The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-24
Yep PASSENGER
PROVIDES SELF
WITH SOUVENIR
Thirty.six Post Cards Are Self.
Addressed to Albert Lief.
mann
ARE DROPPED EN- ROUTE
Have German Stamps; Situa-
ticn Is Puzzling to u. S.
Postal Office

washington, oct. 24.-(AP)-One
member of the crew of the Graf
Zeppelin had the forethought to pro
vide himself with some tire, dozer
souvenirs of the first commercial all
voyage from Germany to the United
States which may be highly valu-
able one Of these days. They are
post cards, purchased in Germany
and self addressed by Albert LET.
mann, care of the Graf Zeppelin
crew, Lakehurst, New Jersey.
When he gets them, in addition
to their German stamps and can.
cellations, they will show that they
were received in the Washington
city postoffice as domestic mail
matter and forwarded to the ad-
dressee. Actually, however, they
will be the first air maA delivered
by commercial liner direct from
Germany to the United States post
office and handled Is a matter Of
everyday routine.
One Letter Fell
The package of post cards and
two letters. one addressed to a des-
tination in Switzerland, fell from
the big airship as she made her
unexpected side trip to Washington
on her way to Lakehurst. Chance
rather than design laid the course
of the vessel close above the city
postoffice building, near the Union
Station. Neck-craning observers
on the house tops below saw some
thing fall from the ship at the time
but Bernard Kicker, a schoolboy
playing in the yard of St. Martins
school, about three blocks from the
city postoffice, was the only one to
get his hands on it. It fell at his
feet and he gathered it up and
dashed for home. When Bernard
and his mother examined this treas
ure-trove from the skies, they found
it to be bundle Of post cards and
letters done up in q silk-cotton bag
that had parachute effect in MAX
ing for easy landing of the pack
age. Mrs. Kicker promptly called
the postoffice officials and they
sent out for the mail matter.
just what to do with it was q
problem that ultimately required
the authority Of Postmaster General
News office to find a solution
Strictly speaking, the cards and
letters were hardly receivable mai
unless somebody put on American
postage. In view Of the circun1.
stances, however. the department
waived the question and received
these missives just as though they
had been dropped in any mail box
in the city. Postage due stamps
will make up for any lack Of do
nestle postage. Lefmann's cards,
despite their participation in what
may prove to be the beginning of
transatlantic air transportation on
. practical, commercial basis, COM
pleted their journey as ordinary
American domestic mail and will
bear Washington postoffice cancella-
tions to prove it.
Had Mail Pouches
The official mail pouches brought
BY the Graf Zeppelin were handled
through the New York City post
office. They bear, so far as ordi-
nary letters are concerned, the spe-
cial "Deutsche outpost" stamp Of
the German government showing q
Zeppelin in flight from Europe to
America and are Of 4 Reichmark
denomination. On one side is the
legend America" and on the other
Europa" They show Friedrich
shafen postofficc cancellation stamp
dated "7.Okt 28.7-8V-Luftpost'
and a rubber stamp saying INIT
Luftpost L.Z.127. Befordert," max.
ing clear by what route and what
ship they came AZ "LZl27" is the
builders number Of the Graf Zeppe-