Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-09-24

ter, w SIansbsrry, B. b. Arnold.
Certificate Of moral aud ministerial
standing to &. A. Compton.
Terrible Adventure-.A Man Seated on
the Valve of a Balloon Carried into
the Clouds.
We have already given brief account
oflhe recent balloon ascension at Adrian.
Michigan, its subsequent descent and its
second ascension and runaway with the
aeronaut while beyond his control. The
Detroit Tribune has the following thrill
ing narrative. IL makes the flesh creep
and sends q shudder through every
nerve
The first ascension took place about
nine O'Clock in the morning. 1t was on
The occssi IN Of large Sunday school Gel
ebra,ion at Adrian. The balloon was
very large and we'll constructed one. be-
ing about the height Of a two story build
ing when inflated and ready to cut loose
from lis fastenings. Messrs. Bannister
and Thurston took seats in the car at.
tached to the balloon and assembled safely
and steadily. Alter remaining about for.
~ minutes in the air, sailing to ards To
Iedo all the :ime, they slighted in the
woods in the town Of Riga. distant about
eighteen miles west Of Toledo. Several
men came to the assistance Of the adven.
turers. and they proceeded TO pre- pare the
balloon for packing to be taken back to
Adrain. In doing Thu, the monstsr bal
loon was turned over and partially upside
down 10 diSenyage the netting and to
reach the valve. To do this. Mr.. Ira
ThurStrn. une Of the aeronauts. took off
bis coat and got astride Of the valve block.
He then suggested that the car be de
tached from the balloon while he should
hold it down by his weight. This proved
n fearful calculation. Tor no sooner was
the still inflated body relieved Of the
weight Of the car than it shot into the air
with the suddenness of a rocket. taking
Mr.. Thurston along with it, seated on
the valve Of the balloon. and holding on
to the collapsed silk OF the air-ship iu
that portion Of its bulk. In this perfectly
helpless CONDITION the Inflated man sped
straight into the sky in tho full sight OF
his companions. even more helpless than
himself. So far as is known. there was
no possible means for him to secure his
descent. whether safe or otherwise. The
part OF The balloon filed with gas was
lull twelve feet above him. so that there
was no chance for him to cut it and es-
cape. He could only cling to his preoa-
rious hold and go whithersOever the cur
rents Of the air should take him.
Without regulation or control Of any
kind the balloon caniinued 10 mount up
ward. sailing off in the direction OF this
city and Lake Erie. The fatal ascension
took place about eleven o'clock, and at a
few minutes past noon il was seen in the
town OF Blissield. Lenawee county. appa-
rently three miles high. and about the
SIZE of u star in appearance. Il was still
going up aud on Az a quarter past one
O'clock it was last dimly visible, going in
the direction of Maiden. as ascertainnd
by compass bearings taken by parties ob,
serving it.
What is his exact fate battles conjec.
ture but that it is horrible. almost be
yOnd precedent, there can be no Doubt
There is not one. chance in million for
successful escape. Whether the unforlun
ate man was carried up s. high as to be-
come benumbcd aud senseless. death en-
sung, UT "HStneI ne zen Ou Nv leO2tn
from his tremendous alsitude. to have his
breath sucked from him 10 his fearful de
scent. aud to be sunk ia the lake or dash.
ed into shapeless mass upon the earth,
it is doubtful if any save God will ever
know.
A dispatch published 10 yesterdays
Sun announced that the balloon came
down the same day i. assembled. on Bap
tist Creek. Canada. and that Mr.. Thurs
ton was seen on it short time before.
Search was masking for his body in the
marshes near the lake.
Mr.. Thurston was an experienced bal.
loonist. and this being his thirty seventh
assertion. He was formerly a resid ent
in the vicinity Of Lima and Rochester. in
Western Nsw York. but has latterly re-
sided in Adrian. where he was extensively
engaged in business as a nurseryman.-I
He was widower. having lost hi. vile
last winter. He leaves an interesting
daughter about seventeen years of age TO
mourn her fathers unknown, terrible
fate
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