(You can read the full text of the trial here.) Blanck and Harris dealt with fire hazards to their equipment and inventory by buying insurance, and the building itself was considered fireproof (and survived the fire without structural damage). Blanck and Harris were both recent immigrants arriving in the United States around 1890, who established small shops and clawed their way to the top to be recognized as industry leaders by 1911. Max Blanck (left) and Isaac Harris (right), the owners of the Triangle Waist Company, were tried and acquitted of manslaughter. The Triangle Factory’s owners – Max Blanck and Isaac Harris – were notorious for their lack of concern of their workers. Today, as debates continue over government regulation, immigration, and corporate responsibility, what important insights can we glean from the past to inform our choices for the future? Readers will be well-served in seeking out these excellent accounts and learning more. As scholars uncover the past, bringing depth to historical figures, they also present before readers uncomfortable and difficult questions. They were indicted in December 1911, but a jury acquitted them of first- and second-degree manslaughter. Few women smoked in 1911, so the culprit was likely one of the cutters (a strictly male job). Triangle had modern, well-maintained equipment, including hundreds of belt-driven sewing machines mounted on long tables that ran from floor-mounted shafts. On December 27, they were acquitted. 146 workers died while Harris and Black were acquitted. Why or why not? A … The same factory experienced a fire in 1902, and the owners’ other factory – the Diamond Waist Company – burned in 1907 and 1910. The trial of Harris and Blanck began on December 4, 1911 in the courtroom of Judge Thomas Crain. The company's owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris – both Jewish immigrants – who survived the fire by fleeing to the building's roof when it began, were indicted on charges of first- and second-degree manslaughter in mid-April; the pair's trial began on December 4, 1911. But the system of production largely stayed the same. It was a leader in the industry, not a rogue operation. Blanck and Harris, for their part, were extremely anti-union, using violence and intimidation to quash workers’ activities. The trial of Harris and Blanck began on December 4, 1911 in the courtroom of Judge Thomas Crain. Protests followed. While the Triangle fire spurred a progressive movement that enacted many much-needed reforms, the desire today for regulation and enforcement has abated while the pressure for low prices remains intense. What is a sweatshop and what was the Triangle Shirtwaist factory like? The life of men and women is so cheap and property is so sacred. Why were the doors locked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory? Reaction to the Triangle fire was different. Employees, some as young as 14, worked 12 and a half hour days, every day, and made around six dollars per week, according to AFL-CIO.. Now, these buildings were housing factories with hundreds of workers. SURVEY . What was the outcome of the trial and why did the court make their ruling on the case? Industry titans prospered, and even working-class people could afford to buy stylish clothing. Tags: Question 18 . Terms of Use “Isaac Harris and Max Blanck dropped limply into their chairs as their wives began quietly sobbing behind them,” wrote David Von Drehle in Triangle . On December 4, 1911, the Triangle Waist Company owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, faced first- and second-degree manslaughter charges after months of extensive coverage in the press. At the turn of the century, a shopping revolution swept the nation as consumers flocked to downtown palace department stores, attracted by a wide selection of goods sold at inexpensive prices in luxurious environments. They were acquitted of all charges and ultimately collected a substantial chunk of insurance money equivalent to $400 per victim. Labor leader Rose Schneiderman moved the public across class lines with a dramatic speech following the fire. The two men were acquitted, but they lost a subsequent civil suit -- the plaintiffs won $75 in compensation for each deceased victim. The factory thrived on the cheap labor of immigrants flocking to New York City from Europe. These men were rightly vilified and hounded out of business. Even in a legitimate factory, work was often monotonous, grueling, dangerous and poorly paid. Presently he is working on a small exhibition on the history of the Transcontinental Railroad. Rarely does it rely on simple stories of good and evil or heroes and villains. They opened a new factory but their business was not as successful. What the Triangle loft spaces lacked, however, was a fire-protection sprinkler system. Court testimony attributed the source of the blaze to a fabric scrap bin, which led to a fire that spread explosively—fed by all the lightweight cotton fabric (and material dust) in the factory. Continue The trial was high drama with counsel for the defense Max Steuer discrediting Kate Alterman, a key witness and survivor of the fire, by convincing the jury that she had been coached and memorized her tale. Many of the victims, predominantly young immigrant women, leaped to a harrowing death onto the sidewalks below, while others were roasted alive inside, their escape denied in part by a locked ninth-floor door. 14. Most of the workers killed in the fire were women in their late teens or early 20s. Why were the owners of the triangle shirtwaist factory acquitted 1 See answer ethandudleylopez1 is waiting for your help. ", Yet despite the power of the tragic fire story and dramatic trial, the resulting changes were only first steps in bringing about some needed protection, the underlying American belief in capitalism, including the powerful appeal of the “rags-to-riches” narrative, remained intact. the Imperial Food Co. fire of 1991 in North Carolina, Thanks to a Genetic Mutation, These French Rabbits Prefer Handstands to Bunny Hops, The Little-Known Story of Queen Victoria's Black Goddaughter, Why U.S. Approval of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine Is Taking So Long, One Hundred Years Ago, Einstein Was Given a Hero's Welcome by America's Jews, How the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Spurred the Evolution of the Modern Rainforest, Medieval Jews in England Kept Kosher Laws, New Research Suggests, The Amazon Rainforest Now Emits More Greenhouse Gases Than It Absorbs, In Search of the Authentic