Hiram Bedford kept this pre-printed pocket diary in 1869. In it, he documented his work as a carpenter/skilled laborer in a coal mine owned by Sharpe, Weiss and Co., his experiences at union meetings and union activities, mining accidents and deaths, and other details relating to his personal life in Eckley, Pennsylvania.
Bedford wrote about his work in carpenter and machine shops, his work on various "slopes" and their attendant issues (e.g. broken chutes), and his work producing various items (e.g. notched sills.). He also recorded the injuries and deaths of other workers, nearby forest fires, and the procurement of tools and supplies. Noted are financial transactions, orders, and amounts owed (some with references to wood and wood products like rake handles, oak, etc.). Bedford appears to have been active in a union; he remarked on union meetings, stoppages, negotiations, and several incidents of police presence at job sites.
Some entries are more personal in nature, such as details relating to church (Presbyterians and Catholics), family health, visits and news, weather, and domestic servants. Financial accounts and other notes are in the back of the volume.
