Logan county, west virginia, includes a small area known as buffalo creek hollow. Buffalo creek dam west virginia, 1972 case study asdso. May a group of buffalo creek disaster survivors traveled to pittstons. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won. Although a book for laymen, it is still used in many law school civil procedure courses.
By the fault of the mining company, these peoples rights were violated. The book buffalo creek disaster written by gerald stern is an expose on the wrongdoings of the newyork based pittston company but also a summation of the events. The buffalo creek disaster book summary images all. Nov 29, 2018 buffalo creek disaster book summary sparknotes november 29, 2018 the peoples resilience framework help global report on water and disasters ysis of a deep seated landslide in stava valley tailings dams map united states library of congress. More than thirty years ago, one of the deadliest floods in u. 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. Staker famous lawyer judges judge christie left bc of his old friend judge knapp decided he was too busy judge hall. An impoundment actually a dam had been built in the middle fork of the creek as a.
The west virginia mining catastrophe killed 125 people, mostly women and children. When operation of the mine commenced in 1945 the practice dumping of slurry, or coal mining waste into. The rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were stripped away from them in a few hours by the flood. The buffalo creek disaster book summary images all disaster. In 1972, the logan county community of buffalo creek experienced the most destructive flood in west virginia history, when a coal waste dam burst and million gallons of water. The buffalo creek disaster left hundreds of people to suffer without homes, belongings, jobs, family, and friends. Study buffalo creek disaster flashcards from steve t. Negligent strip mining and heavy rain produced a raging flood. Oregon state bar meeting of the board governors september the buffalo creek disaster sparknotes images all the buffalo creek disaster new york times buffalo creek disaster coal dams fail 1972 the pop to punish or persuade. It remains a culturally relevant piece of work that has societal implications all over. In a matter of minutes, 118 were dead and over 4,000 people were left homeless. The buffalo creek disaster had significant impact on our nation. Buffalo creek notes motions what is a motion o a procedural device to bring a limited contested issue before court for decision. Terms in this set 40 gerald stern former civil rights attorney lead attorney in the buffalo creek case employed at arnold and porter he makes good money, but disliked his job, not thrilled with helping a railroad company.
Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university. An effective supplement to a conventional civil procedure course lawrence m. On february 26, 1972, a sludge dam on the middle fork of buffalo creek in logan county gave way, unloosening a torrent of thick, murky water that claimed at. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Sep 05, 1976 the buffalo creek disaster shows in treat detail how the corporation was forced to pay for its destructive negligence. The story of the surviviors unprecedented lawsuit by gerald m. 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. Thus, the book may be an omen of the scores of similar legal and. Destruction of community in the buffalo creek flood 1978. Pittston moved for summary judgment because pittston is not a proper. Buffalo creek disaster rough draft the buffalo creek disaster is one of the worst coal mining incidents in the history of the united states.
Remembering the buffalo creek disaster coal tattoo. Dead west virginia department of arts, culture and history. Buffalo creek disaster book summary sparknotes november 29, 2018 the peoples resilience framework help global report on water and disasters ysis of a deep seated landslide in stava valley tailings dams map united states library of congress. The coal refuse dams today, many of which date back before the buffalo creek disaster, measure 20,000 acrefeet. Buffalo creek disaster at michigan state university studyblue. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most. The coal refuse dams today, many of which date back before the. The buffalo creek disaster read a free informative essay. Buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards and study sets. The buffalo creek disaster essay 3619 words bartleby. Pdf the buffalo creek disaster book part 1 summary. Buffalo creek disaster gerald stern sparknotes images all. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
The three buffalo creek impoundments combined measured less than 500 acrefeet. One, the buffalo creek disaster, about the case itself, was by jerry stern. The buffalo creek disaster, vintage books, a division of random house, 1976. The disaster cause by a dam corruption which was used to block black water produced in mining procedures. 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. The 1972 west virginia flood disaster, by tom nugent new york. Buffalo creek civ pro buffalo creek disaster notes. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia university. 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. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit. One of worst floods in us occurred here 26 february 1972, when buffalo mining co.
