Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 239, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1913 — Cleveland Firemen and Police in Fly-Trap Race [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Cleveland Firemen and Police in Fly-Trap Race

CLEVELAND, 0. —A desire to excel in the manufacture of fly-traps Is responsible for "bad blood” between the police at the Eleventh precinct on East One Hundred and Fifth street, near Euclid, and the firemen at engine house No. 10, next door. Sergeant Cregan, the Thomas Alva Edison of the force, wearied of “shoot Ing flies from his face, or pursuing them with a swatter,*’ designed and built a gigantic fly-trap. This was i placed near the front door, as the transformation of the stable into a garage had eliminated the busy fly from that region. The flies began to buzz around. Charles Trump, the Marconi of, the 'firemen, chanced to see the police trap and went back to the station with an

Idea. The firemen contributed to a fund to build the largest and most lethal fly-trap in existence. It was Installed near the stable, wherein the firemen had an immeasurable * advantage over the police in the matter of flies.

Then, all confidence, Trump challenged Cregan to a fly-catching contest between their respective traps. Because the firemen had the advan tage of the stable, Trump gave Cregan a handicap of 100 flies. For days firemen and policemen watched their traps earnestly. Wagers were made on the result and interest grew to a fever heat. Each side accused the other of catching files by hand and “stuffing” the traps. But, strangely enough, the police trap continued to attract more flies.

' An approximate gave Cregan a lead of possibly 2,000 files and the firefighters were In despair. , A terrible disappointment awaited the police one morning. With the break of dawn Cregan went out to inspect his trap. He sent in a vocal riot call. The flies were gone and a nervous bat was alone in the cage.