Bessie was born Brukha DASHEVSKY in Katerynopil, Zvenigorod district, Ukraine (then part of Russian Empire's Pale of Settlement). Her parents were Chaim (Khaim in Russian) Frindel DASHEVSKY (1856-1920) and Tzivya (born about 1858). After coming to America, her parents were known as Hyman (Hyrum) and Sylvie DASHEFSKY. Bessie never married.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Victim. In 1911, 25 year old Bessie was a garment worker at the Triangle Waist Company on the 9th floor of the Asch Building in New York City.
The company made women's blouses, known as "waists" or "shirtwaists", and it's workers were mostly recent immigrant German, Italian and European Jewish girls, some as young as 13 years old. The working conditions were far from safe. The girls worked 14 hour shifts among heaps of flammable bolts of fabric, scraps of which piled up on the floor around them; tissue paper patterns hung from racks above their worktables. The workrooms were lit by open flame gas lamps and the cutters, mostly men, were allowed to smoke as they worked. Brought on by a New York garment workers strike in 1910, many had joined the fledgling International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. At the conclusion of the strike, most companies had signed agreements with the union improving working conditions. The Triangle Company, however, refused to sign and was under no obligation to abide by established safety rules.
On March 25, 1911, around 4:30pm, fire broke out on the 8th floor. Most on that floor and the executives on the 10th floor were able to escape, but workers on the 9th floor, who had not been alerted to the fire, found themselves trapped. Of the four 9th floor exits, the elevator was commandeered by 8th floor workers and then stopped working altogether, one stairwell door was soon blocked by fire and smoke, the other stairwell door had been locked (although denied by the owners in the trial held after, it was a common practice to lock factory workers in to prevent them from stealing) and the only fire escape proved too flimsy and collapsed under the weight of the escaping workers. Many died from being overcome by the smoke and flames quickly filling the building, but 62 of the workers realized there were no other means of escape and jumped from the windows to the pavement 9 stories below. Although the fire department responded quickly, the water from their hoses would not reach the top floors and ladders of the time were unable to reach above the 6th floor. By the time the fire was extinguished, 141 people had lost their lives. In the next few days, 5 more would die from their injuries.
From information on her death certificate, Bessie was overcome by the smoke and flames and never escaped the burning building. For approximately 90 years, she was not listed among the fire victims. The only contemporary mention of Bessie comes from a March 31, 1911 New York Times article: "One missing girl was reported to the police. She was Bessie Dashefsky, whose brother, Jacob, told the officials that he had kept up a search for her by himself so far for fear his aged mother, who was ill, would collapse if she learned that Bessie had not come home since the fire. He said the girl…had been employed at the Triangle shop for several months." Through the efforts of researcher and historian Michael Hirsch, Bessie's grave was discovered and her name added to the list.
The public outrage following the tragedy paved the way for a flood of legislation to improve factory safety standards, led to the founding of The American Society of Safety Engineers and hastened the growth and clout of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. A bystander who witnessed the young girls jumping from the windows was inspired to a life of public service fighting for the rights of factory workers; Frances Perkins went on to become the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet position as Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was the single worst workplace disaster in New York City until the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Victim. In 1911, 25 year old Bessie was a garment worker at the Triangle Waist Company on the 9th floor of the Asch Building in New York City.
The company made women's blouses, known as "waists" or "shirtwaists", and it's workers were mostly recent immigrant German, Italian and European Jewish girls, some as young as 13 years old. The working conditions were far from safe. The girls worked 14 hour shifts among heaps of flammable bolts of fabric, scraps of which piled up on the floor around them; tissue paper patterns hung from racks above their worktables. The workrooms were lit by open flame gas lamps and the cutters, mostly men, were allowed to smoke as they worked. Brought on by a New York garment workers strike in 1910, many had joined the fledgling International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. At the conclusion of the strike, most companies had signed agreements with the union improving working conditions. The Triangle Company, however, refused to sign and was under no obligation to abide by established safety rules.
