of buffalo creek, and any other characterparticipant in the. 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. 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. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in adventures of huckleberry finn, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. An effective supplement to a conventional civil procedure course lawrence m.
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. The real practice of law requires vision and courage, which this book amply illustrates. The story of the survivors unprecedented lawsuit, by gerald m stern new york. Cases and materials aspen casebook series charles l. Stern, is an account of how the survivors of the worst disasters in coal mining history, picked. Disaster appropriation the buffalo creek disaster in february of 1972 was, in no manner of exaggeration, a horrific and awful event. 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. Sterns the buffalo creek disaster in terms of critiquing the authors thesis, supporting arguments, supporting evidence and authority, style, and content.
In the alternative, you may choose to write your entire essay about ethics. 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. This coalmining disaster has killed over 125 people and made thousands of people become homeless. 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 d. The flood killed 125 of them, injured 1,000, and left 4,000. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won gerald m. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia. February 26, 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of the buffalo creek disasterthe most destructive flood in west virginia history, which took 125 lives in logan county, west virginia, injured 1100, and left 4000 homeless the accounts of the manmade tsunami, borne of greed and negligence, are heartbreaking. Pittston moved for summary judgment because pittston is not a proper.
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. Memories of the buffalo creek flood disaster home facebook. There were about 5,000 people living in the communities along buffalo creek, places like kistler, robinette, stowe, lorado and pardee. They are based upon hypotheticals proposed by professor charles a. 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. 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. University of kentucky and is completing a book on strip mining in appalachia. Choose from 44 different sets of buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards on quizlet. 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. The buffalo creek disaster 1 a minimum of ten 10 impressions, reactions, or takeaway comments from the book.
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