The Wrangell sentinel., 1937-02-12

Need for a connected system of mail service by air, through which the larger towns and cities in Alas ka would have a delivery of mail on the same day it arrives in Juneac and a similar One-day service south to Juneau, was heard by the subeom- mfttee of the Hocse Committee on Appropriations in charge Of the Post Office and Treasury Department Alp propriation bill January 27.
 Approval Of the plan outlined al the hearing will provide a direct weekly service of mail by air from Juneau to Fairbanks by way of Whitehorse in Yukon Territory and Tanaeross in Alaska. Mail accepted on this route but not destined for Fairbanks or points north would be transported by plane from Tanacross on loop route on which deliveries would be made at Cordoya, Valdez, Seward and Anchorage.
 Delegate Presents Need
 The hearing before the suDcom- mittee was attended by represen- tatiYe of the Post Office Department speaking for Hon. Harllee Branch, Second Assistant Postmaster Gener- al, who was ill and so unable to at tend. Delegate Dimond, wth the aid of maps and charts presented all ac- curate picture of what the desired service would mean in view of the distances and time of deliveries and ,f4ly Ta1 I n service. Dr. Ernest Gruening, Direc- tor of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions, also attended the hearing and urged approval of the appropriation. Maj Gen. o. NestoYer, Chief Of the Army Air Corps, was also present. General WestoYer is personally familiar with conditions in the Territory and has shown consistent interest in it's de- Yelopment. It is also believed that because of the intimate connection between the proposed air routes and the establishment of Army Air Corps operations in Alaska, authorized through enactment of the Wilcox air defense bill in the 74th Congress, which directed the establishment of an Air Corps base in Alaska, the hearing was of particular interest to the General.
 Increase Required
 The proposed airmail service will require an increase of $72,755 in the item of Star Route Service, Alas ka", and a new appropriation ol S6S,692 cnder the heading of For eign Airmail Service" to be included in the Post Office Department ap- propriation bill for the fiscal year 1888.
 Appropriation for the star route service for the fiscal year 1887 was $2O7,245. 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 vehicle and 21 by airplane. It is estimated that increasing this item to $280,O00 in the Post Office Department appro- priation bill for the fiscal year 1888 will provide an all-year-round week ly service on the air route from Tan across, the junction point of the loop route with the Juneau to Fairbanks route, to Cordoya, Valdez, Seward, and Anchorage, with a consequent improvement in mail service which will be reflected on all of the star routes originating at these points and which now serve areas from as far south as Yakataga Beach to the Seward Peninsula and Bristol Bay region in the north and west, with out any increase in the present cost of the service on these existing routes.
 Foreign Ai1mail Service
 The transportation Of mail be- tween Juneau and Fairbanks would be paid for through the new item under foreign airmail service be- cause of the necessity of passing over a small section of Canada.
 If the items proposed are incor- porated in and remain in the bill when approved, the total appropria- tion for transportation of mail in the Territory will amount to $348,- 692 or an increase of S141,447 over that provided in the last Post Office