On March 25, 1911, around 4:30pm, fire broke out on the 8th floor. Most on that floor and the executives on the 10th floor were able to escape, but workers on the 9th floor, who had not been alerted to the fire, found themselves trapped. Of the four 9th floor exits, the elevator was commandeered by 8th floor workers and then stopped working altogether, one stairwell door was soon blocked by fire and smoke, the other stairwell door had been locked (although denied by the owners in the trial held after, it was a common practice to lock factory workers in to prevent them from stealing) and the only fire escape proved too flimsy and collapsed under the weight of the escaping workers. Many died from being overcome by the smoke and flames quickly filling the building, but 62 of the workers realized there were no other means of escape and jumped from the windows to the pavement 9 stories below. Although the fire department responded quickly, the water from their hoses would not reach the top floors and ladders of the time were unable to reach above the 6th floor. By the time the fire was extinguished, 141 people had lost their lives. In the next few days, 5 more would die from their injuries.
From information on her death certificate, Bessie was overcome by the smoke and flames and never escaped the burning building. For approximately 90 years, she was not listed among the fire victims. The only contemporary mention of Bessie comes from a March 31, 1911 New York Times article: "One missing girl was reported to the police. She was Bessie Dashefsky, whose brother, Jacob, told the officials that he had kept up a search for her by himself so far for fear his aged mother, who was ill, would collapse if she learned that Bessie had not come home since the fire. He said the girl…had been employed at the Triangle shop for several months." Through the efforts of researcher and historian Michael Hirsch, Bessie's grave was discovered and her name added to the list.
The public outrage following the tragedy paved the way for a flood of legislation to improve factory safety standards, led to the founding of The American Society of Safety Engineers and hastened the growth and clout of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. A bystander who witnessed the young girls jumping from the windows was inspired to a life of public service fighting for the rights of factory workers; Frances Perkins went on to become the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet position as Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was the single worst workplace disaster in New York City until the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
Bessie was born Brukha DASHEVSKY in Katerynopil, Zvenigorod district, Ukraine (then part of Russian Empire's Pale of Settlement). Her parents were Chaim (Khaim in Russian) Frindel DASHEVSKY (1856-1920) and Tzivya (born about 1858). After coming to America, her parents were known as Hyman (Hyrum) and Sylvie DASHEFSKY. Bessie never married.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Victim. In 1911, 25 year old Bessie was a garment worker at the Triangle Waist Company on the 9th floor of the Asch Building in New York City.
The company made women's blouses, known as "waists" or "shirtwaists", and it's workers were mostly recent immigrant German, Italian and European Jewish girls, some as young as 13 years old. The working conditions were far from safe. The girls worked 14 hour shifts among heaps of flammable bolts of fabric, scraps of which piled up on the floor around them; tissue paper patterns hung from racks above their worktables. The workrooms were lit by open flame gas lamps and the cutters, mostly men, were allowed to smoke as they worked. Brought on by a New York garment workers strike in 1910, many had joined the fledgling International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. At the conclusion of the strike, most companies had signed agreements with the union improving working conditions. The Triangle Company, however, refused to sign and was under no obligation to abide by established safety rules.
On March 25, 1911, around 4:30pm, fire broke out on the 8th floor. Most on that floor and the executives on the 10th floor were able to escape, but workers on the 9th floor, who had not been alerted to the fire, found themselves trapped. Of the four 9th floor exits, the elevator was commandeered by 8th floor workers and then stopped working altogether, one stairwell door was soon blocked by fire and smoke, the other stairwell door had been locked (although denied by the owners in the trial held after, it was a common practice to lock factory workers in to prevent them from stealing) and the only fire escape proved too flimsy and collapsed under the weight of the escaping workers. Many died from being overcome by the smoke and flames quickly filling the building, but 62 of the workers realized there were no other means of escape and jumped from the windows to the pavement 9 stories below. Although the fire department responded quickly, the water from their hoses would not reach the top floors and ladders of the time were unable to reach above the 6th floor. By the time the fire was extinguished, 141 people had lost their lives. In the next few days, 5 more would die from their injuries.
