New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-09-23
BUSINESS Showing
interest IN AIR
CONTINUED From First FaGe)

Ia what we have hal in mind in
carrying the trans-continentaI
air mail. 1t Is not our belief that
the government should permanently
continue to provide this service UNI
der government auspices and at gov
eminent expense, but the service is
q most important one and II 1t was
possible for It ever TO be undertaken
by private agencies 1t was first nee
essary TO demonstrate that 1t was an
entirely feasible thing.
Earlier Experiments.
1.-THE department several years ago
in cooperation with the war depart
pent made several we'll meant but
unsa satisfactory experiments with the
air mail. For instance, service was
established between New York and
Washington for which the war de-
partment for a short time furnished
both planes and pilots. 1t was later
taken over completely by the post
office department. but 1t was never a
success for the reason that the dis
lance between terminals, approNi-
mately 200 miles, was too short to
permit OF any substantial saving in
time and 1t was discontinued. Two
other routes, one between Chicago
and st. Louis, the other between Chi
cago and the twin cities, undertaken
In 1920, also failed TO justify their
continuance and were abandoned.
1T became apparent that II the
service was ever going TO amount 10
anything it had TO be undertaken on
q much greater scale of operation
and between points far more distant
ly separated. Service on sections OF
the present transcontinental line as
inaugurated at different times, that
between Cleveland and Chicago and
Cleveland and New York in 1919, but
1t was not until September S, 1920,
that through service between New
York and San Francisco was at
tempted. Even then the carriage was
not continuous.
Mail would be transported by
plane from San Fransico to Salt
Lake City, or some other point along
the line, then given to the railway
mail service for night, to be picked
UP again by plane at point farther
along the line next morning. 1t was
not long, however, until it became
apparent that IL the trans-continen-
oil service was to amount to any
thing it had to be operated by night
rs we'll as by day. To do this re-
ouired the establishment of light
ed airway TO guide pilot, Illuminated
land fields and many other special
facilities, including equipment OF
planes themselves. This airWay was
established from New York to Rock
Springs, Wyoming, 1856 miles, at an
expense of s514,405.6S, and the first
through day and night service was
started July /, 1924.
Regular Service
"Since that time we have been
able to meet our subjects with a de-
gree of regularity that has been
highly gratifying, of course there
have been instances of delays and IN
terruptions, just as there have been
to passenger trains. l am inclined
to think that inquiry would develop
that our delays have been less num-
erous than those of the railroads.
1.-THE schedule westbound, New
York to San Francisco, distance OF
2.e65 miles, is "a hours and 20 min
utes. which includes stops at 10 sta
tions for service and exchange or
mail: that for the eastbound trip Is
20 hours and Is minutes, the dllter-
erce being accounted for by the TACT
that the prevailing winds are from
the west and help the eastbound ship
while they correspondingly retaru
the one westbound.
"During the fiscal year ending
with the S0th of last June we lie"
ON this rans-continental route =
n7s.7s4 miles, with a percentage OF
o. That ia to say, we flew tha'
MANY miles with mail, includlne
wall ferry and test we flew 2,ool,'
b55 miles.
Night Service
rrn to the establishment OF the
n,eht flight planes had been loaded
20 their capacity with MAI carry
ins ordinary postage. At TINS 'l''le
hovever. new expresses rates were
sdonted by law creating three zones
the hostage for traversing the ITS
he,ne eight cents, for the second SIX
teen cents, and for the entire rout'
"a cents. At these rates We Carrlec
during the fiscal year 1925, 9,3oo,5'
first class letters or 232,5lS pounn
the total revenue received for thes'
being s602,62754. The excess posi-
age for the month of July OF TIM
year was s6o,433.65.
"As I said at the outset, the print
ideas OF the post office department
were first to supply highly desir
able service and next to encourage
and stimulate the creation in Thu
country OF an industry capable o
enra ging successfully in commercial
aviation and to build the planes anC
equipment necessary to that end.
II was a member OF the senat'
committee on military affairs durlnI
the war and a member Of lis sub
committee on aviation and ] know
something Of the great difficulty thl
government encountered in proNid
ing the air equipment necessary T.
the successful prosecution Of the va
ard the tremendous waste at vhtcI
the effort 70 do this was carried for
ward. 1t is generally known tina
the government spent nearly hi
lion dollars on planes during tn
war, largely because no one in thi
country knew anything about thoi
manufacture and there we're n
facilities for il,
Srcut stO,QoO,ooO
Up to this time the post offic
department On all It's air mail on
erstions has spent about S10,000,oo C
1t may have spent a little more he
cause during the earlier years mos