The Nevada Democrat., 1858-11-10
In The cInnAa.


that Mr.. Thurston, who assembled in balloon
from Adrian, Michigan, on the 10th of this
Sept. has either been dashed to pieces by q fall
from the perilous eminence which he had at
tanned, or, If he was alive when the balloon
reached the earth, perished miserably of famine
and cold in the marshes. He ascended with
Mr.. Bannister as his companion, and the bal
loon speedily reached an altitude OF two miles
and a half. After having been forty-hve min
utes in the air. they descended about seventeen
miles from Adrian, where Mr.. Bannister got
out. With foelhardiness which is unaccouta-
bic, Mr.. Thurston (who had commenced letting
the gas escape, so as to empty the balcony
crawled inside the netting, to the top OF the bal
loon, there made scat for himself of the wood
en- valve disk, and calling on Mr. Bannister to
cut the cords, said to the by-standers 'You
may see another ascension now" IL should
be noticed that Mr.. Thurston had frequently re-
ascended thus, when the balloon had been emp
tied of two-thirds Of the gas, which, continuing
its gradual escape, would finally allow the col
lapsing balloon safe descent. Mr. Bannister
declined cutting the rope believing that too
much gas remained in the balloon. Somebody
else however, cut the cords, and the balloon
instantly bounded upwards with great velocity.
1t would seem that sufficient gas had not escap-
ed that Mr. Thurston had heretofore used hy-
drogen gas, which has less specific gravity than
the carburetted hydrogen gas, with which the
balloon was then filled, and therefore escapes
more readily.
The second ascent was anxiously watched by
the spectators. Two statements are made on
an important point-one, that Mr.. Thurston
succeeded in opening the mouth Of the balloon,
to the extent of eighteen inches. ESQ as to allow
the continued escape Of gas y another that the
valve-cord got cntangled around the opening,
or mouth and was drawn by Mr.. Thurston's
weight, so closely around the mouth of the bal
loon as to fasten it up, and retain the gas.
This is not the opinion Of Mr.. Bannister, who
watched the ascent with glass, and could OBJ
serve Mr.. Thurston seated on the top OF the bal
loon, apparently quite at ease. On the first as
cent, the balloon contained about lS, 900 feet OF
carburetted hydrogen gas on the second, 1t
had about $4,000. The rapidity with which it
IL shot up, the second time. was wonderful-ln
three minutes the balloon was three miles up
in the air. 1t was seen, through glass, for
two hours.
This ascent was made on Thursday, the 10th
OF Sept, about eleven O'Clock A. M. On the
following Monday, five days later, news reach
ed Adrian that the balloon had come down near
Baptiste Creek, Lake Erie, on the Canada side.
The balloon had fallen upon marshy meadow,
was found with its mouth open, and had been
torn in two places by the branches of tree.
A great deal of gas remained in it when found.
There was a belief, at first, that Thurston was
alive and well, when the balloon first touched
the ground that he then let go his hold, and
that the balloon, thus relieved OF bis weight,
again ascended, but speedily came down again.
Mr.. Bannister, who went over TO Canada to
make inquiries and find his friend, alive or
dead, returned TO Adrian with the conviction
that he must have fallen off before Canada was
reached. The Detroit Tribune says "Mr. Ban
mister comes back despairingly. He states that
the balloon valve on which Thurston sat is torn
out from the silk of the balloon three quarters
of the way round, indicating uDerringly that
the weight of the unfortunate man was too
great for the strength OF the sides, and that the
silk gave way. when he must have dropped of.
His only remaining chance would be to cling
to the smooth material OF which the balloon
was made, and he could not have sustained him
self in that manner When this occurred we
can only conjecture, but that it must have been
within an hour after he started seems highly
probable" There seems no probability that
ThursOn escaped.
The Detroit newspapers. which supply us with
copous details which we have here condensed.
further relate that, in August, 1855, Mr.. Timo-
thy Winchester, who ascended from NOrwalk.
Ohio and was also borne in the direction OF
Lake Erie. had never again been heard Of His
balloon, like that in which Thurston ascended,
was made by Mr.. Bannister.