The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-15

Today is the first anniversary OF
the Inauguration Of the airmail serv-
ice in this country and in the world.
One year ago today an aeroplane,
carrying mail from New York and
Philadelphia, landed on the Polo Field
| in Potomac Park. successfully com
pleting the first aerial mail flight in
history.
In the year that has passed the
practical utility OF the aeroplane has
been clearly demonstrated in the car
rying OF the mails, day after day,
rain, snow, or shine.
The public is invited to attend the
anniversary celebration at College
Park, Nd, the Washington end of the
air mail route to New York, today.
The two planes that are flying the
route today, one leaving Washington,
the other New York, are the same
machines, with the same motors. that
carried the mail a year ago today.
They have been in constant service.
One Machine FIys ~ Hours.
One OF the machines has been in
the air 1874 hours, flying 10,716 miles,
and has carried 572, S26 letters. 1t has
cost in service, S65.SO per hour, and
repairs have cost $3.50. The other
plane has been in the air 222 hours,
flying 15,01S miles, and has carried
ASS, 100 letters, at a cost of S4S.34 per
hour. Repairs have cost $1,s74.76.
The record OF the years service be-
tween New York and Washington
during the year shows 90 per cent
performance rate over the entire
period. The total distance travelled
has been 12S,037 miles and 7,720,S40
letters have been carried. The rev
enues from the sale Of airplane mail
stamps amounted to $159.70O, and the
cost OF service has been $137.900.06.
From the inauguration of the serv-
ice until August 10 the service was
maintained by the army, in connection
with its work for training aviators
for the battle front Since that date
1t has been conducted entirely by the
Postoffice Department, with a civilian
organization
Only Fffty-nve Trips Cancelled.
Gales Of exceptional violence and
heavy snowstorms have been fought
and overcome. Out of 1921 possible
trips ,2O6 were made. only hfty-hve
being defaulted because of weather
One Of the lessons that has been
learned from the operation OF the mail
planes is that the element of danger
that exists in the training of aviators
in military and exhibition flying is
almost entirely absent from CONNER
ciaI flying.
Though more than 1881 900 miles
have been flown during the year no
airplane carrying the mail has ever
fallen out of the sky, and there has
not been a single death OF an aviator
carrying the mail
The only accidents which resulted
in fatalities that have occurred were
of an aviator who made a flight to
demonstrate his qualifications as an
aviator and a mechanic, who fell
against the whirling propeller OF a
plane on the ground. Only two fly
ers have been injured seriously
enough to warrant their being sent to
the hospital. The only other accidents
resulted in minor Commissions, bruises,
and burns, most Of them from planes
turning over upon landing on rough
ground.
Record Favorable, Says PraeEeF.
1.-The record OF the air mail service
with respect to accidents will com
pare favorably with that OF any mode
Of mechanical transportation in the
early days OF its operation" said Otto
Second Assistant Postmaster
General. in his report for the year.
Mr.. Praeger says in his report that