The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-01-04
WILL CARRY MAILS
BY AIRPLANE SOON
Uncle Sam Is Considering Plans
for Chicago-New York
Service.
TO MAKE TRIP IN 8 HOURS

Regular Daly SCnCuulSr WIN '"SS
Stops Between TWO Big Cities
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 Amerl-
can representatives of the science OF
aerial navigation and are assured that
New YOrk-ChicagO service is prnctica-
BILE. 1t 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 100 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 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
tions, and one relay station. The
planes would leave the two termini at
6 p. m. and deliver the mail before 9
Il. m. the following day. Under the
most favorable conditions, the mail
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
mail carrier would follow the lights
at the emergency stations to the first
landing station which would be in the
vicinity of Williamsport, Pa. There,
ut Il 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 machine with a pilot
would be maintained at each landing
station and three extra machines and
pilots at the relay station. Powerful
searchlights would mark the emer,
gency stations and special lighting sys'
tens illuminate the flying fields ut the
landing and relay stations. BY the
use of searchlights of about 5000 can.
die power equipped with acetylene gas
tanks, it is stated that the pilots
would be able to see the lights when
several miles distant even in foggy
weather and would be compelled to fly
In darkness under the worst conditions
only 10 or 10 minutes.
American authorities agree that the
development of airplane and Zeppelin
navigation abroad incident to the wal
has been such as to promise very def
nitely the ultimate success of both
'vpes 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
| l,,E,, s,, nd hn1 n
and will bring about keen competition
in applying to commerce the dearly
bought experience and knowledge
gained in the war. It is fOreseen that
service by airplane between New YOrE
and Chicago, a twO-hOur nonstop rur
between New York and Boston, a three
hour nonstop service between Chicago
and st. Louis, and even q 36-hour six
stop service between New York ant
San Francisco, are no longer the mere
dreams of active imaginatiOns.
AirpIanes to Precede ZeppeIins.
Exact information Of the oppOrtuni
ties offered by the Zeppelins seem t.
be lacking in this country. 1t seems
likely that the people of America viii
see the mails regularly carried by air
plane before Zeppelins sail on schedule
between the big cities of this cOun
try.
The introduction as an established
feature of postal facilities of such {
high-speed mail service, limited neces
sarily as to weight, would raise th'
question of whether the service SHOULD
be clasSed separately and charged fOl
on q 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-lint
between the two largest cities of thu
United States does not mean that thu
department will not keep open thu
bidding for contract service upon dis
tant, expensive and difficult routes
such as those in Alaska, to aircraft
The airplane undoubtedly now is ;
practicable facility for reducing thu
cost and improving this class of Serv
ice and, when the special demands O
the war cease, is virtually certain t
Outbid the steamship, stage, and dog
| CIo