The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1948-05-20
SHORT HISTORY OF THE
u. S. AIR MAIL SERVICE

In connection with the 30th ami
versary of Air Mail in the United
States, the following short history
is given:
June IA, 1910. First mention Of
Air Mail service in the U. S. wher
l Congressman Sheppard, Texas, in
{ troduced a bill in the House for ar
investigation of the possibilities fol-
such service. No action was taken.
Sept. $780, 1911. Experimental
Air Mail service between Mineola
/ N. Y. post office and flying field.
1912. Postmaster General Hitch
cock recommended to Congress that
$4,000 be appropriated to start eX-
detrimental service.
1916. Funds made available and
routes advertised, but no bidders.
May IS, 1918 First Air Mail route
in the United States established be-
tween New York and Washington
via Philadelphia. War Department
furnished planes and conducted fly
ing. After August IL the Postoffice
Department took over the entire
operation.
May is, 1919. Establish first leg
of transcontinental air route
Cleveland, Ohio, via Bryan, Ohio, to
Chicago. July l, 1919. Established
second leg, New York via Belle
fonte, Pa, to Cleveland May Is,
1920 Established third leg-Chicago
via Iowa City to Omaha. Sept Is,
1920. Last leg of transcontinental
route: from Omaha via North
Platte, Nebr., to Cheyenne, Raw
Inns and Rock Springs, Wyo., thence
to Salt Lake City, and on through
Elko and Reno, New. to San Fran
cisco. First plane on the route car
ried 10000 letters and reached San
Francisco % hours ahead of fastest
train, with flying time restricted to
daylight operation.
Oct. IA, 1920. First carriage of Air
Mail to foreign country-from
Seattle, Wn., to Victoria, B. c., a
distance of "A miles. Edward Hub
bard had contract for 5000 a round
trip.
Feb. %. 1921. First transconti-
mental mail flight from San Fran
cisco to New York Time elapsed,
SO hours and 16 minutes; actual fly
ing time Is hours, Is minutes The
distance was 2.619 miles.
1922 Air Mail Service, P O..
Dept awarded Collier Trophy for
safety record in flying the mails
1928. Pilots and personnel of the Air
Mail service awarded Collier
Trophy for