Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-25
MACON FIRE DEATH LIST
NOW TOTALS 6 PERSONS

mouse, one OF the OlueSC macon no
. tells, for the body of one more vic
tim believed lost when the hotel wa:
destroyed by fire early Monday.
So far six bodies have been taker
from the ruins. Two of them were
found on a yeranda overlooking the
main entrance. The men had fought
. their way through flames and smoke
to the threshold of safety, but were
overcome before they could leap t
the street thirty feet below.
One of the charred bodies. frs
identified as that of H. A. Turnip'
seed, of Hampton, later was identi'
fled as that of John Collins, OF
Rentz, Ga. a clerk in Loh's cafe
here. The other has been identified
as that of c. H. Pope, of PinevleW
Ga. J. K. Hayes, of Macon, and
Harry Swansburg, Atlanta, died soon
after leaping from windows of the
hotel.
The known missing are W. L. VIII
Hanson, Central of Georgia engl'
neer; W. A. Ward. newsbutca; Ser
geant Oscar knight, Camp Benning;
Private Henry Moore, Camp Upson'
N. Y: A. B. White, railroad dagman
and Miss Roberts, an aged woman
Mayor Orders Probe
Mayor Glen Toole this morning
issued a statement ordering thor
oueh investigation of the disaster.
At his instructions, Fireman Chler
Jones telegraphed the state lire
marshal, urging him to come mere
Immediately.
Fifty convicts are working TO-
ward what was known as the third
floor wing of the buiiding, Where II
ia believed most of the bodies Will
be found. When they uncovered
part of the debris flames burst
through the opening, and 1t was
necessary to call fire company
before the hunt could be resumed.
The body of a dog, said to have
been the pet of a little child was
found this morning. Outside the
fire lines stood scores of persons.
MANY had relatives who were
known to be in the building before
the fire, and who are still hsteo as
missing.
Old Man Rescued
Two young men who escaped oealn
IN the fire which destroyed the Brown
house here early Monday saved the
life og an aged man. They are w. r
MosteIler. a travelling man, OF Rome
Ca and R. H. Ryals, 2Oz Maple
street. Macon, who was spending the
night with hiIa. They occupied louiii
All on the third floor where 1t IS pc
lieved most OF the deaa P PER aSpio-
.,on occurred" said Mosteller. II
feit like somebody jumped on me. Al
first we thought 1t was storm, IoI
we could hear parts OF the oulioIii
/ falling in. Then we heard some one
shouting in the hall. When we open-
+ ed the door we saw an oid man ~
Ming nm and down the hall shouting.
Ia carried a suit case and his CLONES
An his arms. Smoke swept INTO the
room and we dragged MN anu
Slammed the door. We couId neal
other people shouting on the lar SLUG
of the building. ,,+ of the
low and told the old man to jump.
He hesitated and 1 gave him lgnt
nush and he landed on ROOF De
~ 7 followed him. We had part
~ dressed. but Ryals tried to go paGh
into the room to get ms coat .+o,,
was so hot in there he coulo no' of
cd he again climbed on the roo -
49, was a fire escape on that sloe
- tba hotel, but it was so Tar lroiil
tbe wall we couldn't reach II:
scNe jumped from that ROOF 10 olie
A1o,,, aud from there to the groullu
diS not learn the old mans nd!le,
The people we heard snoutlns III 'A-e
hotel must have been kllleo: ,d
at lost nearly all Of my CLONES an LII
shoes and coat. f1c
sva his shoes to the old man. out
80 nrobably were lost as we jump
sd from roof to roof.
Employees of the Macon Gas COM n
SSetermine whether the explo sio !,
Sas Afterward, John McCardle:
Hho headed the crew, declared tnar
the only gas pipe in the Brulm ne Z
drug store was sm oigar one 1feh hnI He
LID that could not have caused Inc ne
eXnIosion. The only pipe near o.
efficient size to cause the oid tb :,
he said. led to the meter d e 81 was vas
Canfield Oil company. anu ~ was
found in perfect condition.
Blast Still a Mystery so
rhe cause of the blast in the pase
r,ent of the Drummer drug stor'
which caused the fire is sun a my - .
I#tery. The drug store was fel mild
the first story story OF los she 50 terrific i
tnge great hole in the floor o
~ 1obby of the hotel and flame'
Went through, igniting the entire IN
erior as they swept upstairs ups div
Through the elevator shaIt. o,i
In rorene, Lee Wages and jury helc
inquest Monday afternoon owe.
he bodies Of four Of the victims, ou,
btained no evidence to throw i1gH
In the cause of the explosion. I'M
base of the disaster Will De SUI SUI,
ect to a searching investigation. Inc
tate fire marshal is expected t'
ONE here for that purpose, and the
oroner will continue his PROBE a.
Their bodies are recovered.
Firemen fought blazes from 1:3;
o'clock in the morning until late II
the afternoon. They were recalled te
the scene at 7:3O O'CLOCK at niSh
when flames broke out again In the
ruins. ,,4oa :,
his renewal Of the fire, Building In
pector Bishop stated, that causet
HE abandonment OF the huhC LII
bodies last night. ~.
Mr." Harry Swansburg saved d1a
nond valued at $1,000, his gold water
nd wallet with large sum of none!
Fhen in his night clothing he leape(
rom a third story window, sustain ~
ng injuries which later caused M
cath. He handed the articles n
aved to a physician at the hospitaa
Eith the exclamation: Call my VIII
rom Atlanta; must see her betor'
die, but if I die before she arrives
i've these TO her..
Then Mr.. Swansburg, SURROUNDED
" a small group of veteran engin
ers and conductors at the hospital
ried continuously for BOSS, BOSS.
hat, it was learned, was the Pc pc
anne he used in addressing ms "l1 lie
a,
fis widow arrived here at 1920 p. m
Mr.. Swansburg was the Oldest en-
hneer on the Central of Georgia rail-
bad in point Of service.
scanned Convict Ties