UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. The name popularly applied before the Civil War to the system adopted by many persons in the North for aiding fugitive slaves to escape from their mas ters and elude the pursuit of those sent to re claim them. By furnishing food and shelter as well as advice to fugitives, they enabled thou sands to escape to Canada beyond the reach of the Fugitive Slave Law. The most favored routes lay through Ohio and Pennsylvania. The houses along these routes where aid was given came to be known as `stations;' those who directly as sisted the escaping fugitives were known as 'con ductors;' and those who made contributions of money, clothing, etc., were known as 'stock holders' in the enterprise. It was estimated that the number of negroes in Canada who made trips to the South to assist their friends in escaping from slavery amounted to 500 annually before the outbreak of the war. Large rewards were offered by Southern legislatures and individuals for the delivery of such persons south of Mason and Dixon's line. Among the most active white per sons in the 'underground railway' service were Levi Coffin, .Tosiah Grinnell, Gerrit Smith, Theo dore Parker, Thomas Garrett, Rev. Charles Tor rey, and Samuel J. May. Coffin was commonly styled the president of the concern, and he claimed to have been actively engaged in the business for thirty-three years and to have received into his house an average of 100 fugitives annually. Pro
fessor Siebert in his exhaustive work on the sub ject gives the names of 3211 'agents, station keepers, and conductors.' He credits Daniel Gib bons, of Lancaster, Pa., with having aided 1000 fugitives to reach Canada ; Dr. N. M. Thomas, of Michigan. with having aided 1000 or 1500; Rev. Charles Farrel. with having aided 400; Philo Carpenter, of Chicago, with having aided 200 ; while 11. B. Leper, of Princeton, aided 31 runaways to reach Canada in six weeks. Thomas Garrett (q.v.) claims to have ;tided 2700 to make their escape. Harriet TnInan, a negress, escaped front Maryland, is reported to hale made nineteen journeys to the South and to have brought away altogether 300 slaves. She subsequently with success during the Civil War as a sco,... Many of those concerned in this service were fined heavily for violating the Fugitive Slave Garrett alone paying a line of $S000, hut the occasional punishments that were inflicted did not break up the practice, and it continued to be one of the chief grievanees of the South against the North. Consult Siebert, The Underground Railroad (New York, 18901.