Orphan Train Disaster

by Rachel Wesson

  Frieda stared at the young couple. Paulo looked just as infatuated with Rosa as she was with him. Still, Mrs. Mezza was looking more upset by the minute, holding her hands in front of her as if she was praying. Frieda saw other people staring at the couple when they thought nobody else was looking. Maybe she should intervene.

  She walked toward the couple, holding out her hand.

  “Excuse me for interrupting your dance, but I wanted to offer my congratulations. Rosa, you will be the most beautiful bride,” Frieda ignored the girl’s widened eyes. She turned to Paulo and extended her hand to him. “You must be Paulo. I’m Frieda, a friend of the Mezza family. I’ve heard a lot about you. I hope you will both be very happy together.”

  Frieda held Paulo’s gaze for a moment, sensing the aggression behind the over-cultivated appearance. He didn’t look like a killer with his well-cut suit of clothes and manicured hands. You could be forgiven for thinking he lived in a better class of neighborhood, his appearance a contrast to those of the working men around him. She kept staring, waiting for him to say something, showing she wasn’t afraid of him. At first, she wondered if he was angry, but he smiled.

  “Nice to meet you, Dr. Klunsberg.”

  She didn’t blink or make any movement to show she was surprised he knew of her. She guessed this was a trick he used to intimidate other people. To show how well connected he was.

  “Frieda, please. I’m not at the hospital now. I must go and greet your mother, Rosa. I’m sure she wants to tell me all about the wedding.”

  Rosa glanced toward Paulo before she took the hint. “Mama can talk about nothing else. Come and we will find her. Paulo has friends to talk to.”

  Rosa led Frieda over to Mrs. Mezza, and the two of them described the wedding plans in great detail. Frieda caught Maria’s gaze out of the side of her eye and saw her friend beam her approval.

  Mrs. Mezza asked Rosa to get them all a drink. When her daughter had moved out of earshot, Mrs. Mezza leaned in and whispered her thanks to Frieda.

  “My Rosa forgets about her reputation. She is a good Italian girl, but that monster she’s taken up with, he will treat her as he wants. Thank you for intervening like you did. The whole neighborhood was staring at them. Benito, my poor husband, sometimes I am glad he didn’t live to see this.”

  “Mrs. Mezza don’t worry too much. Paulo seems to care for Rosa, and I’m sure your daughter will want for nothing. Lily says sometimes we have to accept things we don’t agree with as we have no power to change them.”

  “Your friend Lily is a wise woman. She is the lady who runs that home for…” Mrs. Mezza looked around before she whispered, “fallen women.”

  “Lily runs Carmel’s Mission to help all those who need help. Some are women who may have made difficult choices. Lily believes nobody should be judged for their actions.” Frieda wasn’t shy about telling people about the work Lily did. She couldn’t understand people who went to church every week, judging those who often took the only route they could to avoid total destitution.

  Mrs. Mezza blinked a few times before saying, “I may have misjudged Maria’s friends. You have been good for my family, Frieda. I will never forget your kindness to my Benito. He was much impressed by you back in the hospital.”

  “Mr. Mezza was a true gentleman. Now, I best go find my young friend and head home.”

  Rosa came back with their drinks. “Thank you Rosa, I was just saying goodbye to your mother. It’s getting late.”

  “It is. I think I shall go home too. Rosa, find Maria please, it’s time to go home.”

  “But Mama….”

  “Rosa Angelica Mezza, don’t make me tell you again.”

  “Yes, Mama.” Rosa fled, leaving Mrs. Mezza to wink at Frieda.

  “I can keep my girls in line. Sometimes.”

  Frieda found Leonie and took the streetcar back to the Sanctuary.

  “I had such a wonderful time. The Italians are very nice, aren’t they? I don’t get to speak to anyone at work, they do not allow us to chat. I always thought there was a barrier between us and them but we are all just people in the end aren’t we?”

  “Yes, Leonie.”

  As she lay on her bed, Frieda wondered if Mrs. Mezza would ever come around to Conrad and Maria getting married. They belonged together, anyone could see that. What would it take for them to get their happily ever after?

  Chapter 28

  Saturday, March 25th, 1911.

