The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-09
FOUR new AIR
MAIL ROUTESTO
CONNECT SEAS
Postmaster Asks S3,O00,000 APP
preparation for Project.
Plans to Cut Mail Time by
Twenty-FOur Hours.
ROUTE MAY INCLUDE Topeka
Kansas to Get Mail Same Day
From Chicago.
Expects to Show Saving Over
Railway Mail.
ROUTE MAY INCLUDE Topeka
Kansas to Get Mail Same Day
From Chicago.

Washington. Jan. 9.-Four new aer-
ial mail routes to link the important
cities of the country from coast to
coast will be established If congress
grants an appropriation of $3,000,00e
Postmaster General Burleson stated
today. A fifth route is under con-
temptation but has not yet been given
the approval of the postoffice depart
ment.
The new routes as outlined by Bur-
Lesson in a letter to the congressional
postoffice committees are:
Chicago to San Francisco, thus Civ
ing aerial mail service from New
York to the Pacific coast.
Pittsburgh to Kansas City. via Gin
cinnati, indianapolis and ST. Louis.
New York to Atlanta by an exten-
sion from Washington.
= Minneapolis and st. Paul to st. Louis
via Chicago.
The other route now being investi-
gated is by hydroplane down the Miss
issippi river from St Louis to New
Orleans with stops at Cairo, Memphis
and Vicksburg.
Speeds 3S2, 100000 Letters.
Burleson estimated that the trans
portation of 3S2,000,000 letters would
be greatly speeded up by the extern
sions.
Inc new routes WOulQ reQOce near
ly one-half the mail time between the
cities and are in addition to the lines
already in operation from Washing
ton to New York. New York to Cleve-
land and Cleveland TO Chicago.
If the route from New York to the
Pacific coast is put into operation. the
mail time will be reduced from ninety
hours and thirty minutes weStbound
and 102 hours eastbound. Burleson
said.
The Pittsburgh-Kansas City route
would mean that mail leaving Penn
sylyania at 4 a. m. could be delivered
in indianapolis and Cincinnati In the
sas City in the afternoon. The present
railroad time is rs hours and SO min
utes. while the flying time would be
10 hours and 40 minutes. Mail be-
tween Kentucky. Tennessee. Missouri
Kansas and southwestern states would
be advanced from II to "a hours.
The airplane would reduce the mail
between the Twin Cities and ST Louis
from 20 hours and 35 minutes to
hours and 80 minutes. saving one
business day between the northwest
and southwest. and Is hours in the
delivery of mail from Chicago.
Atlanta service would reduce the
! mail time about Is hours and 80 min
utes. while the Mississippi river hydro
plane service would mean the delivery
of St. Louis and New Orleans letters
in Memphis the afternoon of their
mailing, instead of the following
morning as is done now.
Cut Rail Time Half.
There has suddenly arisen Burle-
vention of the airplane a mail trans
portation that will cut in half the
fastest railroad time between our
commercial centers, yet so critical has
congress been of the utilization of the
airplane for mail service that the
postoffice department refrains from
recomme ending the esta blishment OF
other important routes because it is
as yet impossible to show on them a
! substantial saving in the cost of rail-
way transportation and distribution,
Burleson said.
''The postoffice department has
always taken the position that when
American capital is ready to enter the
aerial transport field. it will be glad
+ to advertise for contracts for carrying
mail by airplanes or airships over
such routes as will greatly improve
| the service and show a relatively sub
stantiaI reduction in the transporta-
ton and distribution of mail by train.
/ Extension of the Pittsburgh Kansas
! City route at later date will make
Topeka a station on the aerial mail
map. If surveys previously made by
| the government are followed. Under
/ its present intentions the government
will send the Chicago to Frisco planes
thru Omaha and Denver. later routing
+ the Pittsburgh Kansas City flyers on
thru Topeka. Dodge City. Oklahoma
Dallas and on to San Diego and Los
Angeles.