From information on her death certificate, Bessie was overcome by the smoke and flames and never escaped the burning building. For approximately 90 years, she was not listed among the fire victims. The only contemporary mention of Bessie comes from a March 31, 1911 New York Times article: "One missing girl was reported to the police. She was Bessie Dashefsky, whose brother, Jacob, told the officials that he had kept up a search for her by himself so far for fear his aged mother, who was ill, would collapse if she learned that Bessie had not come home since the fire. He said the girl…had been employed at the Triangle shop for several months." Through the efforts of researcher and historian Michael Hirsch, Bessie's grave was discovered and her name added to the list.
The public outrage following the tragedy paved the way for a flood of legislation to improve factory safety standards, led to the founding of The American Society of Safety Engineers and hastened the growth and clout of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. A bystander who witnessed the young girls jumping from the windows was inspired to a life of public service fighting for the rights of factory workers; Frances Perkins went on to become the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet position as Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was the single worst workplace disaster in New York City until the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Victim. In 1911, 25 year old Bessie was a garment worker at the Triangle Waist Company on the 9th floor of the Asch Building in New York City.
The company made women's blouses, known as "waists" or "shirtwaists", and it's workers were mostly recent immigrant German, Italian and European Jewish girls, some as young as 13 years old. The working conditions were far from safe. The girls worked 14 hour shifts among heaps of flammable bolts of fabric, scraps of which piled up on the floor around them; tissue paper patterns hung from racks above their worktables. The workrooms were lit by open flame gas lamps and the cutters, mostly men, were allowed to smoke as they worked. Brought on by a New York garment workers strike in 1910, many had joined the fledgling International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. At the conclusion of the strike, most companies had signed agreements with the union improving working conditions. The Triangle Company, however, refused to sign and was under no obligation to abide by established safety rules.
On March 25, 1911, around 4:30pm, fire broke out on the 8th floor. Most on that floor and the executives on the 10th floor were able to escape, but workers on the 9th floor, who had not been alerted to the fire, found themselves trapped. Of the four 9th floor exits, the elevator was commandeered by 8th floor workers and then stopped working altogether, one stairwell door was soon blocked by fire and smoke, the other stairwell door had been locked (although denied by the owners in the trial held after, it was a common practice to lock factory workers in to prevent them from stealing) and the only fire escape proved too flimsy and collapsed under the weight of the escaping workers. Many died from being overcome by the smoke and flames quickly filling the building, but 62 of the workers realized there were no other means of escape and jumped from the windows to the pavement 9 stories below. Although the fire department responded quickly, the water from their hoses would not reach the top floors and ladders of the time were unable to reach above the 6th floor. By the time the fire was extinguished, 141 people had lost their lives. In the next few days, 5 more would die from their injuries.
From information on her death certificate, Bessie was overcome by the smoke and flames and never escaped the burning building. For approximately 90 years, she was not listed among the fire victims. The only contemporary mention of Bessie comes from a March 31, 1911 New York Times article: "One missing girl was reported to the police. She was Bessie Dashefsky, whose brother, Jacob, told the officials that he had kept up a search for her by himself so far for fear his aged mother, who was ill, would collapse if she learned that Bessie had not come home since the fire. He said the girl…had been employed at the Triangle shop for several months." Through the efforts of researcher and historian Michael Hirsch, Bessie's grave was discovered and her name added to the list.
The public outrage following the tragedy paved the way for a flood of legislation to improve factory safety standards, led to the founding of The American Society of Safety Engineers and hastened the growth and clout of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. A bystander who witnessed the young girls jumping from the windows was inspired to a life of public service fighting for the rights of factory workers; Frances Perkins went on to become the first woman appointed to a Presidential Cabinet position as Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was the single worst workplace disaster in New York City until the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
Family Members
Parents
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