  Maria crawled out of bed, her head aching from lack of sleep and a little too much wine. Rosa was still snoring, so Maria shook her sister awake.

  “Come on, sleepyhead. We’ll be late.”

  “Can’t we stay in bed and pretend we’re sick?” Rosa groaned.

  “I’d rather face the bosses than mama if we tried that excuse. Get up or will I have to throw cold water at you?”

  Rosa jumped out of bed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  Maria grinned. “I don’t have to, now do I?”

  Rosa’s response was to throw the pillow at her before rushing to get washed and dressed. They had to run part of the way to the Asch building but got there just before the clock struck eight. Joseph was waiting as usual with a smile on his face.

  “You two had a good time at the party last night. I’ve lost count of the sleepyheads I’ve taken up to the ninth floor today.”

  “Joseph, I saw you still dancing as we were leaving. How can you be so cheerful?” Rosa grumbled. Joseph’s smile got bigger.

  “I had a fabulous time with my friends, got to dance the shoes off my feet and had plenty to eat. Your mama is a wonderful cook, those cookies you had were the best I’ve ever tasted.”

  Maria didn’t correct him by telling them the cookies had been a gift.

  “Maria, I’m meeting Paulo this evening. He’s taking me uptown, come with us?”

  “No, thank you, Rosa. I have dinner plans with Conrad, and then I will go home to Mama.”

  It was a poor excuse. She could have suggested Paulo and Rosa come to dinner too. Mama could look after herself, she’d surprised everyone with how well she was coping after losing her husband. Maria avoided Paulo as much as possible. She knew it annoyed Rosa, but she couldn’t be in his company for long. He had an air of suppressed violence about him. She wasn’t as much frightened by him as disgusted her sister was marrying such an individual. Mama and Benito didn’t like him either, but Benito had warned them not to show it. The Greco family had a reputation for a reason.

  “Have it your way.” Rosa stormed off. Maria didn’t enjoy falling out with her sister. Sitting down at her machine, she resolved to make it up with her later. Rosa had been nice to her when she was ill last week. Since Papa’s death, they had made more of an effort to get along for Mama’s sake as much as anything else.

  At lunchtime, Maria went looking for Rosa. “Come have lunch with me.”

  Rosa didn’t even look up.

  “Rosa, don’t ignore me. I will go out with you and Paulo another night. You’d prefer to be with him alone, anyway, wouldn’t you?” Maria teased, but still no response. “I heard he was taking you to see Madame Sherry.”

  Rosa glared up at her. “Who told you that? Mama would kill me if she heard I was in a dance hall, let alone seeing…” Rosa’s rant slowed as Maria clapped.

  “Got you talking to me. Now come have lunch. I won’t tell Mama about the dance hall. I know how much you love dancing. See the show with your head held high. Everyone says it’s hilarious. If you are old enough to be engaged, why can’t you choose your own entertainment?”

  Rosa pushed her unfinished work aside and picked up her small purse. “I guess you get those ideas hanging around with Frieda, Sarah, and their friends.”

  Maria hated how Rosa put her friends down all the time. She wondered how Sarah was. Despite her friend’s fiery temper, she missed her and the friendship they had built up during the strike. She could still see Sarah’s face as she called Maria a scab for breaking the strike. Sarah had vow
ed never to speak to her again. She hadn’t either. Anytime Maria saw Sarah in the street or at a store, the girl ignored her.

  Maria opened her mouth to retaliate but closed it again. They would only argue. Gritting her teeth, determined to keep her temper under control, she asked Rosa, “So, the park or the store?”

  “The park. I need some fresh air after all this.” Rosa glanced around the room. Linking arms, they made their way to Washington Park. They’d only have about twenty minutes to enjoy people watching, but it was worth it. The sun was warm on their backs as they walked to the little square with its curving walls.

  Maria loved watching all the different people who walked in the gardens. Children from the tenements chattering in various languages, running in between wealthy ladies scurrying through the park to visit some genteel townhouses on the far side of the park. These ladies looked anxious, as if they would catch something by sharing the same air as the poorer community. She wondered what it would be like to visit one of the big houses. Frieda had told her about the ones she saw during her fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Sanctuary. The dazzling chandeliers, carpets your feet sunk into, silver ornaments, mirrors everywhere. Someday, she hoped to accompany Frieda on one of her trips. She’d enjoy dressing up as a lady. Her mind savored an image of Conrad dressed up as a gentleman; he’d look so handsome all the rich women would envy her.

