The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-23
Magazine Tells Of Fly Swatting
Methods in Topeka.
How This City Practically Elk.
terminated House Pest.

Good Health. a monthly magazine
published in Chicago, carries an IN
teresting account OF Topeka's Iy-
swatting" campaign. contributed by ).
A. Ramsey. sanitary sergeant Inc
article, prefaced by note from the
editor. follows:
F'ly campaigns have been waged
here and there throughout the land
for several years and numerous orig
inal problems have been tried to ex-
terminate this household pet. Al
though every campaign has been start
cd with enthusiasm, it is rare indeed
that we hear of the actual results of
the battle. We take great pleasure,
therefore. in publishing the following
article from Topeka. showing that
flies can be exterminated.
Early in the summer of 1918, the
newly elected mayor Of Topeka, Rob-
ert l.. Cofran, in fit of enthusiasm.
but with an evident lack of judgment.
offered five dollars to the first boy
who would bring to his office peck
of flies. The next day farmer some
miles south of the city brought his boy
to the mayors office and in a tin
bucket the boy carried the peck OF
flies. The mayor saw that he was
'stung' but paid the money cheer
fully All effort to get him to renew
the offer were of no avail. and the
price Of flies took quite slump.
50 Cents a Peck.
The sanitary sergeant then decided
to get into the game and offered so
cents a peck for all flies delivered at
the sanitary office. Then the boys
and girls got busy and the flies began
to come in in baskets, buckets and
bags, by the millions. The sanitary
sergeant advanced the money out of
his meager salary and was later re-
imbursed by the city commission.
,irn nf
there was a pile of flies, amounting
to 14O gallons. cremated at the city
crematory.
When the summer of 1914 came the
scarcity of flies was very noticeable
and the following precautions were
taken to prevent their propagation. Ar
ordinance was revived which re-
quired slop and garbage haulers to
haul in closely covered and clean
vehicles and receptacles. 1t also re-
Quired house owners to cover all gar
bage cans. Piles of manure in the al
Ieys were ordered removed. House
holders were constantly saying how
scarce flies are this year.
Double Price for Flies.
During the months of June and July
the sanitary office decided to try tC
ge: more flies. and as an inducement
offered to double the price paid ir
1918. or ten cents per quart. The
flies in sealed cans or milk bottles
and got clean and sterilized bottles il
return. Only "a quarts were cap
tured in the two months. and the cam
paign was called off.
There were still some doubling peO
pie in Topeka who claimed that there
were flies in the city. To satisfy then
a weeks campaign was planned il
September and the price of flies wa!
raised to Is cents per quart, and the
newspapers gave publicity to the of
fer. Only seven quarts of flies were
captured in the whole week, in the
city.
@ Notwithstanding this a farmer liv
ing a mile away from the city limit:
asked to be admitted to the game
saying that he could furnish million,
OF flies. During the campaign the
sanitary sergeant counted the flies il
a quart milk bottle, when we'll shaker
down and found that there were
1874 flies in a quart, so that in the
two years campaign against the fly
over ten million flies have been de-
stroyed in Topeka.
j. A. RAMSEY, Sanitary Sergeant