The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-25
FURTHER PARTICULARS IN RELATION TO TIlB
BALLOON CATASTROPHE

The Detroit Free Press despatched reporter to Bap-
ste Creek to gather particulars in relation to the finding
of the balloon We make the following extracts from
his statement which appeared in that paper Of the ed
instant
Our reporter arrived at that unpretendng settlement
somewhere about midnight and with little difficulty
picked his way through the Marshes in which it il built
to onehorsc French tavern, where lodgings in diapi
dated garrett and bed that lacked two feet in length Of
the usual complement obtained In the morning
pair OF French ponies were engaged with much difficulty,
with old lady of the nationality for driver.
Passing the old lady talked Canadian patois with
all the natives thereby elciting much valuable nfom
ton. Many of them had the balloon as 1t passed
up the lake shore Thursday, and here for the first
me elected the fact that gave hopes for the safety
of Mr. Thurston. Several OF them asserted that the
balloon passed them within two hundred feet of the
ground and that they distinctly Mr. Thurston cling
ing to it. One said that Mr.. Thurston had
handkerchief tied around his head and that rs he passed
he drew up his feet several times and let them down
though they tired or cramped. All united in the
statement that he hanging to the balloon although
they saw nothing strange in the perilous position no
maintained from ignorance of the manner OF conduct
ing such matters. They stated that it passed about
eight or ten miles, until the mouth Of Baptse
creek when it lowered and changing its sailed
out the lake far the lighthouse at the mouth
of the Thames river, and from thence inland several
miles, until it finally dropped. During its progress up
the lake shore it several times sailed out the lake
with the varying currents of air Its elevation was also
dlferent AT various times, the balloon rising nt IL WIS
small as mans hat and again descending to- within
few feet of the tops of the trees 1t thus continued
on and was lost to the sight of the jewellers the lake
shore in the woods further inland.
After drive of about fifteen miles through the woods
the house of Mr. Marks reached where the balloon
found safely secured and slowed away Here moth
ing known of the existence of aeronaut and those
in possession of the balloon under the impression
that it had been adft and without any control At the
time of its descent several persons were present and
large numbers also ockcd in from the surrounding coun-
try to see it.
The country in the vicinity Of Bptiste Greek very
low and matshy for distance of several miles around
The supposton is that the balloon descended to the
ground when the marshes in the neghborhood OF
the River Thames lighthouse, and that Mr.. Thurson
then disengaged himself from il. Being relieved from
his weight it of assembled into the air again, and
after floating around for time descended second
tme when it secured. At the last descent it be-
came entanged in tree and torn in two places, in
rents which about four feet long.
Mr. Bannster is engaged in searching the woods
and marshes in the vicinity for the puApose Of finding
Mr.. Thurston lie is quite confident that he will find
him alive but the prospects not very Eood for such
result We have no hope that he will b. found alive,
although his remains will probably come 10 light sooner
or later. That he is in the marshes that vicinity
there be no doubt The only chance for finding him
alive is that he may have been rescued by of the
fishermen who live the lake shore, and may yet re-
main in their charge. This is not very probable, how
ever.
The balloon down at half past two o'clock of the
same day that he went up having been in the air about
four hours. The numerous reports in regard to his
having been In the air twenyfour fortycigh hours
are alike Improbable and without foundation