Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-07
'A|RMA|L SUBSIDY
NEAR S2O,OlO,0))
Annual Government Appro-
priation Not Held Excessive
by Aviation Interests.
BY BRADLEY w. TRENT.
Special Dispatch to The star

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November 7.-As the
War Department emulates the Navy In
pairing down its budget for the next rs
cal year, leaders in the aviation field
are wondering today whether the Post
to airmail appropriations in joining
Xle move for governmental economy.
Considering the growth Of American
anyways. the aviation interests contend
that the cost of developing the airmail
service in the United States and thus
fostering commercial aviation. has not
been excessive. Figures available here
today show that the Post ONCE De-
partment has spent $66,397 ,486 for the
an average of $4,742,677 year. OF
course, the expenditure has been In
creasing each year.
First Subsidy Small.
During the first years Of the devel-
opment the airmail subsidy was very
small, but in the last few years 1t has
grown to the point where this country
now spends approximately $4,000, 900
a year for airmail transport. During
the first six months of 1881 the Post
line operators $9160,260.88 for carry
ing the mail. This amount Is exclusive
of the mail payments for foreign serv-
ice. which virtually is monopolized by
American Anyways, operating down
both coasts of South America. In the
first six months of this year the total
payments in the foreign field were
$3,464,772.
If the same rate Of increase in air
mail payments continues during the
next few years, the contractors will be
drawing annually what was paid over
the first II years Of development. In
creased mileage and increased pound
age have brought the cost of operation
to the present figure.
The Postmaster General already has
made cuts in the airmail appropriations
for the remainder of the current fiscal
year, but the operators, large and small,
are vitality interested in the budget
for the fiscal year beginning July !,
1882.
Naturally, some differences bave
arisen among the operators themselves
over the division Of the airmatl con-
tracts, and 1t Is known that the indie
pendents throughout the country have
collected operation figures to present
to Congress when 1t convenes in De-
cember They will demand an airing
Of the methods of Postmaster General
Walter F. Brown in awarding airmail
contracts.
"Big Four" Systems.
Excepting $944, 1869 awarded five
Of the smaller operators, all airmail
expenditures for the first six me nths OF
1881 went to thte big systems known
as the big four" These pc yments
were as follows:
United Air Lines, $4,070, 1857 so; Trans
continental g. Western Air, 1881 ,607.54;
Western Air Express, $3.50, 5t6.90;
American Always, $1,943, 95o.16, and
Eastern Air Transport, 1898, 100 o.
Three Of these lines have coast-to-coast
systems, and the fourth operates along
the Atlantic Seabcard.
The other five operators who received
a share of the Government subsidy
were: National Parks Always, operat-
ing 483 miles between Salt Lake City
and Great Falls, $162,770.98: Pennsyl-
wanna Airlines, Inc, operating $40 miles
between Washington and Cleveland
$61 1926; Transamerican Airlines Cor
poration, operating across the Great
Lakes, $275,858 40; Northwest Always
$433, 1853. 95, and United States Always.
operating between Kansas City and
Denver, 81, 1880.
Copyright, 1917