Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-10-01
The wild ErinInihn.

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 tho 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 bc
set down as the greatest ever performed
with balloon, and had the eronaut been
fortunate enough to have found landing
on dry land he would have been famous in
tho annals of ballooning as the man who
rode hundred and twenty-five miles
through the air, at an elevation Of three
miles above the earth, with no scat but a
board thirteen inches in diameter which he
bestrode. If there is any dependence to be
placed in tho ctatements OF tho inhabitants
of the lake shore, there can be no doubt
that he performed this feat and landed up
on tho earth safely. He probably pcrished
in tho marshes from inability to aid him
SELF the perilous ride having exhausted his
strength. What adds to the wonder is tho
fact that ho possessed sufficient coolness
and self possession to tic hankcrchiof
around his hcad while sailing through the
air, for the purpose, it is, supposed, of pro-
tectlng it from burning sun that poured
down through the whole day.
Tho Free Pyess seems to doubt that
Thurston necessarily fell from his scat by
reason of the tearing of tho silk around the
valve.
Tho theory that best elucidates the mat
ter is that the balloon took nearly direct
course from the starting point, crossing De-
troit River near Maiden, and striking the
south shore of Lake st. Clair about fivo
miles about Belle River. Here the inhabi-
tants first give accounts of its appearance.
Ihey state that it skirted along tho shore,
at times so low down that it nearly touched
the tops of tho trees. Some saw man
upon it, who had handkerchief tied around
his head, and others averrcd that it was
small boy. The distance accounts for tho
latter statement, which was given to our
reporter by the attendant of windmill
several miles above Babistc Creek. Many
spoke of seeing his feet move up and down
as though cramped. Tho balloon skirtod
the shore, of the lake for several miles,
very low down, and then passed over the
immense marsh that lies about tho mouth of
the Thames River and Baptste Creek. In
doing this, it kept on its direct course, the
marsh running in upon tho land for several
miles in the shape of a bay. This marsh is
somo ten or fifteen miles in extent, and in
many places is inaccessible except by boats.
The balloon was lost sight of by tho inhab-
itants by reason of the tree tops, which hid
it from view, but in short time after was
seen to rise with great speed to such a
hight that it was almost invisible. AT this
time it was nearly over the lighthouse at
the mouth of tho River Thames. 1t then
gradually floated inland several miles, and
dropped to the ground, where it was sccur-
ed. The only solution of these facts is the
supposition that the balloon descended on
the marsh, where Mr.. Thurston abandoned
it, choosing to trust himself to any species
of terra .frnao, rather than continue his
ride through the air
Mr.. Bannistcr has been laboring under a
conviction that the pretended revelations of
spiritualist at Adrian were true, and that
he should find Mr.. Thurston in a fisher
mans shanty on the bank of the lake.
Some circumstances tended to fasten this
conviction upon his mind, as he approached
the spot whero the descent was made, and
he went over to the marsh under n strong
hopo that his mission would be successful.
Ho of course found that spiritualist rovea-
tions wero very different from existing facts,
and that mediums were far from being re-
liable prophets. He returned to Detroit
yesterday in very desponding state of
mind, and was hero mot by several men
from Adrian, who at once persuaded him
to return with them TO the marsh and in
stitutc thorough and personal soarch.-
There is little hope of finding the body Of
MIR. Thurston, rs the marsh is very large,
and will require a 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 it lies after
long exposure to the air.
Mr.. Thurston is the same person who
made an unsatisfactory ascension from tho
foot of Erie street in this city seven years
since, landing mile or two East of the
city.
The Detroit Tribune of last evening says
that Mr.. Bannister and the friends Of Mr..
ThurSton who came up from Adrian, are
fully satisfied that Thurston fell from his
seat owing to the tearing of the silk around
tho valve