New Britain herald., 1918-05-18
AIRPLANE ALMOST
AS SAFE AS AUTO
Mail Via Sky Route New Epoch
in American History

Washington May 1S.--With the es-
tablishment Of a regular airplane mail
service between Washington and New
York, the post office considers that
the project is experim entail only III
the sense that now familiar means OF
lOcomo{ion is to be put practically to
a new use. The war has demon
strated effectively that the airplane as
a conveyance is almost as dependa bic
and safe as an automobile, so the only
real obstacle in the way of success
fully operating the new air line lies
in maintaining service under all kinds
of weather conditions.
The War department has furnished
12 large training planes for use in
the new service. Aviators have been
detailed from the ranks of fighting
airmen, as War department officials
feel that the newly commissioned
1iers will acquire valuable training in
plotting the big mail carriers over long
cross country flights.
The planes, each capable of min
imum speed of 80 miles an hour, are
built along the lines of the regulation
bombing machine. They are one
seaters, as a maximum of space is
desired in the fuselage for the storing
of mail bags.
The schedule provides for the de-
parture of one plane each day from
both Washington and New York. The
machines leave promptly at 1870 IL
the morning, and it is hoped to have
the mail deposited at the terminals
not more than three hours later.
Starting from the Mall in Washington,
near the Washington Monument, the
trip to Philadelphia, about 1876 miles,
is expected to be made in about an
hour and 20 minutes. At the ham
gars in North Philadelphia, another
machine will be waiting, ready to
start the flight to 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
adeiphia to Belmont field in the Long
Island suburbs of New York, should be
made in about an hour. The larger
planes carry 600 pounds of mail, Or
approximately $4,000 letters. The
smaller machines will carry about half
that amount.
Emergency landing Fields.
Emergency landing fields will be es-
tablished at Baltimore and HaVre de
Grace, Md; Wilmington, Del, and at
ClkllCI L IlllCCloII I'll NC" ID ullS w lCh,
New Jersey. In the case Of a ma
chine breaking down at some inter-
urban point in it's journey, the mail
sacks will be rushed by motor truck
to the nearest railroad station, where
they will be sent forward in care Of
a courier.
The rate of postage has been estab-
lished by law at "a cents an ounce or
fraction thereof. However, this en-
titles the sender to have the letter
Forwarded to the addressee by special
delivery service in case the airp1ane
arrives too late for the regular city
deliveries
Letters mailed at Washington, Phil
adelphia or New York for delivery in
any part Of the country may have
their delivery facilitated by sending
them on the first part Of the journey
by airplane. 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 Dor
der, and shows an airplane in flight
on a blue field.
The first stamp was sold to Post
master G eneral Burleson, who ad-
dressed a letter to Postmaster Patten
of New York. After cancellation of
the stamp, the letter was autogra phed
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 serv-
ice no flights will be made when storm
conditions make the journey very pre-
carious. On those days the sacks will
be forwarded by rail and delivered by
special delivery service. Otto Prae-
ger, second assistant postmaster-gen-
eral, who has charge of the new serv-
ice, believes that sufficient experience
will be gained during the summer to
make possible an effective mainten-
ance of the service during the winter.
cessfully in a heavy fog, rain Or snow
storm.
AS the present routes prove success
full, plans will be made for expanding
the service next spring to other parts
of the country. The first extension,
Mr.. Praeger says, probably will be
from New York to Boston. To elimi-
nate delay, arrangements are being
worked out for the construction Of
post offices SO that the bags may be
dropped while the machine is in flight
STRANGEED GERMAN.