Underground Railroad

Interviewing a station master

Yesterday I interviewed a station master who supplied escaping slaves food, water and rooms. He was glad to accept the interview. The whole process is as follows.

(Reporter: R Interviewee: I)

R: Hello, I am a reporter of THE ADVANCED NOTICE. Thank you for accepting my interview. First of all, what did the station mean in the Underground Railroad?

I: Slaves began to look for freedom, and were on their way north. They were always very in danger, so they usually hid in someone’s house. The houses were on the way to freedom, so they were called Underground Railroad stations.

R: Would you please tell me something about station masters’ work?

I: Sure. A station master was a person who owned the place for the slaves to rest while they were traveling to Canada. They served water and food.

R: What about the station system? Was it very complex?

I: Yes, it was very complex and included many networks and many routes to Canada. The routes between any two stations are rugged. Moreover, stations were generally 25 to 30 kilometres apart.

R: How did the slaves know whether the station was safe or not?

I: Well, we burnt a lantern and hung it near the window. Also, the upper colour of the each chimney was white. If you could see both of them, the station was safe for slaves.

R: What was a station usually used for?

I: We usually supplied food and drink, and the conductors transferred or temporarily hid their ‘cargo’ in barns, farmhouses, secret passages, cellars, and church belfries.

R: As a station master, do you think to help slaves secretly was very risky?

I: I think so. It was very risky because once the identity was exposed the station master would be seriously punished.

R: Could you please give me an example of a station master?

I: OK. Levi and Catharine Coffin. It is said that they helped a lot of earlier slaves escape from south to north. In addition, many people thought that Levi was the ‘President’ of the Underground Railroad because he started the whole network.

R: Levi must have helped a lot of slaves to go to the freedom, right?

I: Yes, the refuge managed by Levi was so successful that all the slaves who had hidden in it got free in the end.

R: OK, thanks again.

I: You are welcome.

Reporter: Richard