The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1918-05-19
MAIL DELIVERIES
90 MILES AN HOUR
GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO DO
AS WELL WITH PLANES AS BY
AUTO.

WASHINGTON, May 16.-With the
establishment of a regular airplane
mail service between Washington and
| New York; the post Office considers
| that the project is experimental only
| in the sense that new familiar means
| of locomorion is to be put practically
to new use. The war has demon
strated effectively that the airplane as
a conveyance is almost as dependable
and safe as an automobile, so the only
real obstacle in the way of success
fully operating the new air line in
maintaining service under all kinds
of weather conditions.
The War Department has furnished
| twelve large training planes for use
in the new service Aviators have
been detailed from the ranks of fight
ing airman, as War Department offici-
ais feel that the newly-co mmissioned
filters will acquire valuable training in
plotting the big mail carriers over
long cross-country flights.
The planes, each capable of mini
mum speed of ninety miles an hour,
are built along the lines of the regu-
lation bombing machine. They are one
seaters as maximum of space is de-
sired in the fuselage for the storing
mail bags.
The schedule provides for the de-
parture of one plane each day from
both Washington and New York. The
machines promptly at 1870 in the
morning, and it is hoped to have the
mail deposited at the terminals not
more than three hours later. Starting
from Mall i'll Washington monument,
the trip to Philadelphia, about 1876
miles, is expected to be made in about
and hour and twenty minutes. At the
hangers in North Philadelphia
another ma chine will be waiting, ready
to start the flight of New York as
soon as the incoming plane lands and
the transfer of mail bags is made. The
second leg of the journey, from Phil
adelphia to Belmont field, in the Long
suburbs of New York, should be made
in about an hour. The larger planes
carry about 600 pounds of mail. or
approximately $4,000 letters. The
smaller machines will carry about
half that amount.
Emergency landing fields will be
established at Baltimore and Harve de
Grace, Md, Wilmington, Del. and at
either Princeton or New Brunswick,
| journey, the mail sacks will be rushed
by motor truck to the nearest railroad
station where they will be sent for
ward in care of courier
The rate of postage has been estab-
lished by law at "a cents an ounce or
! fraction thereof However this entities
the sender to have the letter forward
ed to the addresses by special delivery
service, in case the airplane arrives
too late for the regular city deliveries
Letters mailed at Washington, Phil
adclphia or New York for delivery Ill
any part Of the country may Save their
delivery facilitated by sending them
on the first part of the journey by air
plane In each city postmasters have
designated the stations and the hours
at which letters for airplane dispatch
may be mailed.
A special stamp has been designed
for the new service. 1t has a red bord-
er, and shows an airplane in flight on
a blue field.
The first stamp was sold to Post
master-General Burleson who address
ed letter to Postmaster Patten, of
New York. After cancellation of the
stamp, the letter was autographed by
President Wilson, and placed in the
first consignment of mail directed to
New York. The letter will be sold at
auction, the proceeds to be devoted
to war relief
During the first months of the ser
vice no flights will be made when