Hot Air Balloon Falls On Grafton Farm
submitted by Anne Kiely
On the afternoon of Tuesday, September 29,1859, Mr. Lymus Worthington of Grafton was startled when, out of the sky, a hot air balloon descended on his farm. [private]
A Mr. Crevor and his companion had left from Albany earlier in the day traveling about six miles when an eastward air current carried them for almost thirty miles to Grafton. Shortly before landing, gale force winds had broken the anchor rope of the balloon and the balloon was swept into the woods. The craft struck the top of a dry hemlock which broke about ten feet from its top and it was thus carried by the balloon for about a mile before it was cut loose. However, the balloon suffered a cut and was carried along a terrific rate on its side until all the air had escaped, landing in tree tops. The men then fell from the tops breaking their fall on smaller trees before coming down to earth. Crevor cut the grapples and caught fast on a gate, wrenched the gate from its hinges and carried it for ten or twelve rods. Both of the men were considerably bruised but otherwise unharmed. Mr. Worthington, after himself recovering from this amazing sight, assisted them.
Information from Troy Daily Times, Sept. 29, 1859
Courtesy of Warren Broderick [/private]