The robber barons, the wealthy industrialists and businessmen of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, paid their workers in wages. Wages were generally low and often not enough to support a family. Many workers were forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions, and child labor was common. Some companies also used the practice of company stores, where workers were forced to buy goods at inflated prices. In some cases, workers were paid in scrip, a type of currency that could only be used at company-owned stores. This practice made it difficult for workers to leave their jobs, as they could not use their scrip outside of the company. Overall, the robber barons paid their workers in wages that were often low and inadequate, and they used various practices to keep their workers in debt and dependent on the company.