Ernest Hemingway. Although the justice system let the families of the workers down, widespread moral outrage increased demands for government regulation. Why the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Makes for a Complicated History Charged with manslaughter, the owners were acquitted in December 1911. Copyright 2021 American Bar Association. Were women organizing at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory? The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers made ready-to-wear clothing, the shirtwaists that young women in offices and factories wanted to wear. In December, they were acquitted. How many new laws were enacted because of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire? California artist Susan Harris was surprised, at age 15, to discover her own notoriety—as the granddaughter of an owner of the Triangle Waist Company. Give a Gift. Explanation: THE TRIANGLE FIRE . they were not responsible. Seeking efficiency, manufacturers applied mass production techniques in increasingly large garment shops. Workman’s compensation was non-existent at the time. Why does the public reaction to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire represent a turning point in the fight for social welfare legislation in NYC? Smithsonian Institution. Harder yet, the police and politicians sided with owners and were more likely to jail strikers than help them. The owners, the article explains, were acquitted on the jury’s third ballot after a deliberation of only one hour and forty-five minutes. December 27, 1911: Owners Acquitted in Triangle Fire. In 1913, Blanck was arrested for locking a door during working hours in the new factory. A version of this article was originally published on the "Oh Say Can Your See" blog of the National Museum of American History. It was built in 1900-01, designed by John Wolley in the neo-Renaissance style[1] and was originally named the Asch Building after its owner, Joseph J. A broader cancer challenged, and still challenges the industry—the demand for low-cost goods— often imperils the most vulnerable workers. ... from the fire by defending insurance claims in excess of known losses. answer choices . The garment industry, with its low economic bar to entry, attracted many immigrant entrepreneurs. Ironically the nascent workmen’s compensation law passed in 1909 was declared unconstitutional on March 24, 1911—the day before the Triangle fire. Do you think they deserved punishment? Labor leaders like Clara Lemlich displaced many of the conservative male unionists and pushed for socialist policies, including a more equitable division of profits. Peter Liebhold is a curator in the Division of Work and Industry at the National Museum of American History focusing on industrial history. Why were the factory owners acquitted? In 1914, Blanck and Harris were caught sewing counterfeit National Consumer League anti-sweatshop labels into their shirtwaists. How have they shaped workplaces today? Stories were not told and the descendants often did not know the deeds of their ancestors. An 1895 definition described a sweatshop operator as an “employer who underpays and overworks his employees, especially a contractor for piecework in the tailoring trade.” This work often took place in small, dank tenement apartments. The story of workers and the changing social contract between management and labor is an underlying theme of the Smithsonian exhibitions that I have curated. RS#08: Triangle Owners Acquitted by Jury; Text: This newspaper article details the day the jury acquitted factory owners Harris and Blanck of manslaughter charges in the first and second degree. While Blanck and Harris successfully escaped conviction in the Triangle manslaughter trial, their apparel kingdom crumbled. Thorough and effective, the commission had proposed, by the end of 1911, 15 new laws for fire safety, factory inspection, employment and sanitation. Yet Triangle owners were acquitted in court for responsibility in the deaths of these precious young people. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. Today, few realize the role that American consumerism played in the tragedy. A historians’ debate has broken out over the way history has treated the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory Historians in the News tags: ... Harris and Blanck were acquitted. By George Hodak. What few building codes existed were woefully inadequate and under-enforced. There were no employees/ peers of employees on the jury and the judge took a pro-defense stance. Despite rules forbidding employees from smoking, the practice was fairly common for men. On March 25, 1911, a fire erupted near closing time at the Triangle Waist garment factory in Lower Manhattan. Examples of Disaster. The outrage of Triangle fueled a widespread movement. Affluent reformers such as Frances Perkins, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont and Anne Morgan also pushed for change. "The tragedy still dwells in the collective memory of the nation and of the international labor movement,” reads the text of an online exhibition from Cornell University's Kheel Center. 43. the fire fed on piles of shirtwaists, wooden tables, and the only precaution the Triangle owners had taken against tis short of disaster were a dozen red pails of water, elevators were crowded, narrow aisles clogged with wicker baskets loose fabric and co workers, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris were the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Did the Black Death Rampage Across the World a Century Earlier Than Previously Thought? History is complicated, murky and filled with paradox. What happened to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory’s owners? He has co-curated numerous exhibitions including "American Enterprise," "Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942-1964," "Treasures of American History," "America on the Move" and "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A History of American Sweatshops, 1820 - Present." Asch. The owners still took no precautions, showing negligence for … The youngest were two 14-year-old girls. Putting food on the table and sending money to families in their home countries took precedence over paying union dues. Workplace safety, however, was not a priority for the owners. They survived the fire by fleeing the the roof and were later indicted on charges of first and second degree manslaughter. What is rarely told (and makes the story far worse) is Triangle was considered a modern factory for its