FEDERAL PERIOD ERIE CANAL JOURNAL AND ABSTRACT OF REPAIRS

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/7/2023

Lot consists of two items related to the Erie Canal providing insight into the operation of this important commercial and public transportation line, providing the first navigable waterway from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes. A) Fully filled-out ledger, about 100 pages of an Ontario County shopkeeper, covering 1820-1840, but mainly from 1825 forward, the year the canal opened. Local family names appear, but more importantly significant numbers of customers plainly from trade brought by the canal, such as Captain Bliffens, Captain Bing, Captain Seth Howland, as well as black residents or canal workers such as "Black Buck" and "Black George." Merchandise referenced, includes good such as straw hats and drink and food stuffs like rum, cider, corn,, potatoes, and notably peanuts, something out of place for New York and indicative of the expansive trade opportunities opened up by the canal. CONDITION: Heavy wear to edges and binding but still holding pages in place. B) 1831 Abstract of vouchers and pay by Joseph Sibley, Superintendent of Repairs on the Erie Canal "from the First Lock East of Rochester to the East End of the Aqueduct on Oak Orchard Creek." Two pages, covering Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, 1831. Covers mason and carpenter work, blacksmithing, etc. CONDITION: Good. Fully legible and complete, but separations on the horizontal folds. These are interesting snapshots of the largest US civil engineering project of the time, which accelerated western expansion and U.S economic development.