Evening star., 1924-12-24

Three hundred thousand miles of
night flying and one fatality.
One million two hundred thousand
miles Of day and night. flying since
July l, the last ten days OF which
have been through weather condi-
tions that have driven man and beast
TO shelter and the fireside, but the
United States malls continue to be
,, rushed through the air at 100 miles
an hour, from New York to San Fran
cisco. with few delays and far ahead
of train schedule.
Although without complete detailed
information since the general opera
tion Of the air mall was moved from
Washington TO Omaha, Nebr.. October
/, Col. Paul Henderson. Second AS
sistant Postmaster General In charge
of air mail, today declared the ex-
pertences these 4S regular and re-
lief air mall pilots have encountered
In flying the mail from coast to coast
We're inconceivable. Furthermore he
said, the country never will know
the actual facts, because these air
plane pilots who are making an over
Whelmtng success of the greatest un-
uertakfng in the history of CONNER
cfal aviation, refuse to talk about
themselves. Alone in the cockpits OF
their rebuilt wartime De Havilands,
IL,
there isn't even a chance for a leak"
OF what goes on in the air.
Pictures Western Scene.
Col. Henderson pictured an air mail
ticld in the Middle West at night.
chilling wind is blowing snow furries
through the arc light rays that tllun-
mate the field. The mail is put in the
compartment behind the motor and
I in front Of tho pilots seat Dressed
III n fur-lined flying suit and With
heavy gloves. the pilot climbs in, two
mechanics spin the prop" The Lib
cry! motor is "reved' up and with
series Of short blasts the big Deli.
turns into the wind. All clear. the
pilot gives her the gum" and 400
/ horses tearing at their reins leap
down the field and then jump into
space. Tiny wing lights soon fade
INTO the darkness, and the ground
| force runs for cover and the fire
That's as much as any one on the
ground knows.
Now and then ship comes in with
! telltalc evidence OF experiences that
! cannot be denied. Col. Henderson said
he himself saw a plane land on "a mail
/ field from which l.000 pounds OF ice
! had TO be chopped off. The wings and
parts exposed to the direct contact
with hte air were caked with ice Long
! iclcies hung from the radiator
Account for PILOTS Death.
Several months ago "Dinty" Moore,
Who won the air mail race at the
St. Louis, international air meet in
. 1928, was killed. "Dinty" was too
good pilot to allow the ship to
get away from him. and while no
positive information as TO how he
met his death ever has been arrived
at. his pals in the service confidently
, believe he was struck in the head
with one Of these huge icicles that
, form on the radiator of the plane.
, While looking out Of the side Of the
cockpit an icicle could have become
; Gisengaged, crashing into his face and
If not instantly killing him, stunning
him to the point he was unable TO
keep control of the plane.
, In telegram received last night
from General Superintendent G. f.
Egge AT Omaha, by Col. Henderson.
in reference to the death Sunday
night of Pilot Charles Gilbert, it was
stated the pilot was forced TO jump,
but he pulled the rip-cord of his para
chute too soon, with the disastrous