In the 1820s, workers who were digging the Erie Canal got paid from about 37 cents to $1 a day.
This was for a 10 hour day, and they were expected to work six days a week.
They also got up to a quart of whiskey each a day, given in a series of four ounce shots starting at 6 a.m.
What’s surprising is how straight the canal is, considering.
