The San Francisco call., 1904-06-27
Daniel Valentine Risk:
His Life Near Wheels
of Train.

OAKLAND, June 26-With that rare
presence of mind born of a familiarity
with danger, Daniel Valentine, care
taker of the Franklin School and a
veteran of the Civil war saved the
lives of three persons, an elderly wom-
an and two girls, yesterday afternoon
at Sixteenth-street depot
The two fell off a Berkeley local
train and were being drawn under the
wheels by the suction from the moving
cars when Valentine, one of a number
of startled bystanders, rushed to the
rescue.
At imminent peril to himself the old
soldier jumped into the group of pros
trate children and their older COM
panion and with almost superhuman
strength dragged them, one after an
other, out of harms way. Valentine
narrowly escaped being caught by the
train, but he backed away after saw
ing the helpless people and suffered no
injury.
The veteran modestly hastened away
from the scene as soon as the rescued
ones were on their feet and did not
even wait to hear the grateful thanks
of the woman. He boarded a street
car for uptown and left the identity
of the trio blank.
Valentine had gone to the baggage
room at the north end of the station
and was returning to the street car
terminus at the other end just as
westbound Berkeley local steamed into
the stopping place. AS one car passed
Valentine he was Mortified to see
girl fall from the car steps, Sprawling
helpleSSly on her back, so close to the
wheels that her dress was fiuttering
from the air current stirred by the
cars motion. Quickly Valentine
jumped to the PROSTATE child and
grabbed her. AS he did a second figure
plunged from the car. 1t was that of
a woman. She was followed by a third,
girl. The rescuer clutched at both of
them and strong pull saved the two
just as the first one had been so quick
~ drawn out of danger.
The train ran two car lengths after
the three had fallen, giving ample op-
portunity for the crushing of all of
the victims hal not Valentine acted
as he did. 1t appeared that as the
first child fell the woman lost her bal
ance in trying to save it. and, dragging
the other girl with her. followed the
first one. Neither of the three was
more than bruised and shaken by the
fall.
Men at the station who witnessed
the rescue were strong in their praise
of the daring deed. Valentine, who re-
sides at 514 East Fifteenth street, was
unwilling to say much about his heroic
act
He deprecated the idea of heroism,
saying:
1t an impulse that seized me when 1
saw the hrst girl fall, and l leaped 10 her.
She was lying with her head within foot of
the rails and the cars running fast--so
fast that two of them went by before l had
completed the job. As l grabbed the girl the
others fell and for a second or two my hands
were full. had to brace myself against the
air suction when 1 got near the people, for it
very strong.
My fear that we should all be drawn
under the cars before 1 had a chance to get
away. But exerted all the strength 1 could
summon into service, and l am thankful that
was injured.
Valentine has been in the public
school department for many years. He
is a member of the Grand Army of the
Republic and fought in many engage
ments during the great conflict.