The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-15
BABIES IN A BALLOON
William P. Claybourn Was an
Eyewitness.
HIS STORY OF THE AFFAIR
II Varies Somewhat From the Previously
Published Account OF the Sanse-
tional Experience-Was in
the Searching Party.

The story of the babies in the balloon,
which appeared in the Standard YES
terday morning, is doubtless familiar
to thousands of readers who years ago
attended public schools in different
parts of the country and read and re-
read in Sanders Union Reader the
thrilling account of the balloon voyage.
The story is true one, and there is
man in Butte who, because of his per-
sonal knowledge of the event, can bear
witness to it.
William P. Claybourn, an old soldier,
and at present janitor Of the Lincoln
school building, resided with his par
ents on the old homestead near Cen
trala, ILL.,, and but short distance from
the farm of William Harvey, whose two
children had the sensational experience.
Mr.. Claybourns account of it differs
slightly from that just published. and
is more like the old story that appeared
in Sanders readers about a quarter Of
Il century ago. The names of the two
children were Jane and Warren Harvey
aged respectively and ) years. It was
in the summer of 1865, during fair at
@NilIIdl Ally. p bdtblll ascension was
given at the fair and the aeronaut de-
scended on the Harvey farm near Cen
tralia. The people on the farm had
never seen a balloon before and were
very much frightened when they saw
it come down SO near their house, but
their fears vanished when they saw q
man get out of it and tie the strange
object to the fence. The farm people
became very much interested in it and
MIR. Harvey expressed Il desire to take
a ride in the balloon. Tho aeTOnaut ac-
guessed and Mr.. Harvey stepped into
the car and assembled the length of the
rope and was then pulled down. Then
the two children wanted 20 take ride
and the balloonst assuring the father
and mother of the absence Of danger
the two little ones were put into the
car. and the rope was played out until
the balloon had reached the height of
the trees and farm buildings. when
suddenly the rope broke loose from the
fence and was pulled through the hands
Of the aeronaut, and the balloon was
swiftly carried away. The father and
mother were distracted. They could
hear the little girl cry. Pull us down,
father: pull us down"
The alarm was quickly sent out over
the country and Mt Claybourn, with
many others, started out on horseback
in search of the balloon. which it was
believed would soon descend again Dark
ness soon came on and the balloon had
disappeared. Mr.. and Mrs Harvey had
given up hope of ever seeing the child
rem alive again. They feared they would
fall out of the car and be dashed to
pieces. The searclers were out all
night, and returned in the morning
without tidings of the children.
In the meantime the children had been
safe in the balloon. When night had
come on the little girl realized that the
balloon had escaped. Her little brother
was cold and crying. so she took off
her apron and covered him and h soon
fell asleep. She began to look about the
car and noticed rope dangling near
one side of it, and without understand
ing why she die so she pulled at it. Di-
rcctly she noticsd. that when she pulled
on the rope The balloon dropped, and
when she let go it assembled again. She
therefore kept hold Of the rope and the
balloon slowly descended toward the
earth, and soon she could hear the crow
Of barn-yard fowls, though il was yet
quite dark, and in a very short time she
found that tha balloon was dragging