Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-01-10
WILL CARRY MAILS
BY AIRPLANE SOON
Uncle Sam Is Considering Plans
for Chicago-New York
Service.
TO MAKE TRIP IN 8 HOURS
Regular Daily Schedule, With Three
Stops Between TWO Big Cities
Proposed as First Step in
Project.

Proposed as First Step in
Project.
Uncle Sam, at some time in the not
distant future. will be carrying mails
| between New York and Chicago by air.
| plane. This is the belief of officials
of the post Office department who have
discussed the present possibilities of
aerial mail transportation with Ameri-
| can representatives OF the science Of
I aerial navigation and are assured that
| New York-Chicago service is practical
be. II Is estimated that the trips can
be made in from TO IA hours, depend
ing upon the wind and that the aver
| age running time for the T20 miles (air
| line) between the two largest Ameri-
can cities would be eight hours.
Certain American promoters have
proposed definite plans for the main
tenance on u regular schedule of this
air trunk-line for the mails. They
point out that ''the flights of Ruth Law
| and Victor Carlstrom were much more
difficult and remarkable than the regu-
lar trips we are planning. They had
no help along the route, whereas we
would provide everything that can be
thought Of"
One plan involves emergency sta
| tons every % miles, each equipped
| with powerful lights, two landing sta
| tons, and one relay station. The
planes would leave the two termini at
! Nd ha hane~r,
a. IN. the following day. Under the
most favorable conditions. the mani
would reach destination by midnight.
/ From 500 to 1000 pounds of load or
cargo" would be carried.
Lights to Guide Filters.
Leaving New York at dusk. the air
mali carrier would follow the lights
4 at the emergency stations to the first
landing station which would be in the
/ vicinity of WilHamsport, Pa. There,
/ ut a flying field fully equipped with
hangers, tools and spare parts, he
would stop for oil and gas. and would
then continue to the relay station near
/ Niles. Ohio. Here another machine
| would finish the flight, landing once at
/ the second landing. near Napoleon.
/ Ohio, One extra machSne with pilot
! would be maintained at each landing
station and three extra machines and
I pilots NJ the relay station. Powerful
/ searchlights would mark the emer-
I gency stations and special lighting sys-
/ TENS illuminate the flying fields at the
landing and relay stations BY the
use Of searchIights Of about 5000 can
die power equipped with acetylene gas
tanks. it is stated that the pilots
/ would be able 70 see the lights when
several miles distant even in foggy
weather and would he compelled to fly
in darkness under the worst conditions
only 10 or l. minutes.
American authorities agree that the
development of airpIane and Zeppelin
navigation abroad incident to the war
/ has been such as TO promise very def
/ nitely the ultimate success of both
types Of machine as crOss-country car
riers. Heavy loads are carried. long
flights made and the war planes are
serviceable in practically all weather.
/ The end Of the war will release hun
/ dreds Of aviators accustomed to face
/ regular duty In good and bad weather
| and will bring about keen competition
+ in applying to commerce the dearly
bought experience and knowledge
gained in the war. It is foreseen that
a 12-hour one, two or rhree-stop mail
+ service by airplane between New York
and Chicago. twO-hcur nonstop run
between New York and Boston, a three
hour nonstop service between Chicago
and st. Louis. and even a 36-hour six
stop service between New York and
/ San Francisco. are no longer the mere
/ dreams OF active imaginations.
Airplanes to Preeede zeppelins.
Exact information of the opportuni-
ties offered by the Zeppelins seem to
. be lacking In this country. 1t seems
likely that the people of America will
see the mails regularly carried by air
plane before ZeppeIins sail on schedule
between the big cities of this coun-
/ try.
The Introduction as an established
feature Of postal facilities of such
{ tlEu-Spteu man service, klINtIeu ntCeS-
sarily as to weight, would raise the
/ question of whether the service sho' I'D
/ be classed separately and charged for
! on special basis. 1t would offer
medium of communication midway be-
tween the present special delivery let
ter and the telegram.
! The suggestion Of an air trunk-line
between the two largest cities of the
United States does not mean that the
department will not keep open the
| bidding for contract service upon dis
tant. expensive and difIiculf routes.
such as those In Alaska, to aircraft.
| The airplane undoubtedly now is
| practicable facility for reducing the
cost and improving this class OF serv-
Ice and, when the special demands of
the war cease, is virtually certain 10
outbid the steamship, stage. and dog
/ sled,
| Must Have the Robe