In the aftermath of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire , he was Chairman of the State Factory Investigating Committee ( 1911 – 1915 ) . His Vice Chairman was fellow Tammany Hall politician , Al Smith . They held a series of widely publicized investigations around the state , interviewing 222 witnesses and taking 3500 pages of testimony . They started with the issue of fire safety and moved on to broader issues of the risks of injury in the factory environment . Their findings led to thirty-eight new laws regulating labor in New York state , and gave each of them a reputation as leading progressive reformers working on behalf of the working class . In the process , they changed Tammany 's reputation from mere corruption to progressive endeavors to help the workers
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Robert F. Wagner