El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-09
TENDER LUNCH
To ARMY FLIERS
Chamber of Commerce Del
egation Meets With Men
Mapping Mail Route.

At a luncheon rendered Maj. Albert
Smith, commander Of the aerial squad
ron which is mapping an aerial mail
route from coast to coast, at the Paso
del Norte Monday noon by the Mill
tary committee OF the chamber of
commerce. Mai. Smith said:
In regard to e. Paso's chance Of
being designated as one Of the per-
manent landing places Of the proposed
aerial mail route, I cannot yet make
any positive statement but will say
that Ell Paso possesses every edvan-
tage for a permanent landing place
for aviators."
No Definite Statement.
Maj Smith said he was under the
impression that a record had been
broken in their flight from Deming.
n NJ, Sunday morning. The air line
distance from Deming to FL PasO is a
little over so miles" said Maj. Smith.
but in our flight we made a circuit
Gus route TO avoid the mountains. COW
ering 100 miles in 40 minutes; and
while do not care to make a definite
statement I am under the impression
that we broke a flying record ] am
positive that we. at least, equaled any
thing made previously"
Those present at the luncheon were
Mai Albert Smith, in charge OF the
squadron Lieut.. Robert Worthington:
mayor Chas- Davis. chairman OF cham
Der Of commerce military committee;
c NJ Newman, z. T White. H B. Nc
Bowel, o. C Coles. president OF the
chamber, and c. E Stratton. manager
OF the local telephone company.
The birdmen left the field at Dem
ing Sunday morning at $50 o'clock
and arrived in FL Paso at 9:25. where
- 4
Fort Bliss. Five minutes were utilized
in circling and setting a course. max
ing the actual flight time 40 minutes.
A letter from the mayor Of San
Diego. Cal, to mayor Charles Davis.
was delivered by Maj. Smith upon his
arrival here Sunday The letter said.
7 take pleasure in sending you the
Cal. by the first letter ever delivered
by aerial transportation between two
Of the best hustling young cities in
America Enclosed are they keys Of
this city and my own personal re-
CARDS. Sincerely,
The two keys had a picture of Camp
Kearney on the handle, and the re
uainder Of them bore the legends:
Business is good;'' ASK the Mayor"
and Don't Knock. Come In
Instructions to proceed to Wash
after his arrival here. At 8 o'clock.
Tuesday morning the planes will leave
the field at Fort Bliss and proceed TO
Carlsbad. Tex, and then to san An
tonic.
Mai. Smiths party consists Of Mai.
James H. Mckee, flight surgeon;
Lieut. James Evans. official photOg-
rapher; Lieut.. Robert Worthington,
commander OF aerial gunnery at Rock
well field; Lieut. Hubert D. Mclean;
Lieut. Albert Pyle and two mechani-
clans; Sergts. Lewis and Blanton. will
be the first military aviators to cross
the continent
one accident so FAR has marred the
flight A machine pilOted by Lieut.
Bruce Johnson, became lost from the
others on the start in desert fog
and landed at El Centre. Cal, instead
Of CaIexico. Then in attempting TO fol-
low the instructions he received TO
join the party at the latter place his
machine collided with a telephone
pole, wrecking the plane to such an
extent that he was obliged TO return
TO san Diego
C E. Stratton, manager Of the local
telephone company, kept in touch with
Sunday. getting reports on the prog
ress Of their flight from the several
telephone stations along the line.
The planes, which are scheduled to
leave here for the east Tuesday morn
ing, may take the air late today II
the necessary repairs to them can be
made in time The aviators are anx-
iOus to continue their journey, which
they have made so far in record time,
and will therefore make their depar-
ture as soon as possible.
To Take Aerial Pictures.
It was announced at the chamber
Of commerce later in the afternoon
that the four planes would leave at
o'clock Tuesday morning for Wash
ington. D. c, and, on leaving. make a