Evening star., 1918-02-12
MAIL BY A|RPLANE
TO NEW YORK SOON
Philadelphia Also to Be on
Route From Washington,
According to Plan.
ASK BIDS FOR MACHINES

Airplane delivery of frst-class mail
between Washington, Philadelphia and
New York win be established in the near
future, according to an announcement
by Postmaster General Burleson today.
The delivery will consist of one
round trip between the cities daily
and the service will be permanent if
satisfactory results are obtained Grad
ually the service will be expanded to
other cities. and before many months
aerial mail service between all i'm
portant cities in the United States may
become an accomplished fact, it was
announced
1t is planned to carry 500 pounds of
frst-class mail in the planes on each
of these trips. Il special rate of postage
being required for this extraordinary
service.
Postmaster General Burleson today
called for bids for the construction OF
five aeroplanes to be used IN the es-
tablishment of the aerial route Tor
first-ciass mail delivery.
Bids Open February 21.
The bids will be opened tat o'clock
on the afternoon of February Il Con-
tracts for the construction of the coun-
be awarded to the bidder whose ma
chimes have successfully stood the
service tests ordered by the War De-
partment.
The establishment of aerial mail de-
Hveries between the capital and New
York is the elimination of deiibera-
tions undertaken months ago, with TINS
purpose in view.
The aeroplane and parts VIII be Dc
ivered by designation of the Post Of
fee Department. at New York, Phlla-
delphia and Washington. not later than
the 25th of April. Service of mail by
air will be a practical fact WITHIN
short time after such delivery, the Post
Office Department formally announced.
The War Department has agreed to
release as many motors as are needed
to equip the maii-carryIng machines,
it was said. In addition to the aero
planes called for, contractors submit
ting bids this month Will be required
to furnish spare parts employed in the
construction and to build and hold IN
reserve a sixth aeropiane-
To Try Out Aviators.
4 supervisory official, familiar with
aeropiane flight and construction, Will
be detailed by the contractors to the
Post Office Department to try out avi-
ators and aeroplane mechanics in the
operation of machines.
Government messages, confidential
communications to military post COM
manders and other important aocu-
nents will constitute a great part Of
the mail matter delivered by air, ac-
cording to agreements between the
Post Office and War Departments.
1t is not the purpose of the Post Of
fee Department, to make this an ex-
perimental service said an official
statement issued by General Burleson
today. Its practicability is to be as
Sured before the esta blishment of the
route. Once established, it is to remain
a permanent service.
At the last session Congress appro-
priated 100000 for preliminary steps
looking to the employment of airplanes
in mail delivery. Before bids were
called for, conferences were held with
the national advisory committee on
'aeronautics, and other technical ex-
perts to prove beyond any doubt that
the service would be practical and per-
manent and not experimental, according
to the announcement.
Authority for Transmission.
Congress will at once be asked to
grant its authority for the transmits
sion of mail between Washin gton, Phil
edelphia and New York, and ultimately
to grant such authority for the entire
country.
The call for construction bids specifies
that the aeroplanes shall be complete,
capable of carrying 800 pounds of first
class mail a distance of not less than
200 miles without a stop. TIE machines
will be equipped with the Hispano-
Suiza motor, $50 horsepower.
The maximum speed for the machines
will be 100 miles per hour, fully load
ed. while the minimum speed at full