American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-09-30
rrom n. No. pemOeru, Of the sslh. !

UPFkh AIR ENi kRIkNCkS OF NIX SAMUEL VII
soE-HIs ACCOUNT OF TIE ASCENSION Of
TUE TWO HAREET CHILDREN, NEAR CEN
TRALIA.
Mr.. Elitor:-As there have been seve'
raj different accounts published. about The
balloon ascension of the two children after
my aerial voyage from Centralia, ant most
Of them very incorrect. | have concluded
to give the facts As they occurred.
M. Brooks being indisposed permitted
me to take bis place, which cheetfuily ac
cepted. As the balloon pissed rapidly
upward, was carried TO the northwest,
until reached.lhe heigbtof nearly two
miles. Meeting with an eastward cur-
rent, was waited slowly over the Fair
Grounds. and remained nearly fifteen
minutes directly over Central City. l
then discharged several pounds of ballast,
and Sscehded mile higher. where found
a stronger current blowing to the east
ward. | could now distinctly see the
Mississippi with s,vetal steamboats, floating
on its bosom. C-nlralia which is about
one mile and half from the Fair Grounds
appeared 10 be but few rods and the cars
seemed 10 move with the speed Of an OK
team. The largest plaries were diminish
ed 10 good sized farms. The whole oI
the country round. for a hdndrrd miles
around. with It's rivers. tow S. fields. and
forests. looked like an immense concave
map spread beneath me.
Soon afer witnessing one Of the mos
splendid sunsets that my eye ever rested
upon, l found myself slowly descending
upon large iorest. l regretted very
mulh 10 find the ascension power giving
out so soon as had anticipated long
and pleasant journey by moonlight. In
fact had prepared myself with sufficient
clothing to reach the Atlanti, Ocean, j
Il Q aerostal would carry me there.
| Afer feasting for an hour upon one o
the most gorgeous views that nature in al
her lovliness can present, | amused mysel
by perusibg some n wspapers that were
given me 10 distribute on the way.
l threw out ballast when l had descen
ded wrthin half miis of the earth, anc
soon went up TO the height Of three mile
where remained until near dark, wher
the power OF my machine again gave ou
as It was not well co lied with varnisb
and defended in a field cn the farm o
B4nj4min B. Harney. about II miles from
Cenlrslia, and three from Rome Thl
lgrappling iron caught il a small tree, anC
Mr.. H,rney and bis son came TO my assis
tance. They then took hold Of the an
cher rope and drew the aerostat, while
remained in the car, TO the house. Mr.
Harney's family and some Of the neighbor
soon collected around the balloon, ant
seemed rs mu, b astonished as the DigIe
Indians and the descendants o. Monlezum
were at my asrensiuDs from Mexico ant
California. AS they had never seen th
elephant" or rode on his back some @
them concluded 10 take ride in the bal
loon. Accordingly the anchor was mad
fast to the fence. Mr. Harney mounle,
tie car while his sous and some OF III
neigbbors lei him up few feet by hold
ing on the rope. l warned them severa
times 10 hold fast 10 the rope, as the nj
, ship might slip her snnhor and leave then
!. in the lurch. After Mr.. Harnpy had salts
fed bis curiosily in b'lloon riding h
I, placed his three youngest children tw
girls and little hoy in the car Will
he and his sons managed the balloon.
steppe one side 10 converse with the ladie
who were asking me mary questions abor
: my aerial voyage After the three chi
u dren had remained in the car few me
ments. Mr.. Harney took out.lbe eide,
daughter which gave tie balloon so muc
. power that it jerked away from them an
= = the fence in an instant. and vas out {
sight. in a minute leaving us completed
: overcome with fear AMI amazement at a
= accident Of so novel and thrilling cha,
. acter The emotions Of the parents ma
, be more easily imagined than describe
when they heard them cry. "molher; Il
: ME down. mother let me downp unit
they had disappeared apparen ly anon
: the stars and could be heard and seen n
more, informed them that the ball 30
WAS not very tight anil would come down
thought in one or two hours, and not K
more than tenor twenty mil,s away. a
tLere was but little or no wind at the time
Although it went toward the norlhwet
when !, ascended. told them that
thought il would go East in TIE same d
rec,ion that had came from Csniralia. -
. / informed them that there would be n
danger Of the children falling our OF III
oar, as the ropes were too numerous an
= close. The MIST feared was that the
: might fall Ii alArge forest and not easil
he found. adyise] them to arouse H.
y meiH Hhhorhood for at least ten miles aroun
o parliculariIy to the East, rs telieyed III
! balloon would 60 in that direction M
7 HarDey gave me his horse TO ride bFck
'' Centraln, to have the news sent by tel
: graph and railroad in every direction.-
l reached CenIralia about I2 o'clock
night, aud in the morning had an ext
= published, aud the news spread as soc
10 as possible. Mr.. Knowles and went
" search Of them on Saturday. and we
told by different persons that the balloC
"a was seen passn! toward the west in d
h lerent places from 8 le 10 at night
N Saturday tyeniDg II WAS reported IT,
they were found sale several miles fro
III where they went up, bn, IL was not know
IN 10 a certainty where they wcr found
ne Ctntralia- until Sunday morning, VIII
Il. it WAS ascerained that they had safe
at descended about 10 miles southeast
rs Mr.. Harney's near Mr., Atchison's hou
suspended in the air, the anchor haJi