The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-06
POUNDS OF
AIR MAIL LEAVE
CITY EACH DAY
Business Has Made Gain of
600 Per Cent Here in Two
Depression Years.

Could old Lewis Jones, who packed
the first Of Uncle Sans mail to In
dianapolis from CenterviIle, Ind, in
April, 1922, watch the governments
winged postal messengers here to-
day there would be much stirring in
his honorable grave.
Likewise, the story Of business
that has increased more than 500
per cent in two of the worst de-
preston years this country has
known probably viii evoke more
than mild surprise among several
business executives.
Yet one industry has attained
those heights. It is similar to Jones
trade, a pioneer postal endeavor-
the air mail.
Less than two years ago only six
hundred pounds Of mail monthly
zoomed away from indianapolis
airports. Today, or, rather, during
October, 1878 pounds we're lifted
from municipal airport. This is an
average Of 1913 pounds daily.
Notebook Tells Story
That is the revelation OF a little
notebook of Joseph zicks, postal
statistician under B. r. Batty, as
sistant superintendent of mails IN
charge of air mail.
The story has two explanations.
Development of commercial ava
ton led to increase of passenger
plane schedules, and most passen-
ger lines carry mail as well.
ct is gravy for them" said Batty.
"The logical conclusion is that
where a passenger line is estab-
lished there will he another air mall
contract soon, connecting new
points"
The second boost is that larger
patrons of postal service are becom-
ing air mail conscious. Increasing
safety of air travel has convinced
most Of them that their important
messages will arrive on time, in first
class condition.
Need for Branch Seen
In some cities so much mail is
tossed, literally, to the four winds
daily, that post Offices have been
established on the flying fields to
transfer mail. indianapolis is
approaching that.
Already one daily transfer is
made at municipal airport. 1t is
between the north bound American
Anyways plane and the west bound
continental 81 Western Air,
Inc, ships, which arrive and leave
eight minutes apart in the evening.
Increase Of air mail poundage
here has kept step with develop
ment of commercial aviation touch
ing Indianapolis.
Service Is Improving
From 600 pounds in January,
1890, the monthly totals crept up
ward until in October, when T. &
w. A. began carrying mail, the fig
ures jumped from ], 494 in Septem-
Der to 1854 the following month.
Again the increase was gradual
until in April, 1881, when the figure |
was 3 lit, while March showed only
1,648. The reason, Batty explained,
was additional service by T. g. w.
A.
A normal slump below the 5000 |
mark in May and July was followed |
by an increase to 1916 in August, |
when the night service was added |
by the same flying firm, making |
possible a trip by mail from In
dianapolis to New York between
10:40 p. m. and 4:30 a. m, with an
other night fight westward to the
Pacific coast.
New Line Announced
Since then the rise has continued |
gradually Perhaps it will make
another significant leap in the near
future.
A new firm, Century Airlines,
carrying passengers, is to begin
operations at the municipal flying
field.
It said it was only logical con-
clusion that the air mail will follow
a new passenger line" Batty OBJ
served. IF this firm connects In
dianapolis by air with cities like
Detroit, Louisville, Evansville, and |
others, as it has said it intended,
why should not mail be carried be-
tween those points soon after?"