Iditarod pioneer., 1916-05-20
CONTRACT FOR AERIAL MAIL SERVICE
Concluded from Page One)

gatlon Tn this section, and they are able to put their plans into execution. At the pres ent time, as is well known, the cost of trans porting merchandise over the trail from the coast to Idtarod in the winter season is probibtive It is thought that the fact that the trip from Seward to Iditarod can be made within forty ght hours by aeroplane carrying from 1000 to 2,000 pounds of freight, will make possible a reduction Ill the cost of transporting light merchandise which will be the means of working up a large business. The possibilities are most inviting.
 The contract on which bids were called for, and which the local men may secure is for service between Seward and Iditarod 3S0 miles, twice a week all the year, for transportation of 1000 tor 2,000 pounds of mail each trip; running time, two days. The cost of the present service between Sew ard and ldltarod between November l and April 30 (tlme of dispatch of last main IS S22, ,S65 yearly. The figures submitted by Byers are not made public.
 Department Greatly Interested
 In the March number of The Postmaster's Advocate, publication devoted to news of the postal service, Is a comprehensive article by Carolyn Cross on aerial mail service, from which the following extracts are taken, showing the great interest taken in the sub ject by the officials:
 Seriously though, only they who have lived in the great spaces of the earth, away from crowded ultra-civiization, can appre cate the welcome change of getting a reply | { !, ing the weary interval of from two to three months.
 At a hearingbefore sub b-committee Mo- of the committee on poStothces and post roads, house of representatives, Second As sistant Postmaster General Praeger gave, under questioning, some interesting data concerning the prospective aerial mail routes in Alaska He stated that at present the principal methods for transporting mail there are by water routes, horse sleds, dog sleds, some reindeer service and minor percentage of railroad service He also told that the average rate of cost travel for star route service Is Sl 04 per mile, regardless of weight.
 During the fiscal year 1915 the cost of Alaskan mail service was $29, 42496, which was SS,C00 less than the appropriation al lowed, but MT. Praeger explained that the service was not satisfactory, although the department did its best, because of un- avoidable weather conditions as well as that of the roads.
 ""This spring. said Mir. Praeger, we will relet the contracts for steamboat service in the second contract section, and there IS no way to tell definitely what the new con- tracts will cost, because 1t will be the first general letting of them in that part of the country since the inauguration of the parcel post.
 "'Under inland transportation by steam boats or other power boats we include mail carried in steamboats or other boats plying upon the waters between the ports of the United States, including Porto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii, and 8 part of this money saved is to be added to what was asked for Alaska this year
 "ie explained that would cover the esti mated cost of exporting the mails to and from Alaska and on the waters of Alaska but that something like S300,00Q requested from congress to be used in Alaska did not include that feature, but was meant for star route service only; that Is, after the mail reaches the land in Alaska. He did not make any definite mention of the pro- posed aeroPlane mail service beyond saying that the department proposes going into Alaska and having investigations made this spring with 8 view to seeing what i'm provements can be made in the matter of competition for the routes there and in order to eliminate many of the complaints that arise. For this we are asking an in crease of S2,000, which 1 consider a very small amount
 Feasibility of Plan
 In another portion of the article the writer says:
 Tt is believed that the large sums being now spent under contract to provide the present Alaskan service are adequate, in connection with prospective private busi- ness, to induce private capital to organize companies which will enter the field of aerial transportation in Alaska on a busi- ness basis. Correspondence received by the postmaster general shows that the latter step is already being seriously considered by responsible private parties. It has been pointed out to the department that recent tests of a new bplane demonstrated that the machine will carry 1000 pounds useful load at approximately fifty miles an hour. It is stated that with good equipment, with landing places constructed along the routes, and with competent aviators to operate the planes and with machinists to keep the en-