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Essay On The Triangle Factory Fire Of 1911

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On March 25, 1911, one of the most tragic disasters in American Industry occurred. 146 women, men and children died in the triangle shirtwaist factory fire. People either died in the fire or jumped to their deaths to avoid being burned alive. This tragedy exposed the inhuman working conditions that workers faced while working in factories and the utter disregard of the factory owners. These deaths were completely preventable, these people died as a result of neglect. The “Shirtwaist Kings,” Issac Harris and Max Blanck were immigrants from Russia that owned the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. The factory was modern with high ceilings and large windows located in New York’s Greenwich Village, not far from mansions and the elegant shops of the Ladies Mile. Even in a modern factory like The Triangle factory the life of an American industrial worker was far from easy. Factory work meant wages as low as $0.13 an hour, long 14 hour days seven days a week, in hazardous working conditions. There was no maximum hours law, or labor legislation.Unionization was the biggest fear for factory owners. …show more content…

The young women of the Triangle factory decided to join the fight and became the leaders of the largest women’s strike in American History. To take this stand and strike ran the risk of starvation, eviction, and no money for their families back home. In 48 hours more than 50 of the smallest factories gave into their workers’ demands. However, the triangle bosses refused to surrender to the workers going as far as paying off the police and some prostitutes to beat the strikers. The beatings caused broken ribs, and even sent some of the strikers to

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Many people might say, why was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire so important? The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was so important because it was a tragedy that opened the nation's eyes to poor working conditions in garment factories. Other question might be ask why were the doors locked in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire? The building had only one fire escape, Long tables and bulky machines trapped many of the victims. Panicked workers were crushed as they struggled with doors that were locked by managers to prevent theft, or doors that opened the wrong way.

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Despite the death and destruction it caused, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire ultimately benefited America by opening the eyes of mistreated factory workers and inspiring them to fight for better working conditions. Though it was unbeknownst at the time, the fire would inspire mistreated workers to rise out of the ashes and work tirelessly not for a factory, but for their own wellbeing. The history, the fire, and the trial that are all connected to the Triangle Shirtwaist Company are the events that led to the exploration for better working conditions. While we may not wish to remember all of the suffering the conflagration caused, we see its imprint it left on society whenever we see someone at work. This just imprint is one of safety.

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The Triangle Fire of 1911 initiated transformations in America during the Progressive Era. The one hundred and forty six people who died who were mostly women, did not die in vain, as their deaths led to the reform of laws that would lead to protection from unsafe working environments. Business owners, workers, and union organizers each had their own motivations, and after the fire, their concerns were made public and consequently many of their situations changed. Business owners were stimulated by economic growth and profit, which did not change despite the Triangle fire. Most businesses, and that includes the Triangle Waist Company, carried on with a “business as usual” attitude.

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One of the main reasons the fire took such a psychological toll on the New Yorkers was because of the workers jumping to there deaths. One witness even remarked the event saying quote 'I know a new sound a terrible sound the sound of a body hitting the pavement". The inferno was also not an uncommon occurrence the triangle shirt was burned before the tragedy to collect insurance money. Knowing this information, many Jewish and women workers went on strike to secure improved working conditions. There strike in fact proved successful with the New York state legislature creating the Factory Investigating Commission.

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From the point of view of one of the McClure’s Magazine author, Mary Alden Hopkins, we observe another way how the impact of labor conditions affected the city. This magazine article provides an outsider’s perspective on the factory fire in the early 20th century. In her article, ‘The Newark Factory Fire,’ she not only explains how poor the working conditions were, but she also explains how little safety the workers who endured these conditions had. Safety regulations were not taken seriously and this eventually lead to Newark being the site of the first disastrous Factory Fire. Hopkins explains, “the building was erected before the days of the fire-proof construction… the buildings was classed as extra hazardous by the insurance companies, and rated $2.09 on contents and $1.69 gross on buildings” (Hopkins, 1).

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This brutality that women, such as Clara, faced was only used as drive for their cause. Clara later participated in another strike despite the abuse she recently faced and was proud to fight for better conditions and treatment. Factory owners dehumanized and controlled their workers by tactics such as yellow dog contracts, prohibiting workers from joining unions, and blacklists that vwould prevent radical workers from finding work elsewhere. These steps were taken by management to prevent strikes at all costs because they were at risk having

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The detrimental Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is considered to be one of the most tragic disasters in history. On March 25th, 1911, a fire broke out and killed 146 garment workers who were mostly women. These women worked countless hours with low wages and inhumane working conditions in a factory. Even though this event was tragic, the triangle shirtwaist fire helped to shape the new world for the better. The multitude of workers trapped within the inferno to their demise was the final straw for the mistreatment of America’s workers.

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