Unions and committees sought justice for their friends and families. The public demanded that Harris and Blanck be put on trial for manslaughter, and were enraged to find them acquitted of all charges. The court was unable to prove they were aware the Washington Square exit was locked at the time of the fire.

The families were eventually compensated the sum of seventy five dollars per victim, but Harris and Blanck were reimbursed nearly sixty thousand dollars more than they lost in their insurance settlement.

The fire had a profound impact on the legislation regarding workers’ treatment and safety in the city of New York, which quickly became a model for the rest of the nation. The International Women’s Garment Workers Union grew in power, and formed bonds with important social reformers such as Frances Perkins and Rose Schneiderman.

Rose Schneiderman, National Photo Company Collection

The Factory Safety Commission was created by the New York State legislature and held hundreds of testimonies and hearings that helped spur changes in the factories it inspected. Workman’s compensation was adopted, as some girls were so afraid to lose their jobs that they continued even after suffering an injury.

One young woman recalled that, “sometimes in my haste, my finger gets caught and the needle goes right through. I bind my finger with a piece of cotton and continue working.” Frances Perkins, a famous social reformer, took committee members on trips to factories that were predisposed to conflagration, and testified before them, to ensure that their findings found their way into law. Sanitation also became a major issue, with General counsel Elkus issuing the statement that, “industrial diseases have been allowed to go unchecked, resulting in the untimely death of thousands.” The commission staff examined a total of 3,385 factories, all done in 1911 and 1912.

The commissions greatest achievement occurred during the period of 1912-1914, when thirteen of the seventeen bills it introduced were signed into law. In addition to its victories of creating much stricter health and safety laws, A general awakening had taken place throughout the state,” The public had truly become aware of the nature and extent of the problem that plagued factory workers for so many years.

Samuel Gompers, Federal Commission of Industrial Relations, Bain Collection

Samuel Gompers himself said, “rarely do you get the opportunity for such legislative reform, but women had to burn first in order for it to happen.”

Trade Union procession for Triangle Waist Co. fire victims, Bain Collection