  “Ow!” she exclaimed as Rosa poked her in the ribs, “what did you do that for?”

  “What were you thinking about? You have a stupid big grin on your face, that Italian stall owner thought you were smiling at him.”

  Maria blushed as she caught the admiring gaze of the overweight, fifty odd year old trader. Giggling like a schoolgirl, she took Rosa’s arm and scuttled across the main path away from him. She waved to a few of the Italian Nonna’s she recognized. They were enjoying the sun too, their shopping at their feet as they gossiped with a neighbor.

  With all the benches occupied, Rosa threw her coat on the ground as a blanket.

  “Real hint of summer coming now isn’t there?” Rosa smiled as she stretched out her feet in front of her. “Maria, I know…” Rosa hesitated.

  “What?” Maria prodded.

  Rosa glanced at her under her eyelashes. “I know you don’t like Paulo, but could you try to be pleasant? I love him. So very much. He is kind to me.”

  Maria bit into her bread so she wouldn’t have to agree with that remark.

  “Maria please. When we marry and have children, I want them to know their Auntie Maria. I will tell them not to listen to her mad ideas, though.” Rosa rolled her eyes and giggled.

  It was so unusual for her sister to tease her, Maria wanted to say yes. “I’ll try. With Paulo, I mean. As for your children, I will have the girls wearing pants and the boys in dresses.”

  Rosa laughed, making Maria laugh too. They chatted about the future, coming up with more ridiculous stories of what it would be like. Maria wiped tears from her eyes. Her sides hurt from laughing.

  Rosa glanced at the watch Paulo had given her. “Maria, we’ll be late. Come on.” Standing up, she held her hand out for her sister. “We might fight a lot, but I love you, Maria.”

  Shocked into silence, Maria took her outstretched hand and walked back to the Triangle. The women in the elevator were so chatty returning to the ninth floor, Joseph Zito wanted to know if they were planning another party. He protested that too many people were still tired and some hungover from Susie’s party the night before.

  Chapter 29

  The afternoon passed quickly. The sun being out helped people to smile. Everyone was in high spirits looking forward to the weekend. Anna Gullo walked around the floor distributing their weekly pay packets. Maria stood as Anna came closer to her station. She didn’t want her supervisor to see she had packed away most of her things in anticipation of leaving work.

  Anna smiled as she handed out the pay, teasing some girls including Doris who was getting married the next day. Maria glanced across the floor toward the windows and saw Rosa taking her pay packet from blonde Mary Levantal. She smiled, but Rosa didn’t see her. Probably already planning her time with Paulo. The seconds ticked by. Their work day was almost over.

  Maria was out of her chair and over at the dressing room almost as soon as the machines stopped. A woman was there before her, already singing. Maria joined in, humming “Every little movement has a meaning all of its own.” She didn’t have a good singing voice, but she loved the song. She checked her reflection in the mirror, at the last minute tying a scarf around her neck. The older girl next to her laughed.

  “Not like that. Like this.” The girl said as she corrected Maria’s scarf. “Now your Irishman will be happy.”

  Blushing, Maria looked away.

  “Don’t be shy, young love is a good thing. Enjoy it before you have a load of children and can’t remember the last time you spoke to your man.”

  “Don’t talk like that, Sylvia,” her friend said. “Give the young ones some hope. Doris is getting married tomorrow.”

  Maria joined in the good natured teasing before leaving the dressing room to head to the freight elevator. Sylvia followed behind her. “Maria, I was just teas-” Sylvia paled, grabbing her arm, her fingernails digging into Maria’s skin. “Maria, what’s that? It’s smoke.”

  Maria stared in horror as smoke rose near the windows. Someone screamed behind them.

  “It’s in the staircase, too. Mary, Mother of God, what shall we do?”

