The Daily Alaska empire., 1937-02-10
Hearing on Alaska Air Mail
 Serpice Held; Proposals Are
 Aduanced:J :Junedu to Be Base
By J. J. ECKLES Secretary to Alaska Delegate

secretary 10 AiaSka DeieSdtc
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 3o.- Need for connected system of mail ser vice by air, through which the larger towns and cities in Alaska would have delivery of mail on the same day it arrives in Ju- neau and a similar one-day service south to Juneau, was heard by the subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations in charge of the Post Office and Treasury Department Appropria- ton bill January 27.
 Approval of the plan outlined at he hearing will provide direct weekly service of mail by air from Juneau to Fairbanks by way of Whitehorse in Yukon Territory and Tanacross in Alaska. Mail accept ed on this route but not destined for Fairbanks or points north would be transported by plane from Tan across on loop route on which deliveries would be made at Cor dova, Valdez, Seward, and An chorage.
 Hearing We'll Attended
 The hearing before the subcom- mittee was attended by a represen- tative of the Post Office Depart nent speaking for Hon. Harllee Branch, Second Assistant Post master General, who was i'll and unable to attend Delegate Dimond, with the aid of maps and charts presented an accurate picture of what the desired service would mean in view of the distances and time O. deliveries and pick-ups compared with the present service.
 Dr. Ernest Gruening, Director of the Division of Territories and Is land Possessions, also attended the hearing and urged approval of the appropriation. Maj. Gen. O. Vest over, Chief of tfe Army Air Corps, was also present. Gen. Westover is personally familiar with conditions in the Territory and has shown con- sistent interest in it's develoment. It is also believed that because of the intimate connection between the proposed air routes and the es- tablishment of Army Air Corps op- erations in Alaska, authorized through enactment of the Wilcox air defense bill in the 74th Con- gress, which directed the establish ment of an Air Corps base in Alas ka. the hearing was of particular interest to the General.
 The proposed airmail service will require an increase of $72,755 in the item of Star Route Service, Alas ka," and a new appropriation of $68,692 under the hearing of For eign Airmail Service" to be included in the Post Offire Department ap- propriation bill for the fiscal year 1888.
 Appropriation
 hppi OpIldIlOil lOT Ullt SJdI IOulS service for the fiscal year 1887 was $207,245. This provided for over land transportation of mail in AL aska by various methods on 65 routes, 27 of which were by dog team, IT by horse and motor vehi- cle, and 21 by airplane. It is esti- mated that increasing this item to $280,000 in the Post Office Depart ment appropriation bill for the fis- cal year 1888 will provide an all- year-round weekly service on the air route from Tanacross, the junc- tion point of the loop route with the Juneau to Fairbanks route, to Cordova, Valdez. Seward, and An chorage, with consequent i'm provement in mail service whicr will be reflected on all of the star routes originating at these points and which now serve areas fror1 as far south as Yakataga Beach tc
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