The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-07-21
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
OF KANSAS.


kansas was not exactly a subway It /
did not acquire its name by reason |
Of q subterranean right OF way, but by I
virtue Of the secretive character Of /
its operations It had no charter It /
was not a common carrier" The |
right OF eminent domain did not |
attach to it nor would IL have been |
amenable to the rulings Of the inter !
state commerce commission It was
not even q paper railroad The |
UNDERGROUND" was put into being
without projection or profile It was
a philanthrOpic sectional movement /
unaffected BY discriminating rate
wars or disastrous ''diferentials-"
Despite its large patronage il not
only paid no dividends. but even con-
tinued to operate at a pecuniary loss
The officials Of the Underground
bore no insignia OF Office to distin-
guish them from the laity The roll
ing stock OF this peculiar organiza-
ton consisted often Of a rickety COW
cred wagon that crept cautiously
along some dark unfrequented high
way It's passengers" were always q
shiyering party Of wretChed refugees
quaking at every unexpected sound,
trembling at every OminOus halt that
seemed in their benighted fright to
pressage recapture, chains and sIav-
cry The crew was composed Of
two OF three OUtriders who pilcted
the party and buised themselves in
directing the course, eluding pursuit,
repeIling assault and reassuring the
wild fears Of their dusky dependents
The Quakers Of the central states
we're the first successful promoters
The first station Of the Underground
railroad in Kansas was a deserted log
cabin twelve by fourteen feet in di-
mansions, situated at Pardee in At
Gibson county. Consequently the first
agent in Kansas was Ransom l. Har-
ris, who was left in charge Of the
cabin Around Pardee was Qua
ker colony, many members Of which
had emigrated from Springdale, Ia
an important rendezvous OF John
Brown in his various fOrays. The
operations Of the Pardee party came
to an untimeIy end. An early trip
had netted a rescue Of twelve slaves
EIated with this success, a more am
bilious delivery was planned Stu
ated six miles southeast Of Independ-
ence. No, was the 1.9OO-acre .planta-
ton Of Morgan Walker, cultivated by
twenty-six slaves In December Of
1850 the Pardee party Of our mem
bers under the guidance OF Quantrell,
alias Hart, whom they had met in
to this raid Of liberation, were lured
into ambush by their perfdious lead
er and three Of the party were killed
The holdings Of slaves in Kansas
was not permitted with the consent Of
the free state men OF the territory,
and by common consent the free state
men freed all slaves who escaped
from Missouri or elsewhere and sent
them away for protection This at
titude in a measure explains the sue
cessfuI operation Of such an amOrph-
ops unofficial organization as the un-
derground railroad Federal legisla-
ton made public organization impOs-
sfbie- But the passions Of the times
made men Of strong sympathies, and
everybody avOwing free state princi-
pies became, ipsO factO, a stOckhold-
er in the Underground" Social or
political prominence offered no dis
qualification IN this respect In so
marked a degree is this said to be
true that when General Lyon, who
was sent by General Harvey into
Kansas to capture Colonel James
Montgomery, reached Mound City,
Montgomery home, he used his own
horses TO assist fugitives on their way
10 Canada Those prominently iden-
titled with the operation Of the I'm
dergrOund" taCitly presumed upon
this enthusiasm The stringency Of
the fugitive slave law made secrecy
absolutely imperative The working
orders Of the Underground" were:
Silence and no questions asked"
To a few in each locality on the line
OF underground operation was com
rnitted the direction Of affairs No
body else knew anything Liability
10 federal prosecution quenched Quri-
Osity. Prudence developed among the
"empIOyes'' a lacOnic form Of signi-
ficant speech that could hardly be
tortured into discriminating infOrma-
ton
The Underground in Kansas fol-
lowed no definitely detailed route Of
travel Since the northern people
were bound BY honor to shelter and
assist the parties en- route those high
ways were selected that best suited
the exigency Of the time, tOrical,
Gus unofficial organization as the un-
the ezigency OF the time Slaves
reached the Underground either by
fOrcfbIe delivery or individual escape
After they had reached some station |
on the railroad IL was customary TO |
place them out among reliable farm |
ers TO await the collection OF a SUI /
fcient number to justify the hazard /
Of q trip. The size OF the parties to /
upon circumstances. Meanwhile the i
slaves by their labor We're seIf-sup- /
porting. Preparatory to the depart
Ure OF the conductor assigned to i
the run would solicit contributions
for some vague purpose apparently Of
little interest TO his compliant friends
Slaves in western Missouri living
north Of MfssOuret river generally
escaped to Iowa, those south OF the
river to points in Kansas The two
great termini Of the Underground
in Kansas We're Lawrence for the
northern division and Mound City for
the southern division. The general
taraffic manager" OF the lawrence
station was the Rev John E Stew
art; the general manager" DR. John
D0oy, who attained considerable cele-
brity- It is estimated that at least
100000 worth OF property cleared"
from this station alone Escape to i
Layrence vas considered as good as
freedom The prominent officials OF /
The southern division were; Colonel |
James Montgomery, wei known for
his liberating excursions Colonel c.
r. Jennison. the Red Leg chieftain, / /
and Captain John Brown OF Harper's