Evening star., 1928-05-02
CAPITALS MAIL
LINE |NAUGURATED
Thousands in Welcoming
Ceremon.-5 at Boiling
Field.

The air mail came to Washington last
night and was given rousing and
enthusiastic greeting.
Several thousand persons, many Of
them guests Of the Washington Board
Of Trade. which arranged the welcom-
ing ceremonies, focked to Boiling Field
shortly before 9 O'Clock and loudly ac-
claimed Pilot A. NJ Banks as he Gid
ed to earth, jammed on his wheel
brakes. swung around on one wheel and
TAXED up to a little group Of officials
headed by Postmaster General Harry
s New, who officially inaugurated the
service as far as Washington is con-
eerned
The plane arrived at $50 o'clock and
Is minutes later leaped into the dark
ness over Boiling Field carrying three
sacks of mail for the South. At IL 80
o'clock second plane running on the
regular schedule and piloted by Verne
L. Treat. landed at the field. took on
more sacks and disappeared IN the
darkness.
Plane Slips in Unnoticed-
AlthouAh thousands of eyes and ears
were trained in the northeast direction
for first glimpse of the little Pitcairn
"Mailwing" singie-seater, Pilot Banks
slipped into Washington unnoticed until
he was about 300 feet over Boiling
Field and at a gliding angle. Down tne
center of the airdrome he few. pulled
up. circled over the AnacoStla Rive
and then approached the center Of the
field.
Dlsregarding the big B. 3 T. food
light established at the southwest end
of the field for his landing. Banks turn
ed on his wing lights and. guided by
the rays they played upon the ground.
landed in a dark and Shadowy portion
of the field. Less than a minute elapsed
between the time he put his wheels
down and the time he had TAXED up
to the center of the roped-of crowd.
As Postmaster General GeW, and
other welcoming officials crowded about
the smiling pilot, the left wing" Of the
horseshoe shaped roped-of area broke
and. like a frenzied mob. the spectators
ran at top speed cheering as they came
toward the plane The remaining sec
tions of the spectators remained order
ly. Maj Howard c. Davidson. COM
manding Boiling Field. with the help cf
a few officers and enlisted men beat
back the crowd and in a few minutes
the people had been restored TO their
designated places.
Mail Truck in Service.
truck from the City Post Once dashed
up and unIoaded three sacks Of mail.
These Mr.. New took and formally hand
ed to the pilot. Official observers Of
the inauguration were ". Irving Glover.
Assistant Postmaster General in charge
OF air mail; William p MacCracken. r.,
Assistant Secretary Of Commerce IN
charge Of aeronautics: Rear Admiral
William A. Mofett. chief OF the Bureau
OF Aeronautics: Postmaster william A.
Mooney and Maj. Davidson. for the
Army.
AS Banks stood up in the cocknit
q cartridge belt and revolver were re-
vealed about his waist. strauped rnrser
his parachute harness. The pilot ac-
cepted the three sacks OF mail. ex-
amlned them carefully. saw they were
SaIe1y slowed away N the mail COM
partment forward the cockpit. vhere
man from Hadley Field. New Bruns-
WICK, N. j, the airport of New YORK
and Philadelphia. had been deposited.
The ceremony over, he announced ne
was ready 70 so at any time. The
pane was cleared Of the Official PARTY.
the Wright Whirlwind engine turned
over and out into the field be taxjed
A second later ne was in the air an
other circle OF the field. a dive down
the center with headlights fun on and
then the red. green and white runninv
lights disappeared to the southwest.
NOrthbound Planes Arrival
The northbound plane came in A.
80 O'Clock this morning. but there
were no ceremonies attending its ar
rival
Banks said he had a mice srsD..
down nom New York, adding thar il
was clear all the way and he could see
the powerful revolving beacon atoo ti,e
water tower OF St Elizabsth's EoSoital
for 20 miles out Of WASHINGTON
FoT few minutes prior 10 the air
maH planes arrival the crowd Vas
entertained with an exhibition aF nfvnr
acrobaticS BY Lieut. O. II. De Baum az
the Naval Air Station az AnacoStis
Flying CurtiSs Hawk" land plans
Lieut. De Baum drove down on the eeld
several times and executed a npEahs~
OF loops high In the darkness KS
movements were followed hy the rps
green and white running lights on tas
plane
81 2AA aAA aHaWv -.--