The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-10
Race Entirely Too Close
Now for Contestants
to Think of Rest.
FREE SWATTERS
FOR ALL TODAY
Three Thousand Dcath-Dealing
instruments at The Times-Dis-
patch Office for Children.
Many Traps Set by Lead
ers-Last Lap Be-
gins.

The last lap OF The Times Dispatch's
great ny swatting contest Will begin
to-day. The schemes heretofore de-
vised for trapping the prey Will he put
Into execution In the next six dag ;.
and the result viii be the practical
determination of the pest In many
y rts OF the city
There are just six more DAYS in when
the fast moving lenders N the race can
swa the ny for the SIS prize that
goes e. the most successful killer The
race last week was hot ou; ,IIere Is
promise Of even warmer things 10 come
during this last round While oi\5
one can be fortunate enough 20 CAP
ture first money, less successful com :
petitors need not feel DISCOURAGED be-
cause Of their apparent poor showing
Tor the reason that the siIo prize
money has been divided so a : to reward
no less than twentyseven Of the con-
testants.
Lender VIII Get So.
The leader of the white swatters will
receive SIS. while the leader OF the
colored children will be givn $40,
There is a second prize of SIS for ,hc
white. a third prize OF $40 and fourth
prize Of s.. The colored contest has
a second prize Of $40 and a third o:
50 For both contests there are ten
prizes OF IL each for the ten contest
ants who fall just below the. fourth
place. There is money enough and
prizes enough for everybody. and tine
fight for II this week VIII DC the keen.
est thing seen In Richmond for months.
the Health Department will he open
at the regular hour this afternoon end
the remainder OF the week for the en-
Try Of lies The counters Will be ready
for work between and o'clock, and
two extra men have been added TO tile
force. in anticipation Of the rush OF
contestants. which Is almost certain.
Rain and cold weather during the last
part Of the week drove the flies beyond
the reach OF the swatters, ana cona--
qucntIy the entries were lower than
during the first days or the contest
The entry list closed yesterday at noon
too. and only part OF the days work
could be recorded. The entry of 100000
Mes before noon indicated a total Kill
for the day OF not less than 200. 900. but
many moro fell during the afternoon.
Sunday DIdn't s,op II.
sunday proved no day of rest for
the flies, pursued so relentIessly by the
youthful swatters. Baked by the
weather of last week. the trappers set
their snares yesterday morning with
a determination 10 bag a record Kill be-
'
Will tell with what success they
worked The contestants who have
used fresh baited traps have scored the
highest and those who were ignorant
of this profitable method will benefit
hereafter by the example.
Everywhere you find two kids you
hear the same thing:
How many flies did you get yeste, ,
day."
For several days that has been the
exclusive subject OF conversation AMONG
the children of Richmond 5000 OF
whom are entered in this contest. Tho
way these youngsters swamp the City
han Is eye opening, but even the Sc
verest heart Is touched by the zeal
which animates the swattcrs
Don't forget that The Timcs-Dispntch
Will be able TO comply this morning
with your request for more swatters
Beginning at o'clock this morning,
the business office will be ready to dis
tribute the free swatters as long as they
hold out. An additional supply of 1900
has been received. mo king 5000 In all
to be given away by The Times Dis
patch.
Citizens Must Cooperate.
The Health Department and The
Times Dispatch have Joined hands in
the determination to make Richmond
a hyiess city. This much desired con-
6itIon can be brought about, however.
only through the cooperation OF the
citizens and an awakening of the public
mind to the devastation of the house
ny The great germ carrier can only
he annihilatcd when his breeding place
has been wiped out Clean the stables,
the markets, the garbage cans ana the
dumps. and the nv will disappear from
Richmond as if by agic.
In tho opinion Of the health authorI-
ties. the little cold spell of last week
came at the most opportunc moment,
catching the harassed flies Just at the
time when the swatters had already
decimatcd their ranks. Flies persisted
by the wholesale during the cold wea tn
or. and this. taken with the slaughter
in The Times patch contest will
make the city remarkably fire. of the
pests this summer. Vt Is accordingly
predicted that Richmond will be frcer
of disease this summer than at any
time in her history, as experience has
indubitably shown that the fly is the
universal carrier of disease.
The children who haven't already en-
tered the contest should jump right in
to-day those who are entered row
should redouble their efforts and make
the contest the warmest fight ever seen
in the city.