The sun., 1916-12-16
ERIE'S HEAD FAYORS
AERIAL MAIL ROUTE
Frederick D.. Underwood Says
His Railroad Will Provide
Landing Places.
n. Y. TO CHICAGO PROJECT
Post Office Department An
nOuncement Stirs Enthus-
iasm Of Aviators.

II the Post once Department estab-
fishes an aerial mail out between New
York and Chicago the Erie Railroad will
cooperate to the fullest possible extent.
Frederick n. Underwood. president Of
the Erie. said yesterday that his COM
pany would be willing to provide landing
places on railroad property at points to
be decided later and would furnish
searchlights as guides every twenty
miles IL necessary.
The route Of tho Erie has been the
natural route for aviators since the first
Chicago-New York flights were at
tempted. partly because Of the favorable
air currents and partly because of the
chain OF river which act a. guides TO
the aviator too high In the air to see
other distinguishing marks. Ruth Law
OH her recent flight complained that the
aerial map helped her little n that
she vas guided chiefly by the rivers.
we will be glad to aid such a project
In n Nay II we are asked said Mr..
Underwood. who has always been
greatly Interested in aviation. 1T Is a
public enterprise. We are not altogether
%altruistic. for we get a good deal of
Chicago mail ourselves and We ought to
SCI IL Vuithtl al VIM pidn VI a. uNNts
Landing Places for Airplaaes.
W. have plots Of ground at various
points on the route taken by the avla-
tors In their flights and could furnish
them with lights. gasolene and whatever
else they need. ror instance. We have
land at Hornell. Salamanca n Marion
that could easily I've made into landing
places for airplanes,
THE irst night that was ever At
tempted between Chicago and New York
was over the same route as the one they
are using to-day. A man named Rogers
made that. and we sent a special train
along with supplies n a parts for
the machine. Flying was somewhat dif-
ferent then"
Mr.. Underwood said he hadn't dis
cussed a plan OF cooperation with any
one.
81 suppose II the Government wants
us to help they will ask u.s. he said.
e. p. Rogers was the man who made
the first flight over his route. He
started on September T.. 1911. from
sheepshead Bay and reached Chicago
on the following October S.
Aviation E1perts Con0dent.
The announcement OF the Post once
~ ffhf tSNAi WIN Nf
thusiasm by men interested in aviation.
They believe that the plan II practical.
Alan X. Hawley. president Of the Aero
Club Of America. said:
"Given the appropriation. the plan Is
practical. There Is n possibility that
Congress nay not allow the 500. 900
asked for by the officers OF the POI,
Office Department. The post once su-
thoritlcs have done their best to en-.
courage this development ever since
1911. and now that Ruth Law. Victor
Carls,rom n other avia.ors have
shown the possibility OF making long
distance. nonstop Nights. Congress
should allow tho appropriation"
The aid which Mr.. Underwood stands
ready to give probably would reduce the
cost OF the enterprise to the Govern.
ment.
Trips In q To - Hours.
onicers OF the Post Office Department
have estimated that the a trips be-
tween New York and Chicago can be
made In from six to fourteen hours, de-
pending on weather conditions. and be-
lieve that the average running time for
100 miles. air line, would be eight hours.
Henry Woodhouse, member OF the
board OF governors Of the Aero Club.
believes hat the new mail service would
be OF value not only 20 the Post ONCE
Department but also TO the army.
ut will train avlators for national
defence" he said. The man who gets
experience In dropping mail bags--and
that eventually will be done-wiil be-
come proficient in dropping bombs. u.
fortunately there are few trained avia.
tors available and fewer men having
both the knowledge Of aviation and cx-