Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-10-14
The Wild Erial Ride.

The Wild EFlaI Ride.
The balloon upon which the ill-fated
Thurston made his last ride was exhibited
from the front of the Detroit Free Press
Office on Wednesday. 1t is an immense
affair, and when suspended by the middle
from the fourth story its two ends reached
nearly to the pavement. The Free Press
says:
The appearance of the balloon tends TO
increase the wonder at the feat performed
by the daring eronaut. The feat may be
set down as the greatest ever performed
with balloon, and had the a,onaut been
fortunate enough to have found a landing
on dry land he would have been famous in
the annals of ballooning as the man who
rode a hundred and twenty-five miles
through the air, at an elevation of three
miles above the earth, with no seat but a
board thirteen inches in diameter which he
bestrode. If there is any dependence to
be placed in the statements of the inhabi-
tants of the lake shore, there can be no
doubt that he performed this feat and
landed upon the earth safely. He proba-
bly, perished in the marshes from inability
TO aid himself, the perilous ride having ex-
hausted his strength. What adds to the
wonder is the fact that he possessed sufficiet
GOODNESS and self possession to tie band
kerchief around his head while sailing
through the air, for the purpose, it is sup
posed, of protecting it from the burning
sun that poured down through the whole
dav.
The Free Press seems to doubt that
Thurston necessarily fell from his seat by
reason of the tearing of the silk around the
valve.
The theory that best elucidates the mat
ter is that the balloon took a near direct
course from the starting point, crossing De-
troit River near Maiden, and striking the
south shore of Lake ST.. Clair, about five
miles above Belle River. Here the inhab-
itants first give accounts of its appearance.
They state that it skirted along the shore,
at times so low down that it nearly touch
ed the tops of the trees. Some saw man
upon it, who had handkerchieftieda around
his head, and others averred that it was a
small boy. The distance accounts for the
latter statement, which was given by our
reporter by tbe attendant of a windmill
several miles above Baptiste Greek. Many
spoke of seeing his feet move up and down
as though cramped. The balloon skirted
the shore, of the lake for several miles,
very low down, and then passed over the
immense marsh that lies about the mouth
of the Thames River and Baptiste Greek.
In doing this, it kept on its direct course,
the marsh running in upon the land for
several miles in the shape of bay. This
marsh is some ten or fifteen miles in ex-
tent, and in many places is inaccessible
except by boats. The balloon was lost
sight of by the inhabitants by reason of the
tree tops, which hid it from view, but in a
short time after was seen to rise with great
speed to such hight that it was almost
invisible. At this time it was nearly over
the lighthouse at the mouth of the River
Thames. 1t then gradually floated in land
several miles, and dropped to the ground,
where it was secured. The only solution
of these facts is the supposition that the
balloon descended on the mar h, where Mr..
Thurston abandoned it, choosing TO trust
himself to any species of terra frnaa, rath
er than continue his ride through the air.
Mr.. Bannister has been laboring under
conviction that the pretended revelations
of spiritualist at Adrian were true, and
that he should find Mr.. Thurston in fish
erman' shanty on the bank of the lake.
Some circumstances tended to fasten this
conviction upon his mind, as he approach
ed the spot where the descent was made,
and be went over to the marsh under
strong hope that his mission would be sue
cessful He of course found that spiritua-
list revelations were very different from ex-
listing facts, and that mediums were far
from being reliable prophets. He returned
to Detroit yesteray in a very desponding
state of mind, and was here met by several
men from Adrian, who at once persuaded
him to return with them to the marsh and
institute thorough and personal search.
There is little hope of finding the body of
Mr.. Thurston, as the marsh is very large,
and will require long search to find any
object that is not visible from the whole ex-
tent. The body will be concealed in the
tall grass, which will prevent it from float
ing ashore, and will sink where il lies after
long exposure to the air.
Mr.. Thurston is the same person who
made an unsatisfactory ascension from the
foot of Erie street in this city seven years
since, landing mile or two East of the
city. =. E 4 aT
The Detroit Tribune of last evening
says that Mr.. Bannister and the friends of
MIR. Thurston, who came up from Adrian,
are fully satisfied that Thurston fell from
his seat owing to the tearing of the silk
around the valve.
Arkansas for Douglas.