bargemen
Bargemen are individuals who work on barges, which are flat-bottomed boats used for transporting goods along rivers, canals, and other inland waterways. Historically, bargemen played a crucial role in trade and commerce, moving bulk commodities like coal, grain, and timber. The work of a bargeman was often physically demanding, requiring skill in navigating waterways, maneuvering the barge, and managing cargo. In earlier times, barges were frequently towed by horses or by teams of men walking along the towpaths beside the water.
With the advent of steam power and later diesel engines, barges became self-propelled or were pushed and