The St. Charles herald., 1922-04-15
Corporation Is Formed for the
Promotion of Commercial Fly
ing in United States.
BIG men BEHIND PROJECT
First Line to Be Operated Will Be
From New York to Chicago-AIr-
ships to Be of Modified Zeppelin
Type-Use Heiium Gas.

Washington.-The formation of a
gigantic corporation for commercial!
navigation Of the air in this country,
through the establishment of regular
lines over which will be operated huge
dirigible airships of the modified Zep-
pelin type, was announced by the UNI
ted States chamber of commerce.
The corporation will be known as
General Air Service, its incorporators
and founders include some of the best
known men of the country. Definite
plans for the construction of huge
dirigibles in Germany have been
formed, the whole dirigible situation
has been studied from an advanced
scientific point of view and, it is an
nounced. the corporation expects to
be able to place two large ships IN
operation in this country in the sum-
mer of 1923.
Benedict Crowell is one Of the group
of financial men and engineers behind
the project, and he will be president
of the new corporation, which was in
corporated under the laws Of Mary
land on Feb. q, 1922. Mr.. Crowell
was formerly assistant secretary OF
war, was head of the American avia-
tion mission to Europe, and is presi-
dent of the Aero Club of America.
Field Thoroughly Investigated.
Before going ahead with the incor-
poration Of the General Air Service
which will be the manufacturing and
operating company, the men interested
In the project formed what was known
as the American Investigation cOrpOr'
alton, for the purpose of investigat
ing the practicability Of the establish
ment of commercial air service with
large rigid airships in this and neigh
] boring countries. In their investlga
tions the representatives Of the cor
poration had the cooperation and as
sistance of DR.. Johann Schuette OF the
Schuette-Lanz Airship company OF
Germany, and his corps of engineers
also various engineers and associate:
of other airship authorities of Europe
DR.. Schuette had been in America II
the spring Of 1920, as had officials O.
the Zeppelin company. and the infor
nation gained from them was of ma
terial service in the first formal stel
the organization of the American In
vestigation corporation.
The first line the company hopes II
put into operation will be from New
York to Chicago, to be extended tt
Pacific coast cities as soon as addl
tional ships can be built. The New
York Chicago line will be opened I
is announced, by two ships, each o
approximately 100000 cubic feet ca
pacity, these ships to be fabricated
in Germany and erected in the Unite'
States. They are designed to provid
accommodations for 100 passenger
and 80 tons of mail and express mat
ter. It is announced to be the plal
to build larger ships for lines to Soutl
America and Europe when the facil1
ties for complete construction hav
been gathered.
Dr. Schuette is identified with tn
new company 1t is declared to D
the plan to build the later ships
this country, and virtually to transfe
large part of the Zeppelin-makin
business to the United States.
Plan to Use Helium.
It is not planned to use hydroge
gas, but helium, in these gigantic ne'
dirigibles which. 1t is asserted, wi
embrace the latest notifications {
both the Zeppelin and Schuette pa
ents. both Of which were combined
the last Of the German dirigibles bui
during the war. 1t is also asserfe
that gasoline, another source Of IN