time. Despite the odds, Triangle workers went on strike in late 1909. Sweatshops were common in the early New York garment industry. Interestingly, even though many factories failed fire inspections, Triangle was one of the only companies to receive written warnings about overcrowding. Murderers!” the two were acquitted of all charges by the jury after only two hours of deliberation. “This is not the first time girls have been burned alive in the city. Blanck and Harris were accused of locking the secondary exits (in order to stop employee theft), and were tried for manslaughter. Sadly, the fire was probably ignited by a discarded cigarette or cigar. Newspapers mostly focused on the factory’s flaws, including poorly maintained equipment. Around 1919 the business disbanded. Add your answer and earn points. The two men were acquitted … Around 1910, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) and the Women's Trade Union League (WTUL) gained traction in their effort to organize women and girls. More than an industrial disaster story, the narrative of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire has become a touchstone, and often a critique, of capitalism in the United States. In New York, the Factory Investigating Commission was created on June 30, 1911. Blanck and Harris tried to pick up after the fire. This fire and terrible loss of life shocked workers and other progressives. Unlike many other industrial countries, socialism never gained a dominant hold in the United States, and the struggle between labor and management continues apace. He was convicted and fined $20. Keep up-to-date on: © 2021 Smithsonian Magazine. Despite a mob of people outside the courthouse chanting “Murderers! Eight were enacted. One of the most horrific tragedies in American manufacturing history occurred in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911 when a ferocious fire spread with lightning speed through a New York City garment shop, resulting in the deaths of 146 people and injuring many more. Before the deadly fire, Blanck and Harris were lauded by their peers as well as those in the garment industry as the “shirtwaist kings.” In 1911, they lived in luxurious houses and like other affluent people of their time had numerous servants, made philanthropic donations, and were pillars of their community. Joseph Pulitzer's World newspaper, known for its sensational approach to journalism, delivered vivid reports of women hurling themselves from the building to certain death; the public was rightfully outraged. In November 1909, the shirtwaist factory workers went on strike, demanding an increase in wages, a 52-hour work week, and an … As a curator of industrial history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, I focus on the story of working people. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Every year thousands of us are maimed. What worker protections became law following the fire? All rights reserved. Jul 11, 2017 - The two factory owners were acquitted of charges of manslaughter. Cookie Policy They were up against owners like the Triangle Waist’s Blanck and Harris—hard-driving entrepreneurs who, like many other business owners, cut corners as they relentlessly pushed to grow their enterprise. If blame for the horrific events is to be assigned, it must encompass a wider perspective, beyond the faults of two bad businessmen. Mummified Parrots Found in Chile Suggest Vast Pre-Hispanic Trade Network, Some Chimps Are Putting Grass in Their Ears For No Particular Reason, This High Schooler Invented Color-Changing Sutures to Detect Infection, Looking Back at the Tulsa Race Massacre, 100 Years Later. The value of each human life was assessed at only $75, paid to the grieving families who sued the company. Events like the Triangle fire drive me to keep this important history before the public. December 1, 2011, 6:50 am CST ... the owners were acquitted and secretly escorted away so … Blanck and Harris, were indicted on manslaughter charges because it was alleged or presumed that they knew the exit doors were locked at the time in question. The Factory In 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was the largest shirtwaist manufacturer in New York City, and possibly in the country. Some 350,000 later turned out for a funeral march that was described as one of the “most impressive spectacles of sorrow New York has ever known.” Along with the sorrow came outrage—and a demand for accountability, which led to the indictment of the factory’s owners, Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, on manslaughter charges. The Trial. In the 1880s, cotton ... acquitted of manslaughter charges stemming from the Triangle fire. The trial was partly shaped by famed defense attorney Max Steuer, who shifted blame to the victims, arguing that their panicked attempts to flee had sealed their fate. In the early 1900s, workers, banding together in unions to gain bargaining power with the owners, struggled to create lasting organizations. 18th Annual Photo Contest Winners and Finalists Announced! While politicians still looked out for the interests of the moneyed elite, the stage was being set for the rise of labor unions and the coming of the New Deal. The Triangle Waist Company was not, however, a sweatshop by the standards of 1911. Start studying Triangle shirtwaist factory fire. After the fire, politicians in New York and around the country passed new laws better regulating and safeguarding human life in the workplace. 30 seconds . Struggling to keep business going, they decided to close down shop. After the jury voted to acquit them, the defendants were … A similar fire six months earlier at the Wolf Muslin Undergarment Company in nearby Newark, New Jersey, with trapped workers leaping to their death failed to generate similar coverage or calls for changes in workplace safety. Sweatshops were (and continue to be) a huge problem in the hypercompetitive garment industry. or What set them apart from their exploited employees lays bare the grander questions of American capitalism. Within 20 minutes the blaze had consumed much of the plant, which occupied the top three stories of the 10-story Asch Building, and 146 workers were dead or critically injured. Why were the Triangle owners acquitted? ... To the shock and disbelief of many, they were acquitted, largely because the prosecution failed to prove that the two men knew the exit doors were locked at the time of the fire. ... and why were firemen unable to reach the workers with ladders. 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