Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-29
Swat the Fly.

| The belief that the leaders in The
Stars anti-fiy campaign will kill nearly
half a million flies this month was
Burdette of the Industrial Home
School, who is in first place, Increased
his score by $4,000. while Lawrence Fitz-
gerald and William Steiner. second and
| third highest contestants. respectively,
| also considerably added to their
scores.
The record of the leaders to date is:
Layton Burdette, 197. 800; Lawrence Fftz-
| gerald. $780, and William Steiner S.
80. Together these competitors have de-
stroyed 337. $50 flies.
With but two days, remaining after to-
day before the close OF the May contest,
DR.. Murray, supervisor of the campaign,
expects Burdette. Fitzgerald and Steiner
to bring in between them nearly 100000
fies more. Warmer weather has brought
on the insects in greater numbers, the
| scores OF the contestants showing in
creases daily.
Campaign for May Nears Close.
AS the May campaign approaches its
close all of the contestants are putting
forth greater efforts to boost their
close finishes for second, third and fourth
places.
THE campaign this month has been a
success in every way" said DR.. Murray
| this morning, land If as big scores are
| made proportionately in the other months,
| when there will be more insects to de-
stroy, big step will have been taken
toward making Washington real f1yless
city. This campaign will attract the at
tention of the country before 1t .s over
and look for 1t to accomplish wonders in
| the interest of the city's health
Rises Early to Wage Contest.
Hard and systematic work alone has
put Lawrence Fitzgerald. eleven years
DID, among the topnotchers in The Stars
anti-fy contest. Lawrence Is up and at
work every morning at $50 o'clock and
is setting his traps in markets at the
| same time that the supplies for the day
are being put on the counters.
He now uses traps exclusively and finds
that flies can be caught not only around
shops. but also on the lawns of dwellings,:
in fact, a properly baited trap will soon
fill up II placed almost anywhere. Each
evening he collects his eight fly jails. and
kills the flies in boiling water. The hot
water also cleans the traps and keeps
them in sanitary condition
Most flies retire early in the evening,
but, as they lead a regular life of germ
distribution, they also rise early. and the
early bird catches the worm. Although
the traps will not work while Lawrence
sleeps. they will work while he plays
Lawrence counts his flies every night. He
uses the same system as that employed
by DR.. Arthur L. Murray of the District
health Office, and he has become SO ex-
pert at estimating by measure that he
invariably comes close to the correct
number and one day figured out the num-
Der exactly.
He is a great believer in working alone
not becoming involved in any Juvenile le-
| stay in the running alone Lawrence will
over how much he will reward them for
assistance. Although it is thought that
many Of the hustlers next month will
| call in the assistance of the children of
| the neighborhood, If he finds that he can
stay in the running alone Lawrence will
do so.
Great Decrease in Flies Noticed.
LAST year while The Stars contest
was on we lived in the 400 block on Rhode
| island avenue said Mrs. Fitzgerald.
| although the contest lasted only two
weeks, many of the neighbors remarked
| that the flies for blocks around We're
| traps AS he is catching them by the
| thousands this year. l am sure that this
will be nearest to a fiyless summer that
| his neighborhood has ever enjoyed"
Mrs Fitzgerald now lives at 1922 18th
street northwest, and is of the opinion
that any location affords good field for
an energetic fly killer.
Interest Throughout the Country.