The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-07-15
RAPID GROWTH
OF COMMERCIAL:
AVIATION HERE
.Airplane Is Now Undergo
ing Regular Course of
Development. Z

ing Regular Course of
Development.
New York, July 15.-Commercial
aviation in the United States shows a
healthy. steadily growing popularity,
says the Manufacturers Aircraft As
ISOLATION in making public here to-
day the report of Representatives who
have just completed a tour Of the
country which included inspection
Nights over most OF the territory
now served by aerial transport.
1.-THE airplane is undergoing the
Same development experienced by
other vehicles of transportation in
troduced to the public, the various
sections Of the country according it
receptions in conformance with their
individual topography, customs Fand
natural resources" the report said.
The Southwest and Pacific Coast
arc leading in, the adoption of aircraft
preparation contemplate honeycomb-
ing that area with a network of
aerial transportation lines In the
Middle West the airplane is being
adopted as the occasion demands,
and II Is meeting with encouraging
success the severe competition of
good railroads and highways, lack of
landing fields and the considerable
indifference of the Middle Atlantic
States New England Is accepting it
with customary conservatism; the
South Is using 1t mainly for private
purposes and Florida and the West
Indies have come to recognize flying
as a most important method Of COM
munication-
AT present thsre are in the United
States Is manufacturers of aircraft
and aircraft motors and S5 manufac-
tnrers Of accessories During the past
few months 20 new airplane distri-
buting agencies have been esta blished
throughout the country and new
aerial transport operating companies
have been formed in New York city
San Francisco, Long Beach, Holly
wood, Los Angeles, Oakland, Stock
ton and Alameda, Cal. Minneapolis,
Mimi, Philadelphia, B1uef1elds, w.
Va, Bettendorf, and Shreveport, La,
Ponca City, Okla, Seattle and Spo-
kane, Wash, Detroit, Mich, Arkansas
City, Ark, Bridgeport, Conn.,, Au-
rora, Ill, Fargo, N. D., Cincinna IT,
o., Newell, s. D., Birmingham, Ala,
Asbury Park, N. j., Livingston, VT,
Brooklyn and Syracuse, N. Y, and
Railway, N. ].
"Aviators are convinced of the
practicability of establishing passen-
ger and express lines throughout the
entire Pacific Coast, which, roughly
speaking, consists of two great noun
tain ranges and series of valleys.
The plans for such lines, now in
preparation contemplate connecting
San Francisco with Los Angeles, San
Francisco with Del Monte, San Fran
cisco with Portland, Ore, over the
Cascade range, and Portland with
Tacoma and Seattle. Wash, with an
almost certain extension of this line
eastward to Spokane. A 10-passenger
airplane service already is in opera
ton between San Francisco and Los
Angeles and a seaplane mail and
package express line between Seattle
and British Columbia points will be-
gin operations within few weeks.
"At present there are some $50
airplanes in commercial use in Cali
fornia and so more in Oregon and
Washington. while a number equal to
that Of California are in operation
in Texas. Most of the machines in
Texas are privately operated by per-
sons who made fortunes in OIL but
contracts recently were let for air
craft to be used in transporting sup
plies between cities and the oil fields
Mining and oil companies desiring
emergency supplies Or the replace
ment of special tools have come to
depend on the airplane which, with
the level lands and natural landing
fields of the country and the long
distances over which the railroads
are unable to make quick time, has
provided an impetus to commercial
adoption of the airplane in Texas.
"A score of flying boats are in op-
Grafton on the Mississippi and other
rivers of the Middle West, and Is or
Lake Michigan, with every indication
pointing to a substantial increase OF
the number before winter. Negotia
lions also are underway for II
American-built flying boats of the re
Gently produced IL and 1S-passengel
type for use over the Great Lake:
and the st. Lawrence River.
Two companies that last winter
operated a flying boat service from
Florida to- Bimini, Havana and Mas
sau, and carried more than 5000
passengers, are now employing be
tween 10 and Is machines in fairl,
regular service between New York
Boston and Atlantic City. Both o
these operating companies have beer
financially successful and have an
nounced that they will double thei
equipment this winter