Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-06

proving its value" he continued
Through its efficiency the airmail ser
vice has proved the feasibility OF fur.
ther extension"
The New York Washington service
was started May Is. 1918. From thai
date until August l. the planes were
operated by army pilots. Since then
the postoftice department has provided
it's own planes and operators.
Flights Now Are Not Experimental.
September is the first full month
OF our own airmail operation" ex-
planned Burleson. THE per cent OF
performance was 100: that is. the mail
went each day each way. rain, shine
or storm, without 4 miss or failure
There were 25 flying days. Our pilots
flew a total of 1851 miles. The round
trip consists Of four legs. each valued
at % per cent II completed by aero
plane and not by train before the close
of the day. The performance column
shows 100 per cent every day. The
pilots carried 1919 "a pounds OF
mail. and not once did the mail have 10
be carried by train. There were only
three forced landings out of total of
100 flights.
There was nothing experimental
about the washingto New York line.
It's efficiency and permanence was as
srred beforehand. Minor difficulties
were overcome within the first two or
three weeks. After the first two weeks
the record of efficiency improved
steadily until now It has reached 100
per cent--a higher mark than can rea-
sonably he expected OF any service.
however long in operation.
How about future extensions
through the country" | asked.
"Sn future extensions when war con-
ditions admit OF this" he answered,
there will be nothing experimental.
The airmail pilot is solving the prob
lem of flying in all sorts Of weather.
Before the establishment OF the
airmail service 1t was regarded as i'm
practicable to make flights during Sc
we're storms. But our pilots have
shown in their daily service that mail
can be carried through the air in the
teeth of n storm.
Storms Fail to Stop AirmaiI.
"On three or four occasions the air.
mail pilots have encountered severe
thunder and lightning. wind, hail and
rain, without being stopped In their
flight.
NO flight attempted in storm has
yet failed.
THE worst day was September Is.
when the planes left Washington and
New York in the midst Of rainstorms.
II was raining so hard the machines
had to be started In the hangers. and
Aviator Shank, in his take Off at
Washington found his landing gear
sinking in the mud up to the hubs in
parts of the field. Notwithstanding
this. he made the trip from Washing
ton to New York in three hours and
five minutes, with storm all the way.
THE value of the service to the
public has been shown repeatedly. Pa
pers have been sent to New York,
signed and mailed back tifeSaamsS dasr
going by postplane and coming back
over night by regular mail, saving at
least "a hours. While the actual fly
ing time In transit may he reduced ny
from two to three hours. the fact OF
being sent from Wash
ington to New York, or vice versa and
reaching its destination before the
close of business hours. admitting OF
a reply by evening mall OF the same
day, may save at least 4 day In time
The rate Is 10 cents for the first ounce
and 6 cents for each additional ounce.
and aeroplane mail automatically ne
comes special delivery from the mo-
ment it Is posted until 1t is In the
hands Of the addressee."
The departments next projected
route for airmail is between New YORK
and Chicago. by way OF Cleveland
The first pathfinding trips were madP
over this route September 5, and w..
The permanent service will be esfab-
lished just as soon as the equipment 10
available. This may be ut any time
now. Other routes are projected from
Washington to Chicago: from New
York to New England: from Chicago
to st. Louis to Kansas City; from Chi
cago to St. Paul and Minneapolis; ana
from Kansas City and st. Paul to the
Pacific coast. At least II new aeriai
routes can be established within the
next year II equipment Is available
and the demands from the territory
affected strong enough. The depart
ment has laid out total Of 200 airmail
routes for future operation.