Jiang Yue: A large fire changed to the United States
Jiang Yue (USA)??
In the center of Manhattan Greenwich, there is a rectangular green space between the Broadway Street, the sixth Avenue, which is Washington Square Park. The private New York University is in the park, and there is a building in the middle of the park, where there is a rural building with a white torch, belongs to New York University. Washington Square Park is quite Bohemian style, and in Greenwich, many "bypass" and artists like to act here. There is a white marble arch in the center of the square. It is the famous Washington Arc de Triomphe, the street behind the Arc de Triomphe is the fifth Avenue.
There are four streets in the park. The streets on the south are called West Street. The 15-story red building on the street is the New York University Library, and the library is opposite. It is a student center. It is an adjacent to the Catholic Church and Law School; Square There is a row of Greek red brick houses in the north, which is built between 1829 and 1833, one of Manhattan's famous architecture, one of which is a graduate department of the University of Technology, New York University. The east side of the square is the university floor, the street, is facing the park, there is a four square white tall building, which is the New York University main building.
When I was studying in New York University, I have lived in the main building, but I have not known the story that has happened in this neighborhood. At that time, I didn't know that there were many young girls who walked in this narrow sidewalk, however, they did not enter a class, but they entered a sweat-sweat factory to do hard work; I don't know, I On the narrow sidewalk of the narrow sidewalks walked around, it was blotted.
The back of the main building is next to a 10-storey building. This building is located on the streets of the two streets of Green Street and Washington, which is now located in the New York University. The New York University Chemical Department is located in this building. Every day, many college students from all over the world can enter and exit in the Brown building. I don't know if they noticed, the bronze medal that nailed on the white wall of Green Street? There is a New York City Government Badge and the Inscription of New York Landmark Building Protection Foundation, which shows the "landmark building" designated by New York City Government.
The predecessor of this building is called Joseph Jie A Xu Building, the top 8th, 10th floors of the building is the original site of New York triangle women's shirt plant. On March 25, 1911, a big fire has occurred here. 146 workers lost their lives in the fire, most of the deceased was young women workers, which were mostly new immigrants from Poland, Italy, Ireland, Russia, and were only 14 years old. This fire awakened the conscience of New York and shakes the United States and triggeting a series of social reforms. Therefore, it is called "changing the big fire of the United States."
(One)
March 25, 1911, Saturday.
At 4:30 pm, the workers in the triangular women's shirt are preparing to get off work. The triangular women's shirt is located at the 8th, 9th, 10th floor of the A Xu Building, and hired more than 500 workers. Most of them are young women workers, between ages 30 and 14.
In the 8th floor, the male cutting work has taken off the factory, and about 130 women are waiting in line to receive the salary this week. The 9th floor is a sewing shop. Hundreds of car clothes are leaving the machine. When they go to the bathroom, they will take their own handbags, then they will arrange a long team, walk from the foreman, open the handbag, let the foreman check, Make sure they do not have anything to take a brush button.
Suddenly, the 8th floor sounded a sudden sound, followed by a girl screaming: "Fire! Fire! Fire!" No one knows how fire is burning. There are a lot of wooden big cutting tables in the 8th floor, and the table will be cropped on the table. The ground is a shredded head. There are a large garbage bin such as the waste of the straw wire cotton yarn, put on the corner I don't know how long it is. Once ignited, through the full-scale flammable, the fire spread rapidly, the fire tongue jumped from a table to another table, soon an 8th floor, he fell 9th floor. The smoke is filled, and hundreds of women workers are shocked, crying, screaming, glass fragmentation, and fragmented.
At 4:45, it is at get off work, on the street downstairs, pedestrians are in a hurry. Suddenly, people heard a sullen sound in the A Xu Building, followed by the glass on the window, and the broken glass has raised from the air, dropped on the sidewalk, and pulverized. Everyone looked up, and the smoke was turned out from the 8th floor.
"Fire! The A Xu Building is fired!" Pedestrians have stopped. A man rushed toward the red iron column toward the street, and pulled a handle of the 289 alarm box. People come from Washington Square Park, come from the neighborhood of New York University, come from near the street, rush to the A Xu Building, people who live in the nearby, ran home, from the bed, the sofa , Blanket, quilt, etc., rush to the scene, ready to rescue.
Some men have risked on the 8th floor of smoke, but found that the stairs are tightly locked to the factory, a group of female workers crowded in the door, crazy, screaming for help, the silk pattern does not move. Some people put together something, smash the glass above the door, and the girls climbed out from the broken doorway, people who were rescued into the street. A group of female workers on the 10th floor passed through the smoke and flames, escaped to the roof, next to the top of the A Xu Building, some New York University students helped them flipped their short walls, they were escaped.
