1925 Work Journal of a Massachusetts Railroad Laborer During the Heyday of Railroad Construction

On offer is a detailed worked record of a man who worked on the railroad in central Massachusetts in the 1920's. The diary belonged to N. E. Drury. He lived in Worcester MA. Our informal research did not turn up any additional biographical information on him. From context, he does not appear to be married as there is no reference to spouse or children. He works for an unidentified railroad, most likely the Central Massachusetts Railroad. Much of the time he served as a relief worker, filling in for other men. The Central Massachusetts Railroad was formed out of the failed Massachusetts Central Railroad Company in 1883. This was the heyday of railroad construction. The 1890s and the early 1900s saw it change hands, merge and be re-merges a number of times. In 1907, it became part of Charles Mellon's virtual monopoly of railroad traffic in southern New England. In one form or another, the railroad lasted until the 1990's when its owners ceased all operations. Drury's diary entries consist primarily of notations about when he went to work, the job he did, who he replaced and the amount he earned. There are very few entries of a personal nature. The following will give a sense of the diary entries: "Fair Went work 6: 15 AM Relief job Engineer Hobart Done 2: 15 PM 1 day" [Feb 22]; "Fair Went work 6: 15 am Relief for Engr Barrett Done at 2: 10 PM 1 day 5.72" [Apr 7]; "Went work 4: 00 AM Transfer Engr Broad Eng 629 Done 2: 00 PM 1 day 5.72" [May 3]; "Fair Left Portland at 5: 45 am [ ] Eng 1464 Done at Worcester 12: 45 am 150 miles [ ] J. J. Conlon 10.50" [June 4]; "Fair Went work 11: 45 am Eng 2420 fireman Fletcher 1 day 1 hour 50 min done 9: 35 pm $9.74" [Sept 28]. For a railroad historian, this diary gives a fine glimpse into the operations of this railroad from the perspective of one of the thousands of men who laboured on it. It also serves to cross-refences other men who worked that railroad and various pieces of rolling stock. Measuring 5 inches by 3 inches, this 1925 diary contains 183 pages and is approximately 80% complete. The cloth-covered hardboard cover shows staining but is in otherwise good condition. The binding is intact as are the pages. The handwriting is legible. ; 24mo 5" - 6" tall; 183 pages; Keywords: handwritten, manuscript, document, letter, autograph, writer, hand written, documents, signed, letters, manuscripts, historical, holograph, writers, autographs, personal, memoir, memorial, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier antike, brief, pergament, dokument, manuskript, papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, papel, N. E. Drury, Central Massachusetts Railroad, Worcester MA