Hands wanted, 1849

In 1849 the final phase of construction was taking place along the canal between Dam 6 above Hancock, and Cumberland. Consequently this advertisement was seeking company employees for the operating section of the canal up to Dam 6. These would have included common laborers who did general unskilled work, but also, for example, lockkeepers, carpenters, and stone masons. Women were sometimes employed at locks but also might be hired as cooks for a work crews. Men known as “level walkers” were hired as well to walk the towpath on a regular basis, reporting large repairs that were needed, but themselves making smaller repairs such as filling in groundhog holes or removing branches or trees that might have fallen into the canal or across the towpath.