November 2, 2012, Friday, 306

Rosie Bassino

From The Peopling of New York City

Rosie Bassino, age 31, death certificate number: 10228 [1].


In the 1910 census, Rosie's last name is spelled Bassano. According to the census she was a dressmaker in a factory (Triangle Shirtwaist Factory). She spoke English. Her husband, Joseph Bassano, was 38 years old in 1910. He was a salesman who spoke Italian. Rosie and Joseph emigrated from Italy in 1905 [2]. Rosie died at age 31 of multiple injuries [3]. Rosie jumped from the ninth floor of the building [4]. She lived at 57 W. Houston Street with her husband Joseph who identified her. Rosie's sister, Irene Grameatassio also died in the fire [5]. Rosie Bassino was a shirtwaist maker at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. She was born in Italy where she married her husband Joseph Bassino. They lived in the United States/New York City for nine years before Rosie was killed in the Triangle Fire. This means that the Bassinos arrived in the United States in 1902 and not in 1905. Rosie's father's name was Sirando Buona. Her mother's name was Catherine Buona. Both Rosie's parents were born in Italy. Rosie was buried in Calvary Cemetery on March 28, 1911. G.B. Perazzo served as her undertaker. He resided at 195 Bleecker Street [6]. Rosie and Joseph lived on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Housing was a big problem during those years. Families were packed into tiny one room tenements with only one toilet per floor. It was extremely unsanitary and illness spread quickly in those conditions. Rosie and her husband may have lived in a tenement like most new immigrants who could not afford anything better [7] [8]. The Bassinos lived in a neighborhood that was inhabited by other Italians but also by many Jews. In 1902, food riots broke out. Orthodox Jewish women rioted because the price of kosher meat was too high. In the end, they won. Within a month, the price of kosher meat fell [9].


1910 Census 8th Ward New York, NY, W. Houston St Joseph and Rosie Bassano [10].


Joseph Bassino was a good workman, earning $13.00 a week as a presser when employed. He was in good health, and expressed no desire for any money in compensation for his wife's death except the amount of the funeral bill. After the fire he went to live with his wife's parents. Joseph received $125.30 in relief aid [11].


Rosie's sister, Irene, was also married and left behind her husband and two small children. She worked because her husband was not inclined to contribute largely to the family expenses though he was a machinist earning $15.00 a week. Funeral expenses were paid and $110.00 was given to Irene's mother for the benefit of the children and to enable her to move to a larger apartment which would accommodate Irene's husband, Irene's children and Rosie's husband. Irene's husband was not satisfied with the action of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee. He took his children away from their grandparents, and demanded that the money which had been given to Irene's parents be turned over to him. It was found that the children were suffering from neglect and Irene's husband was advised to restore them to the grandmother's care. In October a satisfactory state of affairs was found: the father working regularly, paying the grandmother for taking care of the children while his is way, and taking care of them himself at night. Irene's family received $235.30 in relief aid [12].

References

  1. ↑ Italian Genealogical Society, http://italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=sounds&Esurname=bassino&Efirst=rosie&StartYear=1911&EndYear=1911&County=M&B1=Submit. </li>
  2. ↑ ancestry.com, <i> http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7884&iid=NYT624_1004-0881&fn=Rose&ln=Bassano&st=r&ssrc=&pid=123504539. </li>
  3. ↑ David Von Drehle, <i> Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 271.
  4. ↑ David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 167.
  5. ↑ David Von Drehle, Triangle (New York: Grove Press, 2003), 274.
  6. ↑ Manhattan Death Certificates 1911, Microfilm roll 775, numbers 9995-10952, Municipal Archives: New York City, 10228
  7. ↑ Joanne Reitano, Restless City (New York: Taylor and Francis Group LLC, 2006), 108.
  8. ↑ Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives .
  9. ↑ Joanne Reitano, Restless City (New York: Taylor and Francis Group LLC, 2006), 119-120.
  10. ↑ ancestry.com, http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7884&iid=NYT624_1004-0881&fn=Rose&ln=Bassano&st=r&ssrc=&pid=123504539. </li>
  11. ↑ Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, <i> Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire, New York, March 25, 1911: Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York (New York, 1912), 30.
  12. ↑ Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York, Emergency Relief After Washington Place Fire, New York, March 25, 1911: Report of the Red Cross Emergency Relief Committee of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York (New York, 1912), 32.
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