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. For the flood that followed the collapse of west virginias buffalo creek dam in 1972. This coalmining disaster has killed over 125 people and made thousands of people become homeless. This book, written by gerald stern, the lead prosecuting attorney in the major lawsuit that resulted from this disaster, does a fantastic job of making the reader understand the challenges of working. The previous second high toll was on christmas day 1945, when 31 died at the straight creek mine in neighboring bell county, 20 miles from hyden. A drama that captivated the world for five days ending july 28 unfolded in bucolic somerset county, not miles from the horrific end of sept. The lorado coal company opened the coal mine on the middle fork of buffalo creek in 1945. Students are expected to have a minimum word count of words. The 1972 west virginia flood disaster, by tom nugent new york.
It was published by vintage and has a total of 304 pages in the book. 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 accident was the worst in the united states since 1970, when 38 miners were killed at. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the buffalo creek disaster.
This book is particularly significant in the aftermath of the teton dam disaster in idaho this past june. Buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards and study sets quizlet. President bill clinton, in a 2008 foreword to this new edition of stern s 1976 book, points out that the buffalo creek disaster has long been required reading for students at many law schools across the country, and it is easy to see why. The purpose of this assignment is for students to think critically about ethics and law. We have had a couple of conversations since he moved in and that is how i found out he was from logan, more specifically, man, west virginia. The buffalo creek disaster read a free informative essay. The buffalo creek flood led to the development of more rigorous state and federal mine safety regulations. Bureau of mines indirectly has authority to prevent dams to be constructed from refuse piles. Read the buffalo creek disaster how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal mining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won by gerald m.
Sterns lucidity and anger as he details the complex. Review on the buffalo creek disaster after reading this book, i was deeply moved by the real story of it. In memory of the 1970 finley coal mine disaster facebook. The buffalo creek coal mining company was a succesfully running company back in the times of 19th century. Although a book for laymen, it is still used in many law school civil procedure courses. The buffalo creek disaster how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought suit against the coal companyand won how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won by gerald m. How the survivors of one of the worst disaster in coalmining history brought suit against the coal company.
The town appears as if it were left by winters snow, the remnant of a season passed. The buffalo creek disaster, february 26, 1972 one of worst floods in us occurred here 26 february 1972, when buffalo mining co. The governor had tight control over the states judicial system as he had appointed many judges to their positions. 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 d. 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. Cottonwood trees line the small creek, and only a few houses are scattered about. Buffalo creek flood disaster first hand account logan. The buffalo creek disaster was happened on february 26 th, 1972. Twentynine out of thirtyone miners at the site were killed. The real practice of law requires vision and courage, which this book amply illustrates. Sep 12, 20 july 28, 2002 all nine miners are rescued from the mine.
The west virginia mining catastrophe killed 125 people, mostly women and children. For example, the lawyer defending the victims who died in the mine. The decision to go after pittston in federal courts instead of suing the previous mine owner, buffalo creek mining, in state courts seemed to be the right decision considering the perceived corruption in the state judicial system. August 12, 2003 the labor department finds outdated and inaccurate maps that dated back. The buffalo creek disaster book papers marketplace. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the due to covid19, orders may be delayed. How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coalmining history brought s uit against the coal companyand won ebook written by gerald m.
The management of buffalo creek and that of pittston is highly unethical. One, the buffalo creek disaster, about the case itself, was by jerry stern. Coal mining in this area of logan county didnt start until 1945 when the lorado mining company opened a mine near the head of buffalo creek. The buffalo creek disaster logan wv history and nostalgia. Learn buffalo creek disaster stern with free interactive flashcards. Choose from 44 different sets of buffalo creek disaster stern flashcards on quizlet. Stern, is an account of how the survivors of the worst disasters in coal mining history, picked. Bricevillefratervillecoal creek became the most populated part of anderson county, tennessee.
The plant remained idle until october, 1964, when the buffalo mining company began operating the plant, and dam no. July 28, 2002 all nine miners are rescued from the mine. The worst disaster in kentucky coal mining history occurred on aug. Paper details read the buffalo creek disaster and write a reflection incorporating a discussion of ethics. Coal mining was a staple in logan county, west virginia. Sep 05, 1976 this book is particularly significant in the aftermath of the teton dam disaster in idaho this past june. 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. Published by stern in 1976, his book chronicles the events preceding and following the buffalo creek flood of 1972. Hyden, ky coal mine explosion, dec 1970 gendisasters. The nook book ebook of the the buffalo creek disaster. What difference did it make whether the case ended up in federal or state court. More than thirty years ago, one of the deadliest floods in u. The upper big branch mine disaster occurred on april 5, 2010 roughly 1,000 feet 300 m underground in raleigh county, west virginia at massey energys upper big branch coal mine located in montcoal. The buffalo creek disaster1 is a story of an unfortunate accident that occurred on february 26, 1972 in buffalo creek valley, wv, as a result of the collapse of a coal companys waste refuse pile.
The buffalo creek disaster essay 3619 words bartleby. Subsequent to the disaster, buffalo mining company was cited for a violation of regulation 77. From the buffalo creek disaster book, the law involves the use of a rightful procedure in seeking justice. Stern, is an account of how the survivors of the worst disasters in coal mining history, picked gerald m. The buffalo creek disaster was a real disaster in the american history. An effective supplement to a conventional civil procedure course lawrence m. 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. Answering the following questionsissues concerning the book the buffalo creek disaster. By pam brennan 19622015 steve thompson witnessed the buffalo creek flood disaster first hand.
They are based upon hypotheticals proposed by professor charles a. Logan county, west virginia, includes a small area known as buffalo creek hollow. 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. 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. What was the relationship between buffalo creek mining company and pittson co 2. The millfield mine disaster occurred november 5, 1930, at the sunday creek coal company poston mine number 6 in dover township, athens county, in the u. This page is in honor of the 38 men who died on december 30, 1970 in the finley coal company mine disaster on hurricane creek in hyden. Rees, in his article, a calendar of buffalo creek hypotheticals for the civil procedure course, 18 ohio n. The buffalo creek disaster write my essay i need help. The story of the survivors unprecedented lawsuit, by gerald m stern new york. 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. In november, 1963, the lorado coal mining company shut down its mining operations and no. The streams and coal mines have been he view the full answer. Life was good in coal creek for a decade after the coal creek war.
Cemetery above bear creek, montana, site of montanas worst mining disaster by david reese, montana living the town of bearcreek, montana, sits in a narrow draw just over a small ridge from red lodge. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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. This assignment is also designed to help improve undergraduate student writing outcomes. The title of this book is the buffalo creek disaster and it was written by gerald m.
The smith mine disaster was the worst coal mining disaster in the state of montana, and the 43rd worst in the united states, according to the national institute for occupational safety and health niosh. The new prosperity drew people to coal creek looking for goodpaying jobs in the coal mines. Browse by state browse canada gendisasters is a genealogy site, compiling information on the historic disasters, events, and tragic accidents our ancestors endured, as well as, information about their life and death. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the buffalo creek disaster. One saturday morning in february 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the pittston coal company burst. It was the states worst mine disaster, killing 82 men. Buffalo creek discussion part i buffalo creek discussion. One of worst floods in us occurred here 26 february 1972, when buffalo mining co. A blowbyblow account of a landmark lawsuit by the chief attorney for the survivors of the 72 buffalo creek disaster. August 12, 2003 the labor department finds outdated and inaccurate maps that dated back to 1957 led to the accident. Negligent strip mining and heavy rain produced a raging flood.