Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-09-29
Vbe Late Balloon Tragedy in illinois,.
mIhem1iC RarliCulara.

Authentic Particulars
The startling story of the late frghtful ascent Of
two small children alone in balloon, has naturally
excited some incredibly which in turn has been in
creased by the rather diverse accounts given of the
event But the return to our city Of the @renaut
Mr. s. NJ. Brooks enables 10 give an authentic
confirmation and true version of the thrilling mar
rative. This gentleman kindly informs US substsn-
| TALLY as follows:
/ He was to have assembled from the Fair Grounds
at Centrala on Friday, the 18th inst but finding
himself unwell, accepted the offer Of another zero
naut Mr.. Wilson, who volunteered to take his place
in the balloon Mr. Wilson effected beautiful as
cent at 81 P. NJ, fOated westward and then south>
eastward rising two and half miles, and at about
81 P descended, sixteen miles south eastward of
the starting point He was caught by a tree about
forty five rods from the farm house Of Mr. Benjamin
Harvey The spot is some two miles and half from
Rome, Jefferson county. Mr. Harvey and his fsmi-
", and Others gathered, and disentaDged the air
ship They then pulled the car to the ground and
some boys held the ropes as the voysgeur alighted
and while he drawn off in conversation with
the inousitive 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 year,
girl of eight, and a 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 tbs balloon suddenly and very swiftly
went up. The anchor struck in a rail fence but tore
it away, while cry of horror burst from the agun
lied group The children screamed with horror,
and the piteous appeal ''PuH doWn tdt6er' as it
instantly grew fainter and fainter, rendered the
parents and indeed all present, for the time per-
feclly frantic Il was now past seven o'clock, was
becoming dark and the balloon soon lost sight
of! A period Of more intense wretchedness to the
parental heart, can scarcely be imagined
As there was little wind, the balloon had gone
almost directly upward, till its disappearance in a
southeasterly course. Messengers we're despatched
through the region in every direction, and the alarm
spread rapidly, creating everywhere the intensest
excitement In all quarters the men and boys ralli
ed in parties to scour the country and search the
woods in the expectation that the victims would
somewhere descend and be subjected to the peris of
drowning or else of starving undiscovered.
At Ceutralia the intelligence caused an indescrib-
bic sensation. The popular anxiety-almost agony
called out Mr.. Brooks, who assured the people
that the balloon would probably deCend within two
or three hours and within, at most, thirty miles of
the point Of starting He also semitic the distracted
parents the best assurances possible in the case,
informing them that there would be no danger ex.
cept from decent in the woods when the children
might be- with difficulty found and from the older
chid's first stepping cut and leaving the younger
again TO rise. Apart from these perils, in them
selves improbable, Mr.. Brooks apprehended no
danger TO the little voyagers. Yet the idea became
current that they must encounter frigid atmos>
phere which they could not survive.
Il vas about three o'clock on Saturday morning
that Mr. Iguatius Atchison, living on Moores prairs
eight miles from Mount Vernon, got up, as he says
and went out upon his porch 'tO see the blazing
stsr''-the comet An immense spectre rising from
tree, about twenty yards distant, rather appalled,
him, and he re~enlered the house and walked hi
family. On his coming out again, weak and pits
GUS voice called to him from the spectre, "COws her
and let as dol0n 15cre almost Tozs" Mr.. Atehison
speedily perceived the astonishing nature Of the
case, mustered help, cut away several limbs Of The