The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

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Document Analysis: Read the document below. In this reading, a garment worker describes the
working conditions that she encountered in a garment factory in New York City. Her story is informative
about the nature of her work as well as describing the problems she faced on the job. As you read, make
a list of the information she provides and her complaints. Once you have completed the list, answer the
analysis questions on the next page.

"Life in the Shop": The Story of an Immigrant Garment Worker

- by Clara Lemlich
This piece was first published in the New York Evening Journal, November 28, 1909.

First let me tell you something about the way we work and what we are paid. There are two kinds of
work—regular, that is salary work, and piecework. The regular work pays about $6 a week and the
girls have to be at their machines at 7 o'clock in the morning and they stay at them until 8 o'clock at
night, with just one-half hour for lunch in that time.

The shops. Well, there is just one row of machines that the daylight ever gets to—that is the front row,
nearest the window. The girls at all the other rows of machines back in the shops have to work by
gaslight, by day as well as by night. Oh, yes, the shops keep the work going at night, too.

The bosses in the shops are hardly what you would call educated men, and the girls to them are part
of the machines they are running. They yell at the girls and they berate them...

There are no dressing rooms for the girls in the shops. They have to hang up their hats and
coats—such as they are—on hooks along the walls. Sometimes a girl has a new hat. It never is much
to look at because it never costs more than 50 cents, that means that we have gone for weeks on
two-cent lunches—dry cake and nothing else.

The shops are unsanitary—that's the word that is generally used, but there ought to be a worse one
used. Whenever we tear or damage any of the goods we sew on, or whenever it is found damaged
after we are through with it, whether we have done it or not, we are charged for the piece and
sometimes for a whole yard of the material.

At the beginning of every slow season, $2 is deducted from our salaries. We have never been able to
find out what this is for.

Information about working conditions Complaints about working conditions

1. 1.

2. 2.
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4. 4.

5. 5.

Analysis Questions:
1) Sourcing: Is this document a primary source or secondary source about labor and
working conditions in the Gilded Age?
This document is a primary source about labor and working conditions in the Gilded Age because it
provides firsthand accounts and experiences of workers in garment factories, offering direct insights into
their daily lives, challenges, and experiences.

2) Sourcing: Whose point of view is presented in this source?

The source presents the point of view of workers, particularly young women, who were employed in
garment factories during the Gilded Age. It provides their perspectives on the harsh working conditions,
low wages, financial struggles, and lack of respect or empathy from management.

3) Contextualization: Why do you think this garment worker chose to write and send this
piece to the New York Evening Journal?
This garment worker likely chose to write and send this piece to the New York Evening Journal to raise
awareness about the harsh working conditions, exploitation, and injustices faced by workers in garment
factories during the Gilded Age. They may have wanted to shed light on the realities of their daily lives,
advocate for labor rights and workplace reforms, and seek support or solidarity from the public or
government officials.

a) Analysis: How might this have shaped the information provided in this piece?
The garment worker's personal experiences shaped the information by providing direct insights into the
challenges faced, such as long hours, low wages, and disrespectful treatment. They highlighted specific
details to emphasize the harsh realities of their working conditions and to advocate for change and
awareness.
 4) Contextualization: What do you think the author was hoping readers would walk away
from this article in the newspaper thinking about in 1909?
The author likely hoped that readers would walk away from this article thinking about the urgent need
for labor reform and improved working conditions for garment workers in 1909. They may have wanted
readers to empathize with the struggles faced by workers and to support efforts for fair wages,
reasonable hours, and better treatment in factories.

5) Analysis: What are some of the dangerous or potentially hazardous conditions in the
workspace that the author mentions? What are some accidents that you think could
happen as a result of these conditions?
The author mentions dangerous conditions such as long working hours, working by gaslight,
unsanitary shops, and lack of safety measures like fire escapes and dressing rooms. These
conditions could lead to accidents such as fatigue-related injuries, exposure to toxic fumes from
gaslight, fire hazards due to poor lighting and crowded workspace, and health issues from
unsanitary conditions.

6) Analysis: Overall, what are two conclusions you can make about working conditions in
Gilded Age garment factories in New York City from this source?
From this source, we can conclude that working conditions in Gilded Age garment factories in
New York City were extremely harsh and unsafe. The long hours, lack of proper lighting and
ventilation, unsanitary conditions, and disrespectful treatment by management contributed to a
dangerous and exploitative work environment for workers.