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. Although this book will give you a summary of this ecological disaster, but it is. Buffalo creek timeline college of law west virginia. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won stern, gerald m. The book buffalo creek disaster written by gerald stern is an expose on the wrongdoings of the newyork based pittston company but also a summation of the events leading to the. A blowbyblow account of a landmark lawsuit by the chief attorney for the survivors of the 72 buffalo creek disaster. 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. 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. The disaster at buffalo creek remains one of americas most costly and deadly preventable mining related catastrophes. 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. Buffalo creek disaster gerald stern sparknotes images. Buffalo creek disaster juri 210 perspectives on law. The management of buffalo creek and that of pittston is highly unethical.
An indepth account of the february 1972 disaster in which a dam built by the pittston coal company gave way, killing 125 people, injuring more than 1,100, and leaving more than four thousand homeless, focuses on the survivors lawsuit against the company, which became a landmark case of a legal triumph over corporate responsibility. A minewaste impoundment located on the middle fork of the buffalo creek watershed in logan county see figure 11. The buffalo creek disaster was a wonderfully pieced together book that i will not soon forget. Buffalo creek disaster notes questions o who are the parties plaintiff. The disaster killed 125 people, injured more than 1,000, and left about 4,000 people homeless.
The buffalo creek disaster read a free informative essay at. The buffalo creek disaster shows in treat detail how the corporation was forced to pay for its destructive negligence. The story of the buffalo creek disaster itself is fascinating, but i wish the author had been someone whod actually lived the disaster. 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. A typical geographic feature for west virginia, its long, winding. Sterns the buffalo creek disaster in terms of critiquing the authors thesis, supporting arguments, supporting evidence and authority, style, and content. Buffalo mining company and pittston company, based in nyc sole stockholder o one of the largest employers in the west virginia county attorneys author mr. Adkins, 3 months, lorado, wv samuel carter, 20 months, lundale, wv roscoe clay, 74, lorado, wv james n. Buffalo creek disaster book summary sparknotes image. Buffalo creek is broke and have no money, hence the shareholders need to be sued. Buffalo creek case notes buffalocreeknotes motions.
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. One of the most significant mining disaster happened at a little valley that located in buffalo count, west virginia in february 1972. To ask other readers questions about the buffalo creek disaster, please sign. A study of buffalo creek disseminates the findings of an investigation into the psychosocial effects of a specific disaster the collapse of a slag dam that inundated the valley of buffalo creek in west virginia on february 26, 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. 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.
Family and character change at buffalo creek, american journal of psychiatry, march 1976, pp 295299. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won by gerald m. In late february 1972 a coal waste impoundment dam along the buffalo creek in logan county, west virginia collapsed. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of everything in its path by kai t. Jun 23, 2011 after 911, buffalo creek was in the news because of the origins of ptsd. Clinical observations at buffalo creek, american journal of psychiatry, march 1976, pp. The adobe acrobat file available below contains copies of original documents used in the buffalo creek civil case.
By piercing the corporate veil, we can get the diversity of citizenship. Gerald sterns the buffalo creek disaster 1 and the lawsuit which is the subject of his book. The story of the survivors unprecedented lawsuit, new york. Learn buffalo creek disaster stern with free interactive flashcards. The buffalo creek disaster logan wv history and nostalgia. The story of the survivors unprecedented lawsuit, by gerald m stern new york. 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. The buffalo creek disaster essay court, united states on. It may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. Mar 08, 2002 the three buffalo creek impoundments combined measured less than 500 acrefeet. The nook book ebook of the the buffalo creek disaster.
Along with robert lifton and an army of psychiatrists, erikson was brought to buffalo creek by the law firm representing the plaintiffs. Buffalo creek disaster ye hao gbl395 summer 2014 synopsis. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment d. Buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards and study sets quizlet. Clearly and simply, people living downstream from the buffalo mining companys coal refuse dam at saunders were the victims of gross negligence. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company and won at.
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