Evening star., 1921-08-23
SEARCH UNDER WAY
FOR F|RE'v|CT|MS
|Convicts Begin to Dig in
Ruins of Macon HoteI-ln-.
vestigation Ordered.
Hv the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
| MACON. Ga. August 23.-City and
county convicts today began digging
in the ruins of the Brown House here.
where at least twelve persons lost
their lives in fire that destroyed the
building early yesterday.
The ruins have cooled considerably
as a result Of tons of water poured
on them Monday and Monday night,
and the search was proceeding rap.
lyly. 1t is believed the exact toll OF
the fire will be known by late today.
At q local hospital. where eight
persons injured in the fire are being
treated, 1t was said today all Will re-
cover.
The list Of known dead still stands
at four. ]. X. Hays Of Macon died on
the way to a hospital. and Harry
!Swansburg Of Atlanta died of injuries
yesterday morning.
Victims Identity Disputed.
One Of the dead was identified yes
terday as H. A. Turnipseed of Hamp-
ton. a railway fireman. but later rel
atives of J. L. Collins of Macon said
the body was his. The other was
partly identified as c. H. Pope of Pine
View. Relatives Of the men will meet
today and endeavor to make identif-
cations certain.
Albert Sharp Of Atlanta. state fre
marshal. Is expected to arrive in
few hours to begin an investigation
of the cause Of tho hre. The cause
Of the explosion in the basement OF
the Brunner Drug Company in the
Brown House building. which was fol-
lowed by the disastrous fire here. re-
mains a mystery. Persons connected
with tho drug store have failed to
throw any light on this phase Of the
case. -,
Investigation IL Ordered.
"A searching investigation will be
made" said Mayor Toole this morning.
Nothing will be left undone to learn
the exact cause Of this terrible disaster"
The search is toward what was known
as the third-f1oor wing of the building.
where 1t is believed most of the bodies
will be found. When the edge of this
part was uncovered flames burst
through the opening and 1t was neces-
sary to call a fire. company to cXtin-
guish the flames before the hunt could
be resumed.
The workers toiled beneath overcast
skies Overhead lowered the black walls
OF the hosiery. The oder; Of human
flesh was sickening.
Outside the fire lines stood scores of
persons Many had relatives who were
FIRE and who are still listed as missing.
There were many scenes Of pathos as
they awaited the results of the search.
Several times workers gathered in
groups and were seen to tug at some
thing black beneath the brick. A DEATH
like stiffness fell over the crowd, for
they thought body was about to be
brought up, but the smoke-stained and
heated object proved to be a girder or
charred beam.
Escaping Gas Not Cause.
Employees Of the Macon Gas Company
today made an inspection to determine
whether the explosion could have been
caused by escaping gas. Afterward John
McCardle, who headed the crew. de-
clared that the only gas pipe in the
Drummer drug store was a small one and
| was used to supply the cigar lighter.
He said that could not have caused the
| explosion. The only pipe near of suf-
ficient size to cause the blast. he said,
/ led to the meter of the Sanfleld Oil Com
pany. and it was found in perfect condi-
| ton. ID.