Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-29
From the 50. Louis Democrat.
The Late Balloon Drama in Illinois.
Authentic Particulars.

The startling story of the late frightfll as
cent of two small children alone in balloon,
has naturally excited some incredulity, which
in turn has been increased by the rather d.
verse accounts given of the event. But the
return to our city of the eronaut. Mr.. S. NJ.
Brooks, enables us to give an authentic con-
firmatiOn and true version of the thrilling
narrative This gentleman kindly informs US
substantially as follows:
He was to have ascended from the Fair
Grounds at Centralia on Friday, the 18th
inst, but finding himself unwell. accepted
the offer of another eronaut, Mr.. Wilson, who
volunteered to take his place in the balloon.
Mr.. Wilson effected beautiful ascent, at 81
p. NJ oated westward and then sOutheastward,
rising two and half miles, and at about 81
P. NJ, descended, sixteen miles south-eastward
of the starting point. He was caught by
tree about forty five rods from the farmhouse
of Mr.. Benjamin Harvey. The spot is some
two miles and a half from Rome, Jefferson
county. Mr.. Harvey and his family, and
Others. gathered, and disentangled the air
ship. They then pulled the car to the ground
and some boys held the ropes as the vOyagelr
alighted and while he was drawn off in con-
versatiOn with the inquisitive people, the
balloon was ''towed" to the house, and Mr..
Harvey prepared to have some sport by
rising the length of the rope. to be pulled
down. Proving too heavy to rise, he stepped
out and put in his three children, lad of
three years, a girl of eight, and still older
girl. At this point Mr.. Wilson called out to
those holding the ropes TO be sure and hold
fast But the three children were too heavy,
and the eldest was taken out. At this
instant, through the unwatchfulness of the
persons at the cords, the balloon Suddenly
and very swiftly went up! The anchor struck
in rail fence, but tore it away, while a cry
of horror burst from the agonized group. The
children screamed with horror, ard the pite-
GUS appeal Pull dorm, fIthert' as it in
stantly grew fainter and fainter, rendered
the parents, and indeed all present, for the
time perfectly frantic. 1t was now past seven
o'clock, was becoming dark, and the balloon
was soon lost sight of! a period of more in
tense wretchedness to the parental heart, can
scarcely be imagined.
AS there was little wind, the balloon had
gone almost directly upward. till its disap-
pearance in a south-easterly course. Messen-
gers were despatched through the region in
every direction, and the alarm spread rapidly
creating everywhere the intensest excitement
In all quarters the men and boys rallied il
parties to scour the country and search the
woods, in the expectation that the victims
would somewhere descend and be subjected
to the perils of drowning, or else of starving
undiscovered.
At Centralia the intelligence caused an
indescribable sensation. The popular anxiety
almost agnny-called out Mr.. Brooks, whC
assured the people that the balloon would
probably descend within two or three hours
and within, at most, thirty miles of the point
of starting. He also sent to the distracted
parents the best assurances possible in the
case, informing them that there would be no
danger except from a descent in the woods,
when the children might be, with difficulty
found, and from the older child's first stepping
out and leaving the younger again to rise
Apart from these perils, in themselves
improbable, Mr.. Brooks apprehended no
danger to the little vOyagers. Yet the idea
became current that they must encounter
frigid atmosphere which they could not sur
vive.
1t was about three o'clock on Saturday
morning that Mr.. Ignatin Atchison, living IN
MOore's prairie, eight miles from Mount
Vernon got up, as he says, and went ont
upon his porch ''to see the blazing star
the comet. An immense spectre rising fro
tree, about twenty yards distant, rathei
appalled, him, and he re-entered the house,
and walked his family. On his coming Quit
again, a weak and piteous voice called TO him
from the spectre, Come here and let dorm;
ece're almost froze!'' Mr.. Atchison speedily
perceived the astonishing nature of the case,
mustered help, cut away several limbs of the
tree, and drew the car in safety to the groundi
The little boy was first lifted out. and when
placed upon his feet instantly ran for several
yards, then turned, and for a moment con-
templated the balloon with apparently intense
curiosity. The little girl told their SORROWS
and adventures with an almost broken heart,
to these people, who strangely indeed, had
not heard of the disaster.
A messenger arrived at Mr.. Harvey's eigh-
teen miles distant, ut 2 p. NJ, with the trans
porting tidings that the children was sale.
We will leave it to our readers heart TO
suggest the joy which the intelligence caused.
1t was late in the afternoon when the little
ones arrived and were clasped once more in
the embrace OF their parents.
The happy result was received in Centralia,
and announced on Sunday morning in the
churches amid ecstacies of joy. The children
were brought there on Monday, and welcomed
with the firing of cannon and a general
jubilee. Photographic portraits of them were
taken by Mr.. William b. Matthews, artist in
Centralia, and a variety of presents were
made TO them. The girl is named Martha
Ann, aud her little brother, David Isam. She
says that he soon cried himself to sleep. and
that she cried till she slept little, and then
awakened in the tree.
Mr.. Brooks affirms that THO balloon must
have descended by eleven o'clock OF Friday
night, and hence had remained in the tree
till its discovery through the kindness of .'the
blazing star and the astronomical wakeful-
ness OF Mr.. Atchison