Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05


4 \ tai again during the past
week, leaving other aviation ac-
tivities to cool their heels in the
wings. The developments, eSpe-
cially in the passenger transpor-
tation field, have been many and
far reaching during the past
seven days.
The Ludington line between
this city and Philadelphia and
New York completed its first
month of operations, flying 20
planes daily, and wound up the
month with several new, albeit in
formal, records under it's belt. AS
q result of the pressure Of bust
ness, this line during the week
was forced to increase its Sched-
ule by putting on early morning
planes from both ends Of the line.
Night flights and extension of
service to the South were being
considered during the week by Of
ficials of the line.
Eastern Air Transport and
Pennsylvania Airlines also made
schedule changes during the week
to handle increased business and
speed up service. Eastern Air
Transport, operating through here
from Richmond to New York,
Topped three-quarters of an hour
off its running time during the
week The Pennsylvania system,
operated by Clifford Ball, airmail
contract holder, not only eStab-
lished faster schedule but in
augurated direct service to Cleve-
land, eliminating the previous
change OF planes at Pittsburgh.
At Cleveland the Ball line ties
up directly with q newcomer in
the air passenger field, National
Air Transport, veteran airmail
contract line, which has taken
over the Stout line and which
during the past week went into
the business of flying passengers
from Cleveland to Detroit and
Chicago.
Big Thumb in Pie.
The Post ONCE Department put
It's thumb in the air transport pie
in q big way during the week and,
proving itself superior to Little
Jackie Horner, pulled out two
pluns-one a new airmail con-
tract OF rare size and richness,
the other a withered, sour little
mess of criticism for the manner
in which the pie thumbing was
conducted.
To be specific, the Post ONCE
Department awarded to Western
Air Express and Trai1scontinenta
Air TranSport-Maddux Systems
the contract for carrying mail in
passenger planes from New York
to Los Angeles by way of the most
direct route, an almost straight
line through Philadelphia, Pitts
burgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, st.
Louis, Kansas City, wichita, Anna
rill0 and Albuquerque, with cut
on route to Tulsa and Oklahoma
City. -.
In making the award the Post
Once Department rejected a bid,
80 per cent. lower. submitted by
United Aviation Co. of Pitts
: burghss an organization put to-
gether for the purpose of bidding
for the contract by three of the
smaller aviation companies.
The award ranked easily as the
most important aviation event Of
the week in the Nation and as
one Of the most important in the
airmaH field this year. To carry
out the terms Of the contract, the
two great air lines are organizing
an operating company, in which
Pittsburgh Aviation Industries
Corporation, known chiefly as the
developer of two large Pennsyl-
vania airport projects, Is to be
holder OF a minority interest. The
Pittsburgh corporations airports
at Pittsburgh and Harrisburg are
to be stops on the new line. OPP
erations over the ASSEMBLE trans
continental route are to begin Oc-
tober Is and the successful bid
ders have announced their inten-
ton to fly q 24-hour coast-to-
coast mail, passenger and express
service.
Neutrality-suspicious. may make con-
nections by air with the new line
at New York, Philadelphia or
Pittsburgh over existing lines OPP
Grating from Washington Hoover
Airport.
Local Pie Bubbling.
The local version of the air
transport pie so theoretically
thumbed during the week still Is
on the fire. 1t is bubbling and
boiling most actively, with clouds
of steam and rich; appetizing
odors rising from it, and 1t is hard
to tell Just what it is going to be
like when the cooking is done.
The pie Is dramatically favored
with rumors and counter-rumors
of all kinds. There are reports
of at least two passenger lines ex-
tending into the South and ru-
mors OF q third. Big business Is
splashing around in the pie, push
ing up the crust here and there,
awaiting an opportunity to stuff
the Capital on an aviation dish
of prodigal richness.
The New York, Philadelphia e.
Washington Airway Corporation,
known also as the Ludington line
and "Nypwac" for short, has COM
pleted a month of lusty growth.
When but 10 days old this infant
startled its elders in the aviation
family by waving aloft a new rec
ord for passengers flown over a
new route. It's average for the 10
days was i55 passengers per day.
or 1857 passengers, if you want
to be ftissy.
At the end of 80 days the infant
this week was raising quite q
clamor. Thc average had grown
to 1872 passengers per day for the
month and some 40, 900 miles had