WESLEY ABELL - 1912 Original Manuscript Diary Handwritten by a Young University of Vermont Student, Strike Breaker and 'Scab' Working for the Elevated Street Railroad During a Bitter Labor Strike

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1912. . On offer is a small, original diary of a young man in the early years of the 20th Century. Measuring 4.75 inches by 3 inches, it contains 365 pages. It is approximately 33% complete. The cover, binding and pages are all in good condition. The handwriting is legible. EDITOR'S NOTE: While there is nothing in this diary to identify the author the item came from an archive related to Wesley Abell who graduated from the University of Vermont, was inducted into their Football Hall of Fame and, after graduating, built a career in the municipal service of Burlington, VT, eventually becoming City Clerk. In 1912 he is a young man living with relatives and working in Boston MA in 1912. He has secured work as a driver/conductor for the Boston Elevated Street Railway. This is not his long term future goal for in September of 1912, he leaves home to attend the University of Vermont. The entries are fairly straightforward: "Jan 1 '12 finds me working for the Boston Elevated Street Railroad Co. I am staying with Uncle [ ] [ ].wn in morning and done my [ ] (a/ (521) .45 (530) .30 Total .75 Excused until 4 o'clock (b/ done a (531) .45 & 525 .30 Total .75 (c) met cars from [ ] 6 o'c til 7 o'c Total for day $1.80" [Jan 1, 1912]; "For my A.M. this morn I had 2 (534) .60. Was then excused until 4 o'c when I went and done a half for 4 th [ ] consisting of (504) and (520) Pay for the day - $1.75" [ Feb 24, 1912]; "Today I had a swing beginning at 8:27. Done four trips and then layed off til 6:07. Earl Sunderl was over to see me. Total $2.30 Paid." [Mar 3, 1913]; "After April 5th, there are no entries until June. On June 7th, it apears that he is running a union picket line - with expected consequences! This morn I went down to run a trip at 5 o'c. On starting out on trip I was met by a bunch of strikers who threw eggs at me. Worked all day mid yells of scab and all sorts of other names. The strikers tried their best to get me to leave my car but I stuck it out". [June 7, 1912]; This entry is significant because it refers to the Boston Elevated Street Railway strike of 1912. This was a serious labour dispute over the organizing of a union there and the demand for better wages. The strike began on June 7th and soon spiraled into violence. Court crack downs were draconian and the strike seemed poised to spread to other cities. The major turning point in the strike, however, came as a result of charges filed with the State Board of Conciliation and Arbitration. The Board released a report which upheld the Union's charges and placed the blame for the strike on the Management. The Board found that the Management had discharged employees solely for their Union activities, had brought in strike breakers (such as our author) and convicted felons who were employed as strong-arm men, and had coerced employees against joining the Union. After the Board's report, The Governor and the Mayor of Boston became actively involved in settling the strike. The Mayor of Boston in 1912 was John F. Fitzgerald, affectionately referred to as "Honey Fitz". Fitzgerald was the maternal grandfather of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and great grandfather of Congressman Joe Kennedy). In September, he is off to university: "This morn I packed my trunks and papa carried me to St. A to take train for college. Earle A and F Stevens went down with me. Met lots of nice fellows in B and spent time with [ ] Hayden and Wesley Sturgis at Converse Hall". [Sept 24]. This diary offers an interesting look into one of the urban transport companies from the point of view of an ordinary worker. For a social historian, it provides a flavour and a sense of what work was like in industrialized Boston at the turn of the last century. It also touches on a very key time in labour organizing in the United States. ; Manuscript; 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF; 20TH CENTURY; 1910S; PROGRESSIVE ERA; UNITED STATES; BOSTON; MASSACHUSETTS; VERMONT; BOSTON ELEVATED STREET RAILROAD; UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT; CONVERSE HALL; JOHN F. FITZGERALD; HONEY FITZ; JOHN F. KENNEDY; EDWARD M KENNEDY; STRIKES IN BOSTON; CONDUCTORS AND MOTORMEN IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY; STRIKES IN 1912; BOSTON ELEVATED COMPANY EMPLOYEES; CARMEN STRIKE IN BOSTON; LABOR ORGANIZATIONS; UNIONS IN 1910S AMERICA; UNION VIOLENCE IN 1910S; UVM ALUMNI; BOULDER SOCIETY MEMBERS; AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNALS, PERSONAL HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, 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. Good .