A group of female workers fled to the fireflorflight, trying to escape through the fire sagging, but the escape ladder that has been lost for a long time has been severely rustful. Under the weight of the girl, the fire fire ladder cracks, the female workers screamed, falling from high-rise . A group of female workers rushed to the elevator in the building, and desperately pulled the elevator steel cable, the steel cable was broken, and they fell down the elevator road and have no birth.
The people under the building look at the fire on the floor and cannot help. In an instant, on the smoke rolling window, there were a few girls' face. They climbed up the window sill, standing on the high windowsill, they were void, solid land in front of 24 meters; their back is the hell's fire, the fire tongue approached them, got to their hair and dress, In the smoke, people can't see their faces, and they can't see their faces on their faces. However, the raging fire brows their figure into the American history.
Under countless swearing, painful, desperate eyes, the girls like a flamingo, the skirt with flames, jump from the 24-meter high-rise, falling into a hard sidewalk, their limbs Shu Expand, like a doll that only falls from high altitude, blood is sprayed from the broken body. Then, another female worker jumped from the upstairs, blood quad splash. Another, another ...
After receiving alert, several white horses were rushing to the scene. The nearby fire brigines have arrived, and the firefighters pull out the water dragon, set up the ladder, but found that the cloud launter is 9 meters, only the 7th floor. Women workers in the fire are desperate. The two girls took the hand jumped, 3, 4, and even 5 girls, hand pulled hands, jumping. A pair of lovers hugged together and jumping down the high building. Several skirts have a fire girl, knowing about life, hysterically praying, tie it on the head with cloth strips, covering the eyes, and taking out the window. Downstairs, people opened a single, blanket, quilt, trying to pick up the female workers who jumped down, but the quilt blanket could not afford the impact, and the body jumped on the high floor passed through the monk blanket, and fell in the sidewalk. The life-saving network brought about by firefighters can also suffer from impact, breaking a big hole. The bodies of the young girls on the ground, and blood staining the street. The water in the water dragon belt is sprayed into the fire, but also from the air to the ground, implicit the blood on the ground, and drove into the sewer.
People curse, cry, shout, many people fainted. There is a woman named Francis Pakins at that time, she is an official of the New York Consumer League. In the future, she will play an important role in promoting the government's working conditions through law, and become the first female in the cabinet with the identity of the Ministers of the US Department of Labor.
After half an hour, the fire was extinguished. There are more than 50 bodies in the sidewalk below the A. The firefighters entered the triangle women's shirt factory, full of coke black wolf, and the strong men and men in the weekly, including tears, from the ruins, a corpse like coke in the ruins. 36 bodies are stacked in the elevatorway. Among the 8th floor, firefighters found 24 wedding rings and engagement rings, in the sewing shop on the 9th floor, some female workers didn't even leave the sewing machine, and their burnt bodies were lying on the firing machine. From the scene of the on-site photo, you can see the miseramood after the fire, there is no complete thing as the whole workshop, only one pile of coke waste, a few things like a iron rod, distorted, and explore from waste bile come out.
146 workers died in this fire, and hundreds were injured. Most dead injuries are young women workers. In the face of the corpses of the wolf, the medical prosecutor of the Municipal Court was crying.
A year ago, workers working in New York have held a huge strike, requiring increased wages, reducing hours, improving working conditions, strikes, including female workers, including triangular women's shirts, They specialize in improving the fire protection facilities of the factory. This strike did not have a major change. Due to the forced life, the female workers had to return to the working conditions and their harsh, safe and unsupported factories.
On March 25, 1911, their blood flows on the street, and their twisted body lying on the streets of Manhattan. At the same time, they made trendy beautiful women's shirts, hanging in the fashion store in Zhongcheng, showing beauty to the world, while the lament of the lack of lack, but they need them to show their young life.
(two)
At the end of the 19th century, in the early 20th century, the United States was popular with Shirtwaist's women's shirt. This long-sleeved shirt widney waist, decorated with various flowers, buttons, embroidery and other accessories, usually match the long skirt to highlight the female slim bonus. Due to the complex production, it is quite laborious to produce this shirt. However, New York at that time was not lacking in cheap labor.
