The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-20

AIRMEN TO CARRY
CUBAN-U. S. MAILS
Aerial Service Within Country
and without to Grow
Big, Says Praeger.
CARGO CRAFT ORDERED
Giant Machine VIII Hold
5000 Pounds Of Letters
and Crews Quarters.
CARGO CRAFT ORDERED

Mail is to be carried by airplane be-
tween Cuba and the United States. Otto
Praeger, Second Assistant Postmaster
General, who has charge Of the air mail
service, announced this yesterday as he
sailed on the United Fruit liner .Zacapa
for Havana.
The Cuban Government, he said. Is
very anxious to see this aerial communi-
cation established. Proposals from sew
eral private concerns are being con-
sidered. The aerial mail service within
the country as we'll as outside 1t will be
developed Mr.. Praeger announced.
There is a great demand for extern
sion of the aerial mail, but we are
limited by reason of small appropria-
TONS" he. said. Petitions are coming
In from all parts of the country, princi-
pally through local Congressman, asking
for the air mail, and even with our
limited funds we will carry air mail
daily to Minneapolis. Omaha and St
Louis in the spring.
Makeshift Equipment Used.
The Post Once Department had a
bare 100000 to start with and obtained
about 100000 more at the last session
of Congress. This sum Is being utilized
in the operation OF about a score Of air
planes over the Washington, New York
and Chicago route. Through cooperation
with the army we have recently obtained
100 obsolete De Havilands. which, In
their present state, are useless either
for military or commercial work. These
airplanes equipped with Liberty motors,
are being remodelled so as to carry 400
pounds Of mail each. They will provide
temporary equipment for such air mail
lines as must be established this fall.
Two other great steps taken by the
Post Office Department are the adoption
OF synthetic fuel and the development
of n fire extinsuishing liquid which can
be injected into the gasolene or alcohol
tank in case OF oonhagration. Tests
have proved that industrial alcohol can
be obtained for the same price as high
grade gasolene and that II will prove
20 per cent. more efficient.
Within the next few weeks we ex-
pect to fly the mail between Cleveland
and New York without making an
emergency stop Mt Bellefont. Pa. as has
been the case since last spring.
5000 Pound Delivery.
early this winter we expect to have
In the air at least several OF the four
teen big cargo machines now under con-
struction in New York, in Cleveland and
at Ithaca. The L-W-F cargo mail ship,
II Is expected. will make nonstop fights
between New York and Chicago carrying
5000 pounds Of letter mail in addition
TO crew of three men, who will have
sleeping quarters aboard. The Glenn
l.. Martin and Thomas-Morse cargo
ships will be slightly smaller, but will
be heavily powered and capable of
making a New ork-Cleveland-C Chicago
flight with great speed and regularity.
With these in operation the Post Office
Department, through its aerial mail,
will save one and a half million dollars
a year over the present cost of first
class mail transportation. / believe that
this record speaks for itself and en-
titles the Post Office Department to con-
sideration of its plans for coordinating in
the development OF a fixed national
aeronautical policy"
Mr. Praeger stated that he believed in
n department of aeronautics headed by
director who shall develop, regulate
and coordinate all aerial activities but
not undertake to operate the service OF
the army, navy or Post Office Depart
ment.