The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: 100 Years Ago Today
Posted: March 25, 2011 Filed under: U.S. Economy, U.S. Politics, worker rights | Tags: 100th anniversary, Republicans, Scott Walker, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, unions 13 CommentsToday is the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. The AFL-CIO blog has an excellent post up to commemorate this tragic anniversary. Here is a bit of it, but I suggest you read the whole thing if you can find the time.
When word got out two weeks ago that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker had ordered the windows of the state Capitol building bolted shut during the ongoing protests against his attacks on public employees, it was a chilling reminder of a similar action by the employers of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory.
Nearly 100 years ago to the day of Walker’s order—which he rescinded after public outrage—146 workers, mostly young immigrant girls, jumped to their deaths from the 10-story building, unable to escape a fire because factory foremen had locked all the doors. The owners, Isaac Harris and Max Blanck, worried the workers would steal from the company.
Hyman Meshel worked on the eighth floor. When the rescue crew found Meshel, who was still alive,
the flesh of the palms of his hands had been torn from the bones by his sliding down the steel cable in the elevator, and his knuckles and forearms were full of glass splinters from beating his way through the glass door of the elevator shaft.
Thirty dead bodies clogged the elevator shaft. All were young girls. Among the many victims, the New York Times reported the day after the disaster, were two girls:
charred beyond all hope of recognition, and found in the smoking ruins with their arms clasped around each other’s necks….
In Greenwich Village, relatives of victims marched in a procession to honor those who died so tragically–as well as those who managed to survive
Rosie Weiner, one of 146 victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, was only 19 when she died.
“She jumped from the ninth floor window. According to reports, she was holding her friend Tessie Wisner’s hand,” said Suzanne Pred-Bass, Weiner’s great-niece.
Pred-Bass was one of hundreds marching in a procession from Union Square to the scene of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. Another of her great-aunts, Rosie’s 17-year-old sister Katie, somehow survived that day 100 years ago.
“She grabbed the cable, really so courageously, of the last elevator to leave the ninth floor and saved herself. It was really remarkable,” said Pred-Bass.
Annie Springsock, then 17 years old, also survived. Her granddaughter, Eileen Nevitt, came from California to pay tribute to her and the historical impact of the fire.
Today, as we watch Republicans do everything in their power to destroy unions, remove safety regulations, and cut off funding for regulators, we need to remember what happened on that awful day 100 years ago. We can’t give up the fight. We must stand together against these politicians and their war on workers.
This is an open thread.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
If you haven’t seen the PBS special, you should it’s really informative and moving.
There’s also an HBO special called Triangle.
Yeah, that American Experience on PBS was excellent!
I have a lot of footage from the Triangle Shirtwaist fire on DVD from a series about New York history. It is utterly ghastly. It is unbelievable that republicans are trying to roll back an entire century of progress in workers rights and safety…to what? That again? They’re criminals.
That’s for sure.
Since Frances Perkins was so affected by what she witnessed at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, and Maine wants to ex her out of history, maybe they can replace her with Isaac Harris and Max Blanck, Heroes from the Right Side of History. How much more surreal can it get, really?
A bit OT, but have you seen this:
Levels of radioactive materials soaring in sea near nuke plant | Kyodo News
The article goes on to say there is no threat to humans…why don’t I believe that.
NHK WORLD English
It’s getting scarier and scarier. I just knew all those “experts” were lying to us. It’s time for some real answers from the nuke crowd.
Because it’s a lie?
may there never be another fire like that one