The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-24


the ladder again and brought with
them Il scaling ladder. IL is like II
stick with small cross pieces on it. In
one end is Il large hook fitted with
teeth. Handing this up to me the
fireman told me to put 1t through the
window and catch it on the sill. |
raised the window back of me three
or four inches. AS did 50 smelled
the smoke and felt the heat, indicat-
ing that there was fire back Of me. !
found that the cornice was so broad
that it would noL permit Of the seal
ing ladder being hooked through the
sash. reported this TO the fireman
below and he then told me would
have to put the hook flush on the cor.
nice and that he would then hold it
SO it would not slip.
I did this and then the fireman
got back of it and by bracing
himself somehow with his back
to the hotel he held that small
scaling Ladder. | crawlel over
the cornice and was just able to
reach the first runS Of the sealing
ladder.
"All the time | was climbing
the firemen kept calling to me
to encourage me. Ny only thought
was of steadying myself to reach
the main ladder. In going over
the cornice l once thought of. grasp
ing the hook, but in an instant
l knew that if l did that the
chances We're that it would slip
o the iron cornice because zone
of its teeth could get u grip. There
fore, by holding the best | could
to the cornice, | managed to reach
the rungs Of the ladder. In Il
ttw seconds ! was on the main
ladder and then | felt relieved for
l knew | was safe. On my way
down the ladder / passed IL num-
Der of fireman who were very
good encouraging me and telling
me that | WAS safe.
"Whcn l reached the ground /
inquired for the brave fireman who
held the scaling ladder while |
climbed down. l do not know
how he did it. OF course only an
expert could have done it. Too
much praise cannot be given that
fireman, or in fact all of them who
worked at the hotel. When l
inquired who they were they were
very modest and would not tell Inc
My first impulse was to reward
my rescuer at once, but l sudden
ly ecollccted that | was without
Il cent, and only clad in my under
and night robe. Every
thing else had ben left in my
room.
Mr.. Conrad said that after get
ting out Of the building he hunted
up Thomas L. Young, cashier Of
the Farmers Bank, who was
at the Grand Hotel and
who had hec.. to the dinner with
Mr.. Conrad. Mr.. Young cared
for the ex-city solicitor during
the balance Of the night and in the
morning Mr.. Conrad returned to
the Park Avenue Hotel, where he
found his clothes.
ut is Il mystery to me- said
Nj. Conrad, show my clothes
We're unharmed. The room | had
occupied was badly damaged, all
the woodwork being charred to a
great depth. How my clothes
escaped being burned is something
| cannot tell. l recovered every
thing except my watch and watch
TOO. They had evidently been
stolen. As soon as the fire was
out the maid OH our floor went in
every room and collected whatever
valuables were there. She found
a gold medallion in which were
some portraits Of my children and
took care Of it, but my watch and
fob were missing. Everything
else was alright.
"lt was the most thrilling ex-
perience ] ever had. l could not
be hired to 60 along that cornice
again, for | have a natural fear of
nigh places, yet 1 do not recall
having any fear whatever while l
vas making my way along high
Up in the air. Whether my cousin
lad a fear Of high places / do not