Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1915 — Flea Ties Up Traffic. [ARTICLE]

Flea Ties Up Traffic.

You wouldn’t believe that such a small thing as a flea could tie up traffic on this city’s busiest crossing. But it did. The flea lighted on a puppy that was crossing Sixth avenue and Forty-second street, and selecting a particularly succulent portion of the mutt’s anatomy, bit deep. And the dog sat down on the car tracks and gave himself completely over to the serious business of scratching. At this moment a taxicab came bounding along. The driver did not pursue a straight course, but turned to avoid the irritated pup and at the same time applied his emergency brakes. The result was safety for the dog, but a stalled taxicab. Instantly traffic behind the taxicab stopped and in less than a minute there was congestion such aB has not been seen at that corner in many a day. Cars from four directions added to the confusion. Presently the puppy won his point. The flea desisted and the taxicab motor resumed business. The tangle was straightened out. But it was a good day’s woTk for the flea.-—New York Times.