Marking a tragedy

[kambriel]

100 years ago today, on March 25, 1911 in New York City was the horrific Triangle Shirtwaist Fire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire

Managers kept the doors to the sewing rooms locked during working hours, so many of the young women (mostly Jewish and Italian immigrants*) couldn't escape ~ leading to a number of them finding no better option than to leap out of 8th, 9th, and 10th floor windows onto the sidewalks below. I remember watching a documentary on it some years ago, and how some thought the other dead ladies bodies would somehow "cushion" their fall, but it didn't really work that way... Others crowded on to a flimsy fire escape which ended up weakening in the heat, ultimately collapsing and bringing with it those who'd sought their hopeful escape. There are other incidents as well, but honestly, I find it hard emotionally to go through them all ~ read the link above to get the full story.

I think today I'm going to remember the spirits of these young ladies by taking a few hours off away from all things sewing/fabric related, go outside and breathe in some fresh air.

A list of names for all whom fell victim to the tragic blaze at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory:
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/triangle/trianglevictims2.html

*My great grandfather who emigrated from Sicily was a tailor in NYC in that era, so this strikes very close to heart.

~ Kambriel


[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Bluesky ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ Facebook ~ Instagram]

Comments

[christianet.livejournal.com]

My Sicilian grandmother and her mother were also seamstresses, but worked from home in North Bergen and in Gutenberg, NJ. They emigrated after the fire, however, so the working conditions they entered into were improved ones.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

the working conditions they entered into were improved ones.

Thank goodness. As I just told Laura, since I'm in charge of unlocking my own doors, I think the best thing I can do today is get out and appreciate fresh air, being able to walk where you please...

My Sicilian grandfather ended up moving from NYC to Wayne, NJ ~ sounds like our ancestors followed pretty close paths geographically. (Which is also making me think that we really ought to set aside some proper together-time next time I'm up there.)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

People just don't understand the conditions that fostered the union movement in this country. Think they might understand this?

Oh wait, 100 years ago. Might not be true and all that. *eyeroll*

[mb2u]

When people ask why we need unions, I want to take them back in the TARDIS to this moment and say "This is why."

[christianet.livejournal.com]

I'd love to get together with you and chat about our ancestors! I can also have the pictures we took in Sicily; and copies of my grandfather's and grandmother's emigration papers, as well as those of my great-grandfather.

I have this idle dream of one day being very rich and then pursuing Italian/EU citizenship. My grandfather actually did not become a US citizen until the early 1960s - long after my dad was born. Under Italian law, I could pursue citizenship, through my dad's line, I think.

[miss-adventure.livejournal.com]

Precisely. Had the management not chained those doors shut to prevent the seamstresses from taking breaks, imagine how many of those women killed would have survived. Nobody should have to make the choice between burning alive or jumping to their death.

I have (small) hopes that the Wisconsin situation might help to revitalise the labour movement in the U.S.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Think they might understand this?

That would be nice, and could prevent something similar from happening in the future. As George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Indeed. And the son of the great-grandfather I mentioned in my post? A Teamster.

[shinotenshi02.livejournal.com]

*lurker here*

Agreed, but sadly those who do not remember it, are trying to drag all the rest of us who do</> back with them. >.<

Aside from that, this is a very nice short but poignant entry. Thank you for posting.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

I thought of what you experienced a decade ago when envisioning what this must have been like to bear witness to, the dire vs. dire choices those young workers had to make...

And yes, it's amazing how some people don't think through what they think they're "fighting for", the real events of history they don't seem too worried about repeating; working against their own interests, in favour of the interests of those who'd nonchalantly walk over them in the process of deepening their already seemingly bottomless pockets.

At 4:45 today? You can bet we'll be outside. Simple things like safely walking out an opened door of our own volition is something never to be taken for granted.

[nohwhere-man.livejournal.com]

Just been reading contemporaneous NYTimes articles about the fire (linked off the wikipedia page). I knew about it from high school history class, but they really fill in the picture.
miss_adventure- not too many more because the fire escape fell off the building under the load.

The one/only positive thing that came out of the fire & aftermath is much better safety codes and enforcement.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, and thank ~you~ for adding your thoughts.

I hope people will wake up to the odd things they're being told is "good for them" when it's anything but. Lives lost shouldn't ever had to have been in vain.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Had the doors been unchained/unlocked, I'd like to hope more of the workers could have escaped to the rooftop along with the owners since they went their for refuge (and survived).

Here's hoping those safety codes will continue to be enforced, and that we can always find lessons to learn from the more tragic chapters from our collective past.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

We've gone through that process as well, and could offer a lot of advice/help with it if you'd like ~ I'll let you know when we've got dates set and we'll be sure to figure something out :)