Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-12-25
TWENTY YEARS AGO,
Remarkable Balloon Voyage Of Two
Little Children.
st. Louis Republican

| 81. Louis Republican.
EDITOR REPUBLIC AN-Did two children
some years ago make voyage from som,
part OF Illinois in balloon which brok,
loose from its moorings by accident: L
is said to have occurred near Centralia.
AN OLD SUBSCRIBER.
Iron Mountain. Mo-, Oct. 2S. 1879.
An accident Of the character alluded to
by our correspondent took place near the
locality mentioned on Friday. September
II, 1855. as will appear by the following
from the flies Of this paper.--Ep. REprB-
LIcAN.
! Missouri Republican, Sept 2l, 1855.
On Friday last man named Wilson
made an ascension from the fair ground.
1t Centralia. llls.. in q ballo n belonging
TO Brooks the aerOnaut. He descendeo
about Is miles distant. at the farm OF Mr.
Harvey. After the graphing iron hac
been made fast, Harvey. to an,use tn,
children. one boy 'ged about four years
md the other a girl OF eight years. placed
them in the basket "ar and permitted then
10 ascend several times as high rs 'he rop
would allow.
Unexpectedly the graphing iron slip
ped from the fathers hand. and the bal
loon. with its precious freight. was waited
out Of sight. The distress of the parent
knew no bounds. The peril of his child
rem he considered imminent, tor what as
~rlance had he chat they would not bt
borne into some dense forest. where they
would be overtaken by hunger before they
could be found, or perhaps descend into
some lake or stream and be drowned?
AS soon as it was possible an extra was
issued at Centralia, and the whole neigh
boring country put on the alert to watcl
for the balloon and children.
Saturday morning at day break farmer
lear New Carthage, 43 miles distant from
Nr. Harvey's place, discovered the balloon
suspended in the air attached by the crap
'lin2 iron to tree in his yard. He imme-
lately hauled the balloon down, anu
ound the youngest child asleep in the bas-
iet. and the eldest carefully watching owe,
Ter little brother. They had been waited
.bout by different curren.s of air through
'ut the entire night, and had come to a
'alt but little while before they were
ound.
The story the little girl told was that as
he balloon assembled she cried piteously to
Ter father to pull it down. She said sht
nssed over town where she saw great
many people, to whom she likewise ap-
'ealed at the top OF her voice. This place
vas Centralia. The balloon was seen to
'ass over there. but the people little i'm
gined 1t carried two persons in such dan
!er. Her little brother cried with cold,
nd the heroic girl took of her apron.
overed him and got him to sleep. III
andling the ropes she happened to pull
ne which had the effect OF bringing the
alloon down, and although not under
landing the philosophy of the movement.
he was quite content to keep the valve
pen. so long as by so doing she found {
he approached the earth. {
The youthful aerial voyagers were in 1
ne balloon about thirteen hours and
uarter. 1t may easily be imagined that
mong the neighbors where they landed
ley were objects of much curiosity and
lterest. The girls presence of mind and II
wing consideration for her brother may {
ell entitle her to remembrance, while the y
cldent itself was of such remarkable !.
laracter that it will not soon be forgotten 4
that section. The boy and girl wer, "
'nveyed home as soon as practicable. and
is needless to say were received will 3"
arms. q