The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-16
AMERICANS FLYIESs TOWN.
How the Town Of Re<liantis, In Cali.
fornia, Succeeded In Kidding 1t.
self Of Flies.

has recently attained wide fame as the
only "fyless" town in the United States.
worth while distinction for any
place. big or small, when we remem-
Der the millions and millions Of dis
ease-breeding flies turned loose every
summer to plague man and beast
About a year ago the fly question was
reached In Redlands. 1t was high
time. The weather was hot and the
town seemed to swarm with these in
sects. The mayor Of that city recent
ly remarked: THAT swat the flies
advice is all wrong. There Is absolute
ly nothing to 1t in our town and we
nave made Redlands the most un-
healthy burg in the land for a fly to
to live in"
We'll what do you do to get rid of
the flies? the mayor was asked.
Go out in the streets of our town
and see for yourself, and hunt up
Chapman. our official hy-catcher. He
Is the only one in the world, / think.
and he has made good. Hear what
he has to say about flies," was his re-
ply.
This advice was taken. At the first
street corner was noticed a curious OBJ
ject. which proved. on close inspection
to be screened frame, twelve inches
square and over two feet high. about
the size Of big waste basket. II
was fly cage" The bottom sat
about two, inches from the ground.
In this bottom was a cone shaped
screen. with the large opening down.
Under this vas placed q banana peel
or other fly delicacy. Investigation
demonstrated that the pests go under
the screen. and the light. being above
hy up into the cone and thence
through the small hole into the cage.
Naturally. II would take a rather
smart fly to find that little hole again
and get out. Flies instinctiveiy fy
up and towards the light So that the
cage. with no effort whatever, catches
flies by the thousands. So.
II rs so complete that the duties of
the municipal fiy-catcher consist sim
ply In daily batting the traps, collect
ing the flies and burning them. Ac-
cording to the report ne filed at the
end OF the month in office. Septem-
Der. 1912, ne killed 3,75O,OOO flies.
He had !emptied fifty gallons Of flies
from 100 traps scattered through the
business portions of Redlands and
no estimated that there were $4,000
HES to gallon. At this rate of
sttuct'on il is no wonder Reldands
soon became q hyless town.
~ present over five hundred fly
traps are distributed over the little
city. They are to be seen in every
place-in front of the municipal build
Ing, the pOstoffice, the railroad sta
tions, many Of the big shops and along
the highways. but recently the daily
task of the official fiy-catcher has been
light.
IL was in July year ago that Mr..
Chapman built his first fly catcher"
and began experimenting. He found
that IL the trap could he shaded so
that the light would show higher
through the cone more flies would en-
ter the cone. He also found that the
traps on the shady side of the street
would always catch more flies than
those on the sunny side
1t was quickly discovered. in con-
versins with Rediands, ny-catcher.
that he has made q deep study Of
the psychology Of flies. He knows
how. when and where they breed.
how much damage they do and how
necessary II Is to the health OF any
to get rid Of the pests.
Everyone knows" he said. 1.-The
real danger of the housefy. 1t has
been spread broadcast until there is
'No'NNy uh iitciIi6tTt community Dut
people who know how the
hy can carry all sorts Of foul disease
germs. how typhoid. tuberculosis and
many other dread diseases-even in !
fantile paralysis-can be spread by
flies.
1t probably seems to almost every
householder that winter kills off all |
the flies; even month Of cold wealth
er seems sufficient for this; but if you
VIII investigate in the early spring,
You will be amazed TO find many flies
ABOUT your home. Look in your eel
lar and you will doubtless find these
hies patiently doing away around the
hot air pipes. In corners OF the ceiling.
In the rafters and crevices around the
kindling piles, behind barrels and
boxes stored away. and in many such
places.
In the early April DAYS, or I'm the