The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-25
THE LUCKY ESCAPE
OF W. A. BALLARD
Saved a Woman Who Was
About to Jump From
the Fourth Story.

Among those who are thanking their
stars that they are alive is w. A. Bal
lard, mining engineer representing Mines
and Mining of Scranton and Denver. He
came here to attend the Miners conven-
ton in the interest of his magazine. His
escape from the burning building was at
tended by an act of heroism that passed
unnoticed in the excitement of the occa-
sion. Ballard moved from the Palace Ho-
tel TO the Baldwin Tuesday forenoon
taking his valise and leaving his trunks
at the Palace. Mr. Ballard retired early
and had been asleep several hours when
he was aroused by the cry Of fire" in the
hallway. His room was in the fourth sto-
ry on the Powell street side. Stepping to
the door he saw there was no time to be
lost in getting out.
Il also saw there was no use in trying
to escape through the halls, which were
filled with smoke said Mr.. Ballard. Il
hastily dressed and threw my effects into
my grip and went out upon the ledge in
front of my window, knowing that IN
time the firemen would come around and
get a ladder up on that side. On my left
the smoke was rolling up between the
windows and it was so dense that could
see but little in that direction. several
times l look into my room and after a
while saw the fire was beginning to con-
sumo the woodwork around the transom
and doors, and it was getting very not
ION my right the air was comparative
" clear and I worked my way around
for a short distance. but could see no
means of escape. There seemed nothing
for me to do but to stay where L was I'M
til help came, and as there was less nre
in my room than in the others had
passed | went back again.
Mr.. Ballard said it seemed to him that
he was destined 10 be burned alive, and
he was thinking Of his folks In the East
turning QUICKLY,
he saw a woman, scantily atured, pre-
pairing to leap to the sidewalk. Inc
smoke that had been rolling up from the
floor below lifted for an instant, and MI
Ballard shouted to her not to jump. he
moved along a little further to the left,
and to his great relief discovered the iron
fire escape, which he had not seen before.
The mining man worked his way around
to the same ledge on which the woman
was standing. Encouraging and com
handing by turn, Mr.. Ballard got her to
the fire escape, and together they slow
ly made their way to the ground.
A bystander wrapped his coat round the
woman, and she was quickly hurried to
a place of safety, and that was the. last
Mr.. Ballard saw of her.
Il looked up to the window of my
room" said he, and seeing the flames
coming out in q mass l concluded that l
did not want my valiSe bad enough to
go back for it. l would like to see the lady
again, but, to tell you the truth. l cannot
give the least description of her, wheth-
er she is old or young. fair or hOmely.
One thing l do remember is that she had
blonde hair which kept blowing into my
face and eyes when I was assisting her
down the Ladder. 1t was no easy task
for she was inclined to faint every few
seconds. and once or twice she let go
her hold on the fire escape, and l had TO
speak very sharply to her to make her
keep her senses"
Mr.. Ballard is congratulating himself
on having left his trunk, which contained
considerable valuable material at the
Palace Hotel