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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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