The canal had been planned to run on the west side of the river towards Looe, but a landowner, Mr Eliot, was holding out for excessive compensation for his land, and the construction was transferred to the east side over the affected length, in the lands of John Buller, to by-pass Eliot's land. During the construction, the company operated a health insurance scheme for the labourers similar to that commonly in place in the Cornish mines, with each worker contributing 6 pence (2.5p) per month, which was used to pay Mr. Robert Rean, an apothecary and surgeon from East Looe, for his services.