The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-24
AIRBOAT MAKES
REGULAR TRIPS
over TAMPABAY
st. Petersburg, Fla, Gets Its
Mail on Time by Use Of
HydrO-aeroplane
HARDIN, ILL.,, TO START
A NEW LINE IN SUMMER
Cities Without Railroads Find
New System Wonderful
Time-Savers

Aviation has made another mark
IN Its history In the establishment OF
u regular aerial navigation route In
Florida. Four times every day q n.y.
Ing boat crosses Tampa Bay carrying
malls, express and passengers between
Tampa and st. Petersburg.
The route, which was established
Jan. /, has been pronounced Z success
IS 1t has kept its schedules better than
railroads or ships. The word In st.
Petersburg today Is, "Send the mail
by the aerial route and II will be on
time"
st. Petersburg has a population Of
5000 regular Inhabitants and 10000
winter resortera One of the big draw
backs to the town was that 1t had but
ono mail train q day. That came
from Jacksonville. distance Of more
than 200 miles.
Tampa was 20 miles away by stage.
By steam launch the distance was
only % miles. st. Petersburg realized
that II IL could bring the mail from
Tampa oftener tourists would ike the
town better and more would come
there. Aerial navigation was not .
matter Of entertainment for them. 1t
was cold business proposition. First
Q steam launch was chartered to carry
the mail. It took three hours to make
the one-xay trip. On days when the
wind blew away out In the Gulf waves
would beat Into the bay and tmperA
tho boats existence.
Then one OF the commissioners OF
the city thought of IN air route.
"One Of those flying machines could
make the time at the rate Of mile q
he declared. ITS just ~
miles from here to Tampa as the crow
lies and flying machine could take
the crows route"
Negotiations we're opened with the
Benolst Aircraft Co. aud Z Tying boat
was chartered tn make the trips. It
was agreed that the boat should ny
On schedule time the same as mail
train and that Il was to make two
rips day to Tampa and return. The
boat was to carry express and passen-
gers besides mail.
When the dying boat reached st.
the scoffers lined up on
the shore just as they did In the days
vi ltOVSIt EuAtOu otOtSA0OO0ts
Huh" said one old tarpon fisher.
Flying boats may be all right for a
spell, but they can't keep up to the
I'd rather 60 little bit
slower and keep on time all the time
There were enough enthusiasts IN
st. Petersburg, however. to believe the
boat could keep schedules and expe-
rience has carried out their hopes.
Every day at 10 a. m. the boat whizzes
out Of st. Petersburg carrying one
the mail and express pack
ages. 1t IL scheduled to reach Tampa
at 1890 a. M, but 1t almost always
makes the trip in from 20 to % min
utes. At IL a. III. 1t starts on it's re-
turn trip. Il is scheduled to reach the
hangar at st. Petersburg at 1880.
The afternoon trips are scheduled
thus: Leave st. Petersburg, 2 p. m.
arrive Tampa, $3.50 p. M: leave Tam
pa, 8 D. M; arrive st. Petersburg.
3:30 D. m.
After the regular trip special trips
are made for passengers anxious to
take q trip in the air ship while In
st. Petersburg.
The flying boat knows not rules OF
speed or track. 1t has no crossing pa
trolman to contend with, or washed
out bridges to impede It's passage.
When the waves dash high In the bay
below due to a storm outside In the
Gulf of Mexico, the flying boat rides
high and free. caring nothing for
things 20 far beneath.
The west coast Of Florida IL
typical spot to locate an aerial line.
rhe climate usually is steady. The
wind does not blow I'm fitful gusts.
Tampa bay Is well protected from
storms and the flying boats have few
delays because OF weather. What de-
lays they do have are easily surmonnf.
ed.
Where a private corporation might
fear to undertake the launching OF
an aero line, .he city had no fear.
Even II the line should be q loss
1t should bring such crowds
Of people out OF the city that the
result would be beneficial As It turn
ed out the line Is big paying In
vestment In itself. There has not
been a day that the boat line has not
had to turn away passengers. Every
date 10 filled for month ahead.
The boat line has the mail con.
tract and one Of the evening papers
has a contract to send daily papers
over the aerial route to Tampa.
The flying boats are operated by
the Beroist Co., which furnishes the
and aviators. The city owns
the air line, which costs nothing be-.
cause nothing Is % free as air. The
flying boats and aviators were leas-
ed from the Bcnoist Co.
The first Night of the craft n one
worthy to take its place In history
with Robert Fulton's Clermont and
the first steam train. An excited
crowd of st. Petersburgites were
around the hangar hours before the
time of the flight. II was decided to