The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-03-24
THURSToN, THE BALLooNIST.

Dr. Boynton, last night, at the close OF his lee.
ture. presented TO his audience very plausible
aud reAs onable theory rs to the manner OF Ihurs-
tons the balloonist, death. He thinks that he
struck tree shat thus the silk was torn, and that
the unfortunate baloonist fell only hon helght
of forty or fifty feet. We will furnish the
pr.'s explanation, ~ received from his @ Sn lips
shis morning, a. briefly az is consistent with
eiearness.
The DR.. stated that he was intimately ac4nsints
ed with Ira Thurston; that be had hlied several
balloons for him, had been engaged with him III
the cultivation Of pea tree nursery, and knew
him as An accomplished, interesting, but very
reckless man, with chronic hapketipg TO be up
In mid air. Thurston bad told him vt his last
interview, that il he would go to 81. Panic, AUD
initiate his balloon for him, he would stay up tor
three or four DAYS making experime n,s, aud would
never come down short of the Atlantic Ocean: he
also told him that no one had ever gone Up Ia .
balloon sitting the valve board, aid asserted
that the first opportunity he had, he would do So
DR. Boyn.su argued the useIessuess of such q
psrsonsl risk, but Thurston seemed bent on it,and
the DR.. therefore thinks that his fatal ascension
while in that position was by design and not by
secidsnt.
Now, without regard to the various false and
absurd rumors relating TO MIR. Thurston's ascent.
80 will give DR.. Boyntons statement OF ret'aote
facts. Tho balloon had uelcsnded, AMI Messrs.
Banister and Th1rston wished 70 take oil the net.
ting TIE easiest method to accomplish this is
by having the balloon abou. one-third inflated,
rather than in o collapsed state. A BALBOA is
fashioned with oval board Ia the top. or large
end in this board IL tilted q valve the NECK or low
Or end OF the balloon next the car, is always left
op.D, since gas being 30 much lighter than air
cannot dsscoud; = rope comes down from the valve
on top, through the neck, to those 10 the car.
When it IL desirable To dismiss gas this rope Is
draEn, which opens the valve on top. t. taci-
tate, theI efore, relieving this balloon from is
siiken netting, &c, the neck was firmly tied by
Mr. Tbureton, and the balloon was iurued over,
with the largo end down. Obviously, the gas ihsE
being &C light would partially distend the neck,
which was now uppermost, and what was the
large end would nax shrink and become small AID
b.ggy, allowing Thurst"u to clasp VIA, oas the
Dubious part of tue balloon in HE arms and throw
his legs around the valve board.
Mr. Tburstor, chen, being seated with bis legs
abound the valve t.sTd, embracing the Chem
neck Of the balloon, Of course as soon as the ball
loon was relieved OF car ballast, netting, &c, IL
would .ias, y .ieh = I'D, Iuulston crying out to
Banister "neyer mind, it will be down again in a
few liomeuts." Tho balloon then f1ated lszily
away, Er. Tsurstop voluntary and delighted
Wy aver, seated on Inc waive uoGFd. DIR. Boynton
thinks il never rose high, but scudded along over
the open country until it came to the forest where
Thurstou's renaius hare sauce been found. He
srppo.es then that Thrrstoo, having no means to
msLago bic balloon, or TO ascend or descend, was
Carried agsnst the limb OF the tree and he being
suddeDi5 st1e-eA, tho momentum would carry the
rest Of she balloon along, creating the exact tear
IN sbs silk, thTee.quarters around the valve
board, Just rs it was afterwards fould when the
balloon discovered at ST. Clair n Ats. The
vals,.board bsiag thu. partially torn away would
leave no support for Thurston, VINO must, of
courss, have fallen 10 the tree where bis remains
wore lately found. The probability is that he wa
carried with such force against the tree, that be
was stunned. and could not catch q limb, and thai
he .aay have lain at the trees foot many hours
even days, before death released him iroin his suf.
fericRs.
As 10 the surmise of many that Thurs,on tore
the silk to allow the gas To escape. il is absurd.
for he being below, aud gas always ascending.
none could escape ia that IN inner, and Tnurston
Was too collected q man ever 70 attempt it, A
soon IS the balloon Was relieved Of the balloon
fst's weight. it, of course, wonld rise rapidly in
the air, until gas escaping aud atmospheric
entering, it would gradually desceud. As to fife
statement made by those who saw the balloon,
that there was something like mau dangling
from IL, the DR. thinks that this either the
a3W pendant valve.bosrd, or the Iank and collap-
SD part Of the balloon itself DIR. Boynton has
also told us that Thurston had frequently related
to him that be never feared anything except when
abreast OF q forest; that then the forked srees
seemed oil to be rushing towards him, having a
tendency to confuse aud bewilder him. We think
DR.. Boyntou's theory an exceedingly plausible
one, aud further Investigation will, doubtless
confirm it.-Rtsbwg Chronicle.