Iditarod pioneer., 1916-03-18
USE AEROPLANES
 IN MAIL SERVICE
Postofice Departemnt Sad to Be Planning Aerial Mail Service Between Iditarod and Sew
 ard and Other Points

Considerable interest has been aroused in this city since the last Fairbanks newspapers arrived, bringing word that Postmaster Gen eral Burleson has called for bids for an aerial mail service between various points in Alaska which are to be opened on May l2 The feasibility of this plan of carrying mail in this territory has been conceded for some time past, and certain 1ditarod men have for months been considering the ad visibility of establishing an aerial service between this city and Seward,
 According to the reports, the po&tottlce department figures on having the service semi weekly and for twelve months in the year. The call for bids stipuates for the delivery of mail three times week between Valdez and Fairbanks; Fairbanks to Tan naa, three times per week Tanana to kal- tag twice each week. kaltag to Nome, twice each week. Seward to 1ditarod twice each week Iditarod to Nome twice each week.
 The time stipulated for the runs will be: From Valdez to Fairbanks not more than two days; Fairbanks to Panama, twenty four hours; kaltag to Nome, two days; Seward to Iditarod, two days; IdltaroG to Nome, twenty four hours.
 what fCSlHi6SlGT CGilSi al OdyS
 According to statements attributed to the postmaster general! this mail service will be the best that can be offered in any place in the world, considering the distances GOV cred The department intends, under these new plans, if they can be worked out, to sea that all the first and sec0nd-claSs mall gets through, and if possible some of he parcel post matter will be handled by aero pane. Since announcement was first made that the aeroplane service would be inau- gurated the postmaster general has had nuMcr0us conferences with the makers of aerorlanes and he is given the assurance by them that it will be entirely practicable, notwithstanding the extreme cold of some sections in the winter. Some of the manu- lecturers are sad to be considering the pos S!bility of passenger service in connection with the ma. contracts, and if awarded the contracts will build machines large enough to carry several passengers
 The postmaster general is quoted as say ing that ever since taking office the Alaska mail service has been a cause of annoyance to him and his assistants. tlt may be re marked parenthetlcaly that 1t could not possibly have caused as much annoyance to him as to the victims of the service) He has received nnumcrable complaints re garding the poor service rendered, and rec ogni1ed the fact that they were justiabl2. He has realized for some time that some thing ought to be done, but has been un- able to determine UNon a means of lmnrov ing the service. At last came the sugges- ton of aeroplanes, and after going into the matter tie department las come to the conclusion that aeroplanes can render bet ter service and for practically the same money as is being spent at the present time.
 Last Weeks Mail Ought to Cinch Plan
 In the mail which arrived last Saturday there was no Outside first-class mail but there was a considerable quantity of second- class, scre of rare and ancient vint age. For instance, this office received copies of the Seattle newspapers of September last con taining interesting news of the baseball pen nant race. The same consignment contained copies of the Seward newspapers of the sec ond week in September. Magazines of Sep tember and October were numerous.
 It IS explained that no connection was made with the mail steamship, and there fore the consignment consisted of lnft-overs stored in the Seward office, of which it IS believed there is still considerable quantity. Much of this matter would better be dumped in the bay at the terminus rather than to be allowed to cucumber the mails at this season of the year At least, as long as it had remained in storage for such a lengthy period, it could suHer no further deteriora- tion in value by being allowed to remain until the rivers are open to navigation, at least