Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-30
Swat the Fly.

With a record of nearly half a million
flies destroyed. which means that billions
OF the insects which otherwise would
have been an annoyance to residents OF
Washington this summer and a menace
to the city's health will be prevented
from coming into existence. The Stars
anti-fy campaign for May will come to
a close tomorrow.
Health officials today. including Health
Officer Woodward and DIR. Murray. super
visor of the campaign. were unanimous
in the assertion that the results OF the
campaign had exceeded their anticipa-
tons and that the first month OF the five
months crusade planned against the fly
had proved the practicability Of attempt
ing to exterminate the disease carrier
Record Is Expected.
With the close of the school season near
at hand. officials Of the health department
expect hundreds Of school children to par
ticpate in next months campaign. and
they believe judging from what has been
accomplished already during a period OF
unusual scarcity of flies, that the record
of the June campaign will excite the in
terest of cities throughout the country
that are engaged in similar undertakings.
Indications today are that there will be
highest contestants in the May campaign.
With a score Of nearly 2Oo.O0O. Layton III.
Burdette OF the Industrial Home School
has safe lead over his nearest rivals
and it practically Is conceded that he will
win first prize.
Increases His Score.
Lawrence Fitzgerald increased his score
today by IL. 100. which brings his record
up to the 926O0 mark. Ii is believed
that this contestants May score will he
better than 100000.
William Steiner delivered a box of flies
to the campaign headquarters. but they
were received too late to be included in
today's score. Steiner. with a record of
IS. $50. is in third place. Pupils of the
fourth grade of the Brent School are In
fourth place.
Names of the winners of the contest
will be announced in Saturdays issue or
The Star. DIR. Murray has kept the rec
ords of the competitors up TO date, and
il will require but a few minutes work
to ascertain the final results of the con-
test.
Fitzgerald Systematizes Work.
Lawrence Fitzgerald. who this month.
the first Of The Stars anti-fy campaign.
expects to turn in to DIR. Arthur l.. Muir
ray of the District health office about
the INSECTS, Will 10 CdtCH
double this amount during the month OF
June He is keeping ten traps in opera
ton and has so systematized his work
that a little more than an hour day is
all that is necessary to give to II. Two
of his traps are in the Center market.
two in grocery stores and six in back
yards.
IF L cannot keep up with the leaders
in the contest next month" said Law
renee yesterday. I will get more traps
have to work. for / am determined to
stay in the contest all summer. win or
lose. I will not ask any kids to help me.
for when / do all Of the work alone i
know that it is done right. On hot days
with ten traps 1 will catch 10000 flies.
Any old fly will do, but ! really like to
kill the big ones. Some of them are SO
big that they cannot get in the traps but
/ soon fix them with 'swatter
Success in Open Air.
Lawrence accidentally learned that the
great outdoors is as good, If not a bet
ter. place to catch flies than are the
markets. where the insects are supposed
to congregate i'm droves When some OF
the markets put in electric fans to keep
the flies off OF the provisions the man
ayers refused to let him set traps in the
buildings and he was greatly DISCOURAGED
He then experimental with trap in the
he procured more traps and is placing
them in his neigilborhood.
He empties his traps twice day, KILL
ing the prisoners with boiling water. He
then lets the flies dry in the sun. counts
them by measure and turns them In TO
the health Office. He does not doubt the
honesty of DIR. Murray. but as he has a
good business instinct he demands a re
ceipt for the flies and has a system OF
all his own. He strikes A
daily balance with the health office books.
Burdette's Army of Swatters.
Layton Burdette and his army OF
''swatters" at the Industrial Home School.
who are leading in the contest for the
have killed SO many thousands
more of the insects than they first est-
mated that il is hard to even guess at the
number they will kill during June. AT
the beginning of May Layton thought
10000 would be hard goal to reach. so
he whipped his army into line and kept
The subordinates on the jump all the time.
with the result that his mark will he ex-
,eeded by thousands. He will not let
enthusiasm lag during June, but will rule
with even a stricter hand.
William Steiner, who Is in the field
alone, continues to stay high in the race