Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-25
Get Busy.

second place in The Stars anti-fly cam
paisn. This contestant, who is but eleven
years of age. has made a remarkable
showing during the week. and the other
competitors will be apt to find it dificult
to crowd him out of the position he now
occupies.
Fftzgerald's total score to date is a.
800 flies destroyed. William Steiner, thr-
teen years DID, who. until today, has not
been lower than second place. is in third
position, with the score Of 1880 The
old Layton III. Burdette of the Industrial,
Home School, who has delivered alto
gether. 131, 200 insects. The combined
score of the three highest contestants Is
o16.6JO.
Burdette's big lead over his nearest
rivals Is due to the fact that his asso-
Gates in the Industrial Home School have
assisted him in the campaign. He has
worked out such a complete organization
for swatting the fly that he has led the
contest almost continuously from the
start. His small army of helpers is COW
ering all the territory west of Rock Creek
and south Of Massachusetts, avenue. Yes
teTudy SOIiic VI Tue WOIhcTS CTOSSSu tie
creek and extended their activities east
ward.
Brent School in Fourth Place.
Pupils of the fourth grade of the Brent
School are working comparatively in the
campaign, but as yet they have been able
to get no higher than fourth place.
What makes Fitzgerald's showing of
t-%
is the fact that, according to the state
no one to help him, but, unassisted, has
destroyed nearly .forty-f1ve thousand
flies since the campaign began. This
is record, in the opinion OF Or. Muir
ton. considering the fact that flies
have been unusually scarce this spring.
In his wxffare on the insects Fitz-
gerald has relied largely on traps.
ne has INVADED grocery stores and
he has killed being Of the green bottle
variety. whose particular haunts are
meat stands.
Receiving Stations Probable.
Health officials believe that more chill
dren would have entered the campaign
had it not been for the rule requiring
them to deliver. the insects DESTROYED to
the District building. 1t is not I'M
likely that arrangements will be made
for the establishment of a number of
receiving stations in various sections
of the city next month.
If this plan is carried out, Dr. Murray.
supervisor of the campaign. will visit
the stations daily, measure the flies and
keep a. separate record for each de-
livery point. When the schools have
adjourned for the summer children in
great numbers, IL Is believed, will enter
the crusade for the determination of the
disease-carrying insects.
Steiner Keeps at It.
Because William Steiner believes in
keeping everlastingIy at it, he is well up
in the fly contest. William has become
so adept in Kidding homes and stores of
the pests that his services are in demand
by merchants in his neighborhood
Young Steiner lives at 1899 street
northwest, and his field of activity in
cludes the various markets and meat
stores which are in the vicinity of his
home. His first work was in his own
home, and as a result it is one OF the
cleanest in the CITY, and flies are as scarce
as hens teeth This home, which had
no more flies than the average, furnished
such a number for a start that he quickly
saw that 1t would be an easy matter for
him to capture thousands in a short time
il he invaded stores where the flies con-
gregate in droves.
He first offered his services to a fish
market and set his traps there. He then
procured wire swatters and took his stand
In the show windows. where his efforts
attracted much attention. He has, un-
aided, killed more than iO,OU flies since
the contest began May l. Morning and
night he sees that his traps are properly
flies into the box is done in a few sec
onds.
| May Finally Get Aid.
Although he has done so we'll alone. he
probably will before long enlist some of
his playmates into service and organize a
campaign which will rid his neighbor-
hood of the nuisance.
So far William has been the only iiy
annihilator- in his vicinity, but many boys
and girls have announced their intention
OF entering the contest next month. For
tunately for the contestants fly Killing
| has not been carried SO far as to make
| the mar Iet short. and one store gener-
ally has enough of the winged insects to
keep a boy or girl busy for a short time
| each day
1t is expected that by the end of June
| Steiner's neighborhood will enjoy a free
dom from flies such as 1t never dreamed
on the job. Natural rivalry among the
youngsters will give the contest impetus,
and incidentally the chance Of winning q
Sb rrixo Of fro IN