  Maria didn’t answer Sylvia. Rosa. She had to find her sister. She saw what looked like flames coming from the windows. Some areas around the sewing tables were already on fire.

  “Maria, the fire escape.” Sylvia pulled her, but Maria shook her free. She had to find Rosa. Sylvia ran toward the iron doors of the fire escape. Maria lost sight of the woman in the ensuing chaos. Women running and hollering surrounded her, but fear glued her to the floor. The thick black smoke caught the back of Maria’s throat. Panicking, Maria couldn’t see through the smoke. Where was her sister?

  The girls still sitting at the machines climbed up on the machine tables. Chairs and baskets blocked the narrow aisles, so moving from table to table seemed safer. Maria tried to scramble up onto the table nearest her, but her skirts hampered her progress. Esther, a young girl who sat near her, held out a hand to Maria and pulled her up onto the machine tables.

  “Try to get to the front elevator. This way,” Esther said.

  Esther climbed from one machine table to the other. Maria saw some girls fall backwards into the fire as she moved carefully from one table to the next, frantically searching the room for a sign of Rosa.

  Mounds of boxes hindered their progress. It was getting harder to see, to breathe. Some girls fled toward a door and she followed them. But when they tried to open it, nothing happened. Thinking the girl was too weak to open it, Maria pushed her out of the way to try for herself.

  “It’s locked. I can’t open it. Stop pushing, it won’t help.” She screamed again and again. No amount of kicking, screaming or pushing could open it. As the crowd behind them thickened, Maria was sure she’d be trampled or pinned against the door. She tried to find another way out.

  A girl shouted above the noise. “The elevator. We have to get to the elevator.”

  Maria didn’t know who was screaming at her, but she and Esther followed them, anyway. They pushed past their screaming workmates, but there was no way out there either. What would they do?

  “Maria, where are you? Maria Mezza” She heard someone, a man, calling for her. Conrad. What was he doing on this floor? Trying to breathe slowly, she pushed toward the voice.

  “There you are,” his voice shook with relief. He took her hand. “Come on, we have to get out quickly.”

  “Conrad, my sister? Rosa is back there somewhere.”

  “She’s probably already outside. She’s worked here longer, knows the exits. Come on, we don’t have much time.” He looked around. “Don’t let g
o of my hand. Promise? No matter what? We will try for the other elevator. Over that way.” He pointed before looking at her.

  She nodded, gripping his hand tightly as possible. With her other one, she grabbed Esther’s hand and insisted she follow them. Together, the three of them headed toward the elevator, but the crowds pushed them back.

  Coughing and retching they battled through the smoke. The heat was unbearable. A flash of fire lit up Conrad’s face. She saw her fear mirrored in his expression. He looked around them, trying to find their route of escape. A shadowy figure called out. “Conrad! This way,” The man’s voice came closer. Maria recognized it but couldn’t place it.

  “We got the door open to the Green Street exit.”

  Maria’s brain froze. She couldn’t remember which side of the building was Green Street. The combination of fear and smoke was making it hard to focus.

  The man spoke again, calling her by name. “Maria, trust me. I know the factory like the back of my hand. Years ago, I helped the boss set up the factory.”

  Gustav, Alice’s father. That’s who was helping them. “Put your scarf around your head, Esther. You too, Maria. Wrap it as tightly as you can. Conrad, you follow behind and I’ll lead the way. We’ll get you girls out, just don’t look up. It’s hot.”

  Understatement of the century, but Maria didn’t care. She pushed Esther in front of her. Gustav pushed through the door. “Green Street exit this is. We have to make our way down.”

  When they got to the next floor, Esther stopped and wouldn’t go on. She pushed down her scarf, screaming, “We can’t go through there. Are you trying to kill us? The fire’s everywhere!”

  “Shut up, Esther, and do what I tell ya.” Gustav’s firm tone calmed Esther. “Good girl. Put that scarf back. You listen to me and we’ll get out. Otherwise we all die.”

  Esther did as she was instructed. Conrad patted down Maria’s scarf. She could feel his hands through the heat. “You’re smoldering and not in a good way,” he whispered in a raspy voice. Then they were off again. The heat was unbearable, and more than once Maria was tempted to take the scarf off to breathe.