Most of the fugitive slaves who were helped north to Canada were young adult males, who were skilled laborers without family and so could be effectively concealed. They were helped along by abolitionists who provided the fugitives a safe haven from slave catchers who roamed the Northern and border states searching for escapees. The actual number of slaves assisted during the nearly 80 years that the network existed was not overwhelming, but the publicity generated served to fuel mistrust between the North and the South.
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