Over 100 Years Ago, Sheridan Offered Bounty on Flies

Everyone has heard of bounties of wolves and coyotes and jackrabbits. But flies?

In this era of living in houses with well-sealed windows, screen doors, and various and assorted sprays and insect traps, we may forget that 100 years ago flies were a major problem. Automobiles had not yet completely replaced horses, and even into 1921, as seen by this ad, there were still livery stables in Sheridan.

Horse created manure, and manure attracted flies. Thus, there was an anti-fly campaign in Sheridan, and a push to make Sheridan ‘Fly-Free.’ Even school kids were enlisted in the campaign.

The Sheridan Post Tuesday, May 23, 1916 –Swatting Must Be Unrewarded “Fly” Committee Runs Out Of Bounty Coin. Much Good Hit Been Accomplished but Much Work Remains to be Done. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 75,000 flies have lost their lives in Sheridan during the present month That is to nay, that number has been slain and reported by school children. The bounty on them, as offered by the “fly” committee of the Sheridan schools, has amounted to $37.50, being paid at the rate of five cents per hundred.

The bounty offer has been withdrawn however, as there are no more funds in the committee treasury. It is with a feeling of regret, too that the announcement is made as the offer of five cents per hundred bounty has proved by far the most effective way of promoting the anti-fly campaign yet devised. Of course, if some public-spirited individual organization would come forward at this juncture with a donation of from $5 to $50 for the cause it would help some. And the campaign could go on unabated.

Efforts on the part of the youngster who have made big kills will not entirely ceases, however, for the monthly prize offered to the boy or girl killing the most during May are yet to be awarded.

Another way of furthering the anti-fly campaign, the real way, in fact, is to eliminate the manure pile and open garbage can.

Much has been done along that line already by much remains to be done. It has been suggested that the good housewife or householder who is annoyed by his neighbors’ flies would make a still hunt on his own blook, locate the breeding places, and report them to city authorities, a real service would be rendered to the community.

With the closing of the schools less can be done in organized ‘swatting’ of the flies themselves but the breeding places can still be swatted. If funds are available, the bounty will be continued through the summer.

And in The Sheridan Enterprise August 15, 1916 – “Swat the Fly Should Still Apply” – For a time during the early part of the summer it appeared that Sheridan was going to pass through the season with few files as the result of the very effective work done by the school children in swatting the early files and in the clean-up work inspired by the campaign conducted by the fly committee and the city administration. But the flies are now here in great swarms indicating that Sheridan is not yet a clean city, but harbors filth in which files find breeding places.

However, a great deal can yet he done by removing at once all stable manure, which is a favored breeding place for flies and by the use of fly traps. Members of the fire department are destroying flies at the rate of 10,000 a day with the use of a large cone trap. If the people of the city generally would follow the lead taken by the fire department in the matter of putting out traps, millions of flies could be destroyed and the fly nuisance materially abated.

There were exhibits to show school children the life cycle of the fly, and methods of exterminating them. this from Sheridan Enterprise, February 11, 1017 – Fly Slides to be Exhibited Here – The Fly-Committee of the Sheridan schools has secured the fly slides of the International Harvester company and has arranged to exhibit them at a number of places during the present week as a part of a program to make Sheridan a flyless city. The slides reveal in manner possible in no other way, the life and habits of the filthy little fly and at the same time introduce pictures of methods which have been successful in combating the fly nuisance in cities. The committee has arranged to exhibit the pictures at the Taylor school Tuesday and at the Coffeen avenue school, Wednesday. It is also planned to exhibit the slides to the members, of the Commercial club following the luncheon Thursday.

Not sure a luncheon is a great place to display flies, but maybe the lunch after would be better than before the display.

Again, in 1920, prize money for flies was offered. The Sheridan Enterprise, May 22, 1920 –Fly Invasion In Sheridan Is Republished with Prize Money School Pupils Declare War on Big Scale Against Lowly House Fly and First Crop of Flies Is Biting Dust Fly swatters and prize money are doing great work in repulsing the fly invasion of Sheridan this season, declares J. J. Morfing, High school instructor who heads the school committee on destruction of the insects. So fast have the school children been knocking the harm and life out of flies that the bounty on the disease carriers has had to be lowered. A youngster must now bring in 50 flies stiff and stark before he can carry off his nickel.

Previously 25 victims were sufficient for the prize. Custer school leads in the entire city in the number of flies slaughtered. Pupils there have brought down 5,000 of the insects. Taylor comes next with 2,500, Coffeen follows with 2,200, and Central has a record of 2,100. Two thousand flies have also left the Linden school neighborhood forever.

Custers big lead is due, declares Mr. Morflng, to the favorable hunting grounds near there. Just outside of the city limits is located a dump heap upon which someone has been dragging dead horses. The youngsters have done great slaughter at this fly breeding stronghold.

Although the campaign has been on but three weeks, the $75 given the fly committee by the Commercial club for prize money distribution has already been cut in two by the school children’s efforts. Mr. Morfing feels that more funds much be forthcoming if the interest in the drive is to be maintained at it present standard. Parents, as well as youngsters, are urged to join in the campaign that Sheridan may be made a fly-less city.

One would hate to be the person or persons who actually counted the dead flies.

Again, from The Sheridan Post, May 22, 1921 – Kiddies Vying In Fly Campaign To See Black Beauty A great deal of interest is being shown by the little people of the grade schools who are competing to win Manager Ben Collier of the Orpheum’s prize of a free ticket to the “Black Beauty” matinee to every child in the school room catching the most flies between last Monday morning and Wednesday May 25^that 2 o’clock. Competition is keen and marble, kites and baseball have given way to catching flies in the interests of the youngsters.

Considerable excitement was caused at the Custer school one day during the week when two little kiddies came proudly lugging a whole wooden fish pail full of flies, honors were evidently going to Custer When an investigation’ by the chairman of the fly committee brought forth the fact, that the flies had been caught in fly traps by the management of the park. One of the rules of the contest is that flies caught in the park which are attracted there by animals are not allowed to count in the campaign. As a result the pail full of flies were boycotted and two kiddies were greatly disappointed.

The park animals probably did draw a lot of flies, and the kids should have at least been commended for knowing where the most flies could be found.

The story continues: “Black Beauty” will be shown at the Orpheum on May 26, 27 and 28 and Manager Colliers Manager Collier’s generosity in offering a complimentary ticket to the matinee Saturday afternoon to the boys and girls in the school room attaching the most fly scalps to its belt is exciting favorable, comment. The presentation is a visualization of (Anna Sewells famous novel, “Black Beauty.” The film is one of the most unique to be flashed upon the screen. It marks a new era of story telling and will be enjoyed hugely by the youngsters.

Today, we have easier ways to get rid of pesky flies, but a little over 100-years ago there was an anti-fly campaign in the city of Sheridan, and bounties were offered for the tiny, annoying beasts.

Thanks to Cynde Georgen’s book, Snippets of Sheridan County History.