In the mid-19th century, due to the famine and war, a large number of immigrants flocked to the United States from Europe and Asia. These new immigrants are unfamiliar, they are not long, and many are farmers or craftsmen. In order to raise their families, they are forced to work in working conditions and their harsh plants. These plants are usually located in old-fashioned buildings, and the ventilation conditions are very poor, they work more than 60 hours a week, sometimes even 70 hours, the resulting salary is not enough to raise a home. Forced to live, women have to go out to work, earn money to pick up their families. However, because the language is not good, the level of education is too low, their work opportunities and their limited, in addition to the women's employees, in addition to being a maid, is in the garment factory. They provide a lot of cheap labor for the garment industry. In 1909, there were 500 garment plants produced in New York, and more than 30,000 young women workers were working in these garment plants. They work a week for six days, with a week for 12 hours, and the salary of a week is only $ 6, and the salary of this $ 6 is still arrears. In order to improve the working conditions, reduce workers, increase wages, and women workers have been organized. In 1825, the female tailors in New York have set up the "Female Tailor Federation". In 1831, the Federation organized the first time for the first time in the United States. The strike lasted for 5 weeks, but the requirements made by the female workers were not satisfied. In 1863, women workers in the New York Garment Factory established the "Women's Trade Unions". In 1866, the US Labor Union was established, and the trade union encouraged the women workers to join the trade union to fight for their own interests and rights. However, in many factories and enterprises, the parties prohibit workers from establishing a trade union, and threatening to expect union members. In many factories, workers can only secretly join the unions. Some female workers in the triangular women's shirt factory are also members of the underground trade union.
In 1900, women workers in the garment industry in women's clothing, children's wear, and hooded, established the "International Women's Work Union". Women's clothing trade unions make unremitting efforts to improve the working conditions of women workers. When until 1905, the society finally began to listen to the voice of the female workers. In this year, a group of middle-level women established the "Women's Work Association", "Women's Union Alliance", "The League", a well-known person, including the future of the United States, the first lady, Elean Roosevelt. The "Alliance" is the purpose of helping women workers increase wages and improve their working conditions. The Alliance organized many activities, including sponsored public speaking, providing emergency material assistance for poor women. However, the situation of women workers in the women's shirt factory did not achieve substantial improvement.
In November 1909, the workers in the New York women's shirts were a big strike. The strike is precisely from the triangular women's shirt factory, the cause is the factory workers to remove trade union members for protests. This small-scale strike quickly developed, the number of participants was increasing, and became the "20,000 people" exclaimed on the newspaper. The requirements of the workers include a reduction of time every week to 52 hours, increasing the escape ladder. The strike lasted for nearly one month, during the strike, more than 700 workers were arrested. The arrested workers were abused by the police, and many female workers were hit by the police.
Under the support of the community, under the pressure of public opinion, some factory owners agreed to the requirements of the workers, increased salary, and reduced weekly working hours to 52 hours. However, in the triangular women's shirt factory, the workers' strikes did not achieve any results. There was no reduction in the work, and the working conditions did not improve. The fireproof tradder did not reinforce. The factory was still located on the high-rise building of the fire team.
On December 28, 1910, New York City Fire Protection Director Krock tried to the New York State Council. He told State Months, and the fire brigade of the New York City will only reach the height of the 7-story building, while in New York City, thousands of thousands of people. People working on the 7-storey floor, many high buildings lack escape facilities, once a fire, these people will now escape. Crock misfortune.
On the night of the fire, the dock on the East River of Manhattan, there were more than 100 coffin, more than 2,000 families came to identify the body of their loved ones. There are too many people, and the police only put only 20 people. Since the body is burned in an unfair than the fire, only 40 bodies are recognized by their families, and many bodies can only be identified from residual clothes, shoes and jewelry. Finally, there are 7 corpse no one, and the trade unions held a collective funeral for these seven deceased.
After the fire, New York City is immersed in huge shock and grief.
On April 5, the rainy, the sky is low. The workers who belong to 60 union will gather from all over the Washington Square, mourning 146 female workers who die from fire. The Washington, the triumphant in the square, there is a gaze, and there is a garland made of flowers. When the workers walked to the A Xu Building, at the same moment, thousands of scorpions made a painful call, and the number of calls shocked New York City, awakening the conscience of New York, and wake up the conscience of the United States. The number of calls forced the United States to think about the most basic problem: Is the value of wealth really exceed the value of life?
At about 3 half in the afternoon, the workers have 8 people, and they are ranked into long teams, followed by the nuts, and embarked on the fifth Avenue. The streets have symbolized the purple and black cloth strips on the street. The store collectively close the door in the bottom earth, and the deceased and their families will mourn. The gloomy afternoon, 400,000 New York citizens walked on the street and tribute to the deceased. It is estimated that approximately 120,000 workers have participated in this big parade. That is a silent parade. In addition to crying, there is no slogan, there is no shouting, 120,000 workers form a long, silent river, the river carries the pain of the vertebrae, dried from the heart of Manhattan.
(three)
After the tragedy, people have begun to make efforts to avoid tragedy. Ordinary citizens, Callier, government officials and reporters have issued their own voice, condemning greedy factory owners, requiring improvement of workers' harsh working conditions, elimating the factory without security facilities, and the citizens asked the municipal government to come through more strict laws. Prevent similar tragedy again.
