Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-09-04
LACK OF BIDDERS
THREATENING AIR
MAIL EXTENSION
(The Atlanta Journal News Bureau,
.623 Riggs Building.)
BY TEECDOEE TTLLER

Although only ten days remain for
the submission of bids, no bidders
have yet shown up at the postoffice
department with offers to carry the
mail by contract from New York to
Atlanta, and on several aerial routes
proposed through the west. The sec
ond Assistant Postmaster General
Praeger said today no bids had been
received but that he had been prom
lsed" bids before September 10,
About two months ago the post
office department advertised for bids
Tor carrying the mail by airplanes on
number of routes which were to
supplement the routes now being
served by the department itself.
ihese bids were advertised for open
ing on September 10. There was Just
and that was rider" inserted in
the postoffice appropriation bill
wherein congress stipulated that no
additional mail routes by air should
be established unless transportation
of the mail through the air could be
accomplished as cheaply as by train.
congress made no concession because
OF the rapidtiy of air delivery.
1t developed today that bidders are
slow about coming forward, although
the postoffice department announce
ment gave them the privilege Of bid
ding on one or more of several
routes.
Otto Praeger, nevertheless, refuses
to admit that he has lost hope re-
garding extension of the air mail
service. He said today that he had
been promised bids by one or more
contractors and he confidently ex-
poets their propositions before Sep
TENDER 10. Mr.. Praeger is an en-
thusiast about air mail deliveries and
wants to extend the system all over
the country.
Congress has stood in the way so
far and the best that could be OBJ
tanned in the last appropriation bill
was permission to extend the service
at cost not exceeding what the
department is paying the railroads.
has been interest chiefly in the pro-
posed air route from New York to
Atlanta, via Norfolk, Raleigh and
Columbia. Eventually the depart
ment expected to extend this route
to Key West. Various cities along
the route have been in competition
as stopping places" or gasoline re-
filling stations. Both Charlotte and
Greensboro, n. c., wanted to be in
cluded as stops, but so far the de-
partment has not agreed to any stops
south of the Virginia line other than
that only local mail pouches are to
be left in these cities. The main
purpose of the proposed route is to
deliver mail rapidly in New York and
Atlanta, both great distributing CEN
ters.
However, no bids have yet been re-
ceived for this service, nor on any
of the other proposals offered by the
postoffice department, and there may
be no southern aerial route after all.
Mr.. Praeger hopes there will be, be-
cause he thinks the circuits now in
operation Justify a country wide ex-
tension of air deliveries.
Asked today If he expected to &c, get
been received but he expected them.
"Oh, yes, we will get bids, L am
confident" he said: You see, we
'But there has been no rush Of
bidders during the past two months"
it was suggested.
1--WE will get some bids before the
time is up. We have been promised
them" said the enthusiastic Mr..
Praeger