Southern shield., 1858-10-02
From the Detroit Tribune. An H1r0naEit Lost in the Clouds.


 We have learned full particulars of the balloon ascension at Adrian on Thursday, it's subsequent descent, and it's second ascen- sion, and run away with tho eronaut while beyond his control. It is a brief narrative, but of thrilling interest. A man lost in the skyl There can scarcely be more terrible thought. It makes the flesh creep, and sends a shudder through every nerve!
 The first ascension took place about nine o'clock in the morning, Itwas on the occa- sion of a large Sunday school celebration at AdriaD. The ballon was very larpe and we'll constructed one, being about the height of two- story building when inAat- cd and ready to cut loose from it's fasten- ing. Messrs. Bannister and Thurston took seats in the car attached to the balloon. and ascended safely and steadily. After re- naming about forty minutes in the air. sail ing towards Toledo all the time, they alight- ed in the woods in the town of Riga, Lena wee county, near Knights station, on the Southern road, distance about eighteen miles west of Toledo. Several men came to the assistance of the adventurers, and and they proceeded to prepare the balloon for packing to be taken back to Adrian.
 In doing this the monster balloon was turned over and partially up side down to disentanglo tho netting and to reach the valve. To do this, Mir Ira Thurston, one of the aronauts, took off his coat and got astride of the valve block. He then sug- gested that the car be detached from the balloon while he should hold 1t down with his own weight. This proved a fearful cal culation, for 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 Mir. Thurston along with it, seated upon the valve of the balloon, and holding to the collapsed silk of the air ship in that portion of it's bulk! In this perfect l ly helpless condition the ill., fated man sped straight into the sky in the full sight of his companions, even more helpless than him. self So far as is known, ttere were no possible means for him to secure his descent, whether safe or otherwise. The part of the balloon filled with gas is full twelve feet above him, so that there was no chance for him to cut its sides and allow the gas to escape. He could only cling to his preca- rious hold and go whithersoever the currents of air should take hin.
 Without regulation or control of any kind the balloon continued to mount upward. sailing off in the direction of this city and | Lake Erie. The fatal ascension took place about II o'clock, and few minutes past noon 1t was seen in the town of Blissfeld, in Lenawee county, apparently full three miles high, and about the size of a star in appearance. It was still going up and on. At quarter past 1 o'clock it was last dim l lv ycflla oroi,rr i,, tbn I,,oa4,0,, ne NT,TJo.. asccrtained by compass bearings taken by parties observing it.
 1 What is his exact fate bafIles conjecture but that it is horrible, almost beyond prece- dent. there can be no doubt. There is not one chance in . million for a successful es- cape. Whether the unfortunate man was carried up So high as to become benumbed and sehseless. death ensuing-or whether he fell off at length from his Tremendous al- titude, to have his breath sucked from him in his fearful descent, and to be sunk in the lake or dashed into q shlpeless mass upon 1 the earth, it is doubtfulf if any save God will ever know.-The mind stands appalled, in contemplating this fearful disaster, and l blindly gropes in mazes of wonder at where his place of sepulchre shall be.
 Mr. ThurstOn was an experienced balloon ist, having built several, and this being his thirty-seveDth ascension. He was former ly resident in thu vicinity of Lima and Rochester, in western New York, but has latterly resided in Adrian, where he was ex- tenSively engaged in business as a nurse ryman. He was vidower, having lost his wife last winter. He leaves an interesting 1 daughter, about seventeen years of age, to mourn her fathers unknown, terrible fate.