Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-23
Theory OF MIR. FhurstOn,s Death.


Dr. Boynton, the distinguished lecturer, in q
recent lecture in Pittsburgh, gave his theory
as to the manner of Thurston, the balIoonist's
death. BE thinks that he struck tree, that
thus the silk was torn, and that be fell from
only the height of forty or fifty feet. DR.. B.
stated that he was intimately acquainted with
Mr. Thurston, had filed several balloons for
him, had been engaged with him in the cultiva-
ton of peach orchard, and knew him as an
accomplished, interesting, and very reckless
man, with chronic hankering to be up in mid
air. He had said TO DIR. 3. that no one had
ever gone up in balloon sitting on the valve
board, and asserted that the first opportunity he
had, he would do SO. DIR. Boynton argued
against the uselessness of such personal risk,
but Thurston seemed bent on it, and Dr. B. said
he thought that his fatal ascension while in
that position was by design and not by accident
The Chronicle gives the following synopsis of
DR.. Boynton's reliable facts" and suggestions
based thereon: %
The balloon had descended and Messrs. Ban
lister and Thurston wished to take Oft the net
ting The easiest method to accomplish this is
by having the balloon about one third inflated,
rather than in a collapsed state. A balloon is
fashioned with an oval board in the top, or large
end; in this board is fitted valve; the neck, or
lower end of the balloon next the car, is always
left open, since gas being SO much lighter than
air cannot descend; rope comes down from the
valve on top, through the neck, to those in the
car. When it is desirable to dismiss gas this
rope is drawn, which opens the valve on top
To facilitate, therefore, relieving this balloon
from its silken netting, DC the neck was firmly
tied by Mr.. ThurstOn, and the balloon was
turned over, with the large end down. Obvi-
ously, the gas then being SO light, would par
tally distend the neck, which was now upper
most, and what was the large end would now
shrink and become small and baggy, allowing
Thurston to clasp what iSGs the bulbous part
of the balloon in his arms, and throw his legs
around the valve board. -
Mr.. Thurston, then, being seated with his legs
around the valve board, embracing the (then)
neck of the balloon, Of course, as soon as the
balloon was relieved of car, ballast, netting, DC,
If would rise, which it did, Thurston crying out
to Banister ''never mind it will be down again
in a few moments The balloon then Aoated
lazily away, Mr.. Thurston, voluntary and de-
lighted vcyager, seated on the valve board -
DT. Boynton thinks it never rose hipb. but
scudded along over the open country until il
came to the forest where Thurston's remains
have since been found. He supposes then that
Thurston, having no means to manage his BAL
loon, or to ascend or descend, wac carried
against the limb Of the tree, and be being sud-
denly stopped, the momentum would carry the
rest of the balloon along, creating the exact tear
in the silk, three-Quarters around the valve
board, Just as it was afterwards found when the
balloon was discovered at st. Clair fats The
valve board being thus partially torn away,
would leave no support for Thurston, who mnst,
of course, have fallen to the foot of the tree,
where his remains were lately found