The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-17
D..C.P|V0T FOR
AIR POST PLAN
BurleSon Recommends Wash
ington for Main Point in
Eastern Aero Mail.

Washington will be made the
pivot point of the Eastern airmail
service during the coming year, ac-
cording to the annual report on the
service submitted TO Congress today
by Postmaster General Burleson.
The Washington-New York line,
the first airmail service in the
world to be opened, has been operat-
ing successfully since May Is, 1918.
Contracts have been let for carrying
the mail by airplane from Wash
ington to Atlanta, Ca, via Raleigh
and Columbia.
During the past year the airmail
service was extended from the At
lantic to the Pacific with the opening
on September last, OF the New York
San Francisco route.
23.OOO,OO IN POST.
Airmail planes fly daily. except Sun
day, over an aggregate distance OF
0.lSS miles, carrying a total OF 23,-
1853. 100 letters during the past year.
The total cost of the service during
the year ending June 30. 1920 was
S553,I5G10 The total distance flown
by airmail planes Is .S93.523 miles.
ne ItpoIt SiNVs hEuI'S WHICH
prove that the carrying OF mail by
pairplane is actually cheaper than
transportation by railroad.
Another important phase OF the
work during the past fiscal year is
the installation OF radio stations at
all airmail landing fields. These
stations arc now in daily communica
ton. and messages are relayed daily
from coast to coast. In case OF
storms this service is of tremendous
value.
During the time from its inaugura-
ton, May Is, 1913 to date, the re-
port declares. the air mail service has
lost but eight pilots killed in carry
ing the mails. In addition two pilots,
who were attempting TO qualify, lost
their lives by accident and two lost
their lives on the ground at air mail
fields.
ECONOMY IN DEVELOPMENT
In two years and three months
operation the total cost of the service
covering a mileage of 993.904, including
the total cost Of planes rendered unre-
parable by accidents aggregates S34I,-
S44 or 50 cents a mile.
In a study of the question of en-
couraging civil aviation the General
STAFF of the Army, says the Post
.
economy of developing commercial
aviation in time OF peace as a founda-
/ ton for "A sudden expansion in time
| of war The Postofffce Department
! has endeavored to point the way TO
practical commercial operation of air
! planes in it's operation of the air mail
/ service, and it has been brought to q
point where il will be possible e.
make contracts with commercial en-
terprises for carrying mail In connec'
! tion with passenger and other traffic
! AS n result Of investigation the
| Postmaster General recommends to
Congress that the system of Govern
( ment routes be extended as follows;
Boston to Detroit. via Buffalo; Chi
cago TO Los Angeles, via Kansas city
! ST. Paul to Seattle. and st. Louis &c
/ New Orleans via Memphis.
Extension of the transContinental
} air service between New York and
Sar Francisco, inaugurated Septem-
Der 5, 1890, was the notable achieve
ment of the department. The initial
" est bound trip was made at the
rate of 1919 miels an hour. The
. plane carried 1900 letters which
arrived in Frisco twenty-five hours
ahead Of the best possible train
schedule, without an accident.
| SPEEDED Up - HOURS.
The plane leaves New York al
daybreak with 5000 letters thai
would not depart from New York
until $40 o'clock that night, and
delivers them in Chicago in time
20 dispatch them to the through
West mail connection which left
/ New York the previous night. Thus
they are advanced twentyfour
hours.
Incidentally this transcontinenta'
route will be Of incstimable value
to the military establishment, tho
report says. through the mainte'
nance every 200 miles of hangers
landing fields, and repair stations.
Other extensions during the yeal
were the route between New York
and Cleveland through which tn,
scorvice was compelled from New
York to Chicago. Another route wa,
established from Chicago to Omaha
May - last. and still another be
tween Chicago and st. Louis o.
August l6 last.
a fourth extension, from Chicago
to ST. Paul and Minneapolis. is be
ing put into operation as a feeder
to the transcontinental route.
ID. C.-N. Y. ROUTE 4 SUCCESS.
The Washington-New York route
the report says. has been operated
during the year successfully and de
pendably On account of the speed
of the planes. the air mail has beer
able to make better connections with
the carrier delivery in Washington
than was the train service which II
superseded
In addition to establishing it's owr
routes the Postoffcc Department
during the year let contracts fol