In June 1911, the New York State Government set up a specialized agency to investigate the safety of factories. The agency is the "New York State Factory Survey Committee", the Commission's Robert Wagner, a total of 6 members, including the "Women's Work Association" Chairman Mary Derui, Ms. Francis Parkus. In the past four years, members of the Committee personally examined countless factories and poor housing. They refer to the recommendations made by safety experts and proposed a report to the New York State Government, and many suggestions were put forward to the government. According to the recommendations of the Committee, until 1914, New York has passed 34 laws to improve workers' work conditions and forced subdurable to strengthen the safety of the factory. In 1913, the weekly working hours must not be more than 52 hours to become the law in New York.
In 1918, after the end of the World War, the US Congress established a Women's Bureau, the purpose of the bureau is to "improve the welfare of labor women, improve their working conditions, improve their efficiency, and promote their opportunities for high salary."
From 1900 to 1920, the American history is called "Progressive ERA). During this time, the state has adopted a series of laws, which enhance the fire prevention regulations, and increase the punishment of illegal people, reduce workers' working hours, prohibit child labor, through minimum wages, etc. The working conditions of workers have a big improvement. In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Law, which is legally guaranteed by the rights of workers' representatives and parties. On March 25, 1961, the triangular woman's shirt factory was 50 years old. A group of old women came to the front of the building in the fire, mourning the sisters died of that fire. Ms. Francis, Francis, delivered a speech at the commemorative ceremony. She recalled the fire that witnessed the fire, remembered how the fire was awakened by the US conscience, the people cooperated with the government, through many laws to prevent the tragedy from occurring again. .
On February 15, 2001, the last survivor of the triangular woman's shirt factory, Ms. Rose Freman died, and enjoy 107 years old.
On March 14, 2001, the New York Municipal Council passed the anti-sweat-sweatout proposal proposed by Parliament spokesperson Peter Walloni with an overwhelming majority. According to this proposal, the government does not use taxpayers' money to purchase sweats, such as police and firefighters uniforms. The Mayor of Julani rejected this proposal, but on April 25, the city council has abolished the veto of the mayor with an overwhelming majority of 44-4.
March 25, the same year, the triangle women's factory fire 90 years old. To commemorate 146 dead women workers, New York Governor Patai announced that the New York State Government will increase 10 survey investigators, and will adopt new technologies in the investigation, governors hope that these measures will help the garment in New York. Hardwear factory. The New York State Department has a specialized agency called the "Special Committee of the New York Garment". The Committee is responsible for managing 1786 apparel companies registered in New York. These companies must update records each year, and the committee is also responsible for supervising these companies, requiring them to reach New York. The standards set by the state law. In the website of the New York State Government, there are websites of the "Special Committee" of New York Garment Industry, people can check for any records of companies in New York production clothing or apparel accessories, and provide people with how to identify sweaties on the special committee website. Factory common sense.
146 women workers in the triangular women's shirt are not forgotten. Their name was recorded on a website specialized in this event. The triangular women's factories have become a milestone in the history of American labor sports and women's sports. It is written into the history of American labor, and is written into the history of American women. It is also written into high school historical materials. A generation of a generation of American children, learning history knows a truth: the value of life is more than wealth. Looking back, the children also understand that now they have learned the right, for example, a fire exercise in each semester, basic fire prevention equipment must be placed in the most awakened place, the building must have more than two channels, etc., and Not far from the sky, but many people strive to compete.
In 2003, I came to Washington Square Park with a 14-year-old daughter. The Washington, Washington, the Arc de Triomphe in the park is holding a shelf and is cleaning and repairing. There is a big circle in the center of the park. It is actually a fountain, but only the summer weekend is water, usually, it is a performance site. At this moment, a large group of people surrounded the center of the centers and saw a few black youth performances. The park also opened up a corner for the dog, and many big and small dogs are running cheerfully. In the children's game area, the children are swinging in the swing, a bench, two street musicians in a blowthe.
I walked with my daughter in the park and enjoyed the sunshine in the late autumn. Then I took her through the park, and the white building opposite the street. In Green Street, I stopped, pulled the daughter's hand, pointing to her to see the bronze medal. I tell her story of the triangle women's shirt factory, and those who fall in this street. I said to her: "Remember, when you see that others are fighting for their rights, don't think that it is nothing to do with you. The right to fire safety today is the right of countless people to come within 100 years. . You are right to fight for others, in fact, just fight for your own rights. "In this special festival, I hope she will learn to be grateful. postscript
In April 1911, the factory owner of the triangular woman's shirt, Mados Birrank and Esk Harris were prosecuted at first-class and second-level murder. Trial in court on December 4th of the same year. On December 27, the jury announced that two people did not sin.
As of the three years of 1914, there were 23 civil accusation, 23 families got compensation, and the average compensation for each family was $ 75.
