Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1938-04-14

| Inc week OF NAY 1871 mas Deen
designated as National Air Mail
Week. Post offices throughout the ma
ton are cooperating in an educational
campaign to emphasize the speed with
which air mail is being delivered to
distant points. In connection with oh
servance of National Air Mail Week,
the Post Office Department has pre-
pared for publication the following
historical sketch of the development
of air mail service:
On December II, 1903, at the Kill
Devil Sand Hills near Kitty Hawk,
North Carolina, there rose from the
ground, of it's own power. machine
to which four cylinder gasoline mo-
tor and two propellers had been fitted.
The machine remained in the air 80
seconds and travelled a distance of
S52 feet. The occasion was, neverthe-
less, momentous one, for the famous
Wright Brothers had just completed
the first successful airplane flight in
the history of the world, and out of
this tiny beginning was to come a
power which can triumph over wind
and wave, bring the ends of the world
into close communication, establish
more rapid interchange of blessings
and more closely bind together the
scattered portions of the human race.
From the time of that flight in 1908
to the beginning of the World War,
the development of aviation was as
tonishingly rapid. The War vastly
stimulated airplane production, but
development was along distinctive
military lines. Little was done in the
direction of commercial adaptation.
The first general application to COM
mercial activity was in the transpor-
tation of mail. Experiments in this
direction were made at Mineola, New
York, as early as 1911. These expert
ments demonstrated the possibility of
developing the airplane into a prac-
teal means of Aerial Transportation.
On May Is, 1918, the Post Office De-
partment, therefore, established the
first regular Air Mail Service in the
world between New York and Wash
ington with stop at Philadelphia.
The distance of this route was 218
miles, and the frequency of the serv-
ice was one round trip daily except
Sunday. The success of this service
led to the establishment of similar
service between New York and Chi
cago and later between Chicago and
San Francisco. Extension of the Air
Mail Service continued through the
years until today the entire Country
is linked together with a network of
Air Mail Routes with ever increasing
facilities.
May Is, 1888, therefore, marks the
Twentieth Anniversary of the estab-
lishment of the United States Air
Mail System, and it is to commemor-
ate this momentous event that the
week from May Is to 81, 1888 has
been designated National Air Mail
Week. The purpose of National Air
Mail Week is to stimulate interest in
aviation, to foster Air Mail conscious
ness. to emphasize both the value and
efficiency of our Air Mail Service, to
enlist to cooperation of all our people
to the end that increased demand for
this service may bring about its wider
extension with-ever increasing facili-
ties.
The United States Air Mail System
offers outstanding facilities which
should attract industry, business and
the general public. Letters, post cards
and packages may be air mailed in
the United States for six cents an
ounce or fraction thereof.
Air mail may be sent registered, in
sured or C. o. D. When combined with
our Special Delivery Service 1t is
especially useful on Saturdays, Sun
days and Holidays. We especially sug-
gest the use of the combined sixteen
cent Air Mail Delivery Stamp for
immediate delivery at Office of ad-
dress. Air Mail letters and post cards
may be posted in any mail box. Col
lection schedules, especially in the
business section are frequent and de-
pendable. Patrons are urged to use
stamps especially provided for Air
Mail, although ordinary stamps may
be used. The use of distinctive Air
Mail Envelopes will attract attention.
Your Postmaster urges the use of Air
Mail for speedy service to distant
points.
AS examples of the speedy service
offered by air mail, the following
schedules are given. These schedules
apply to post offices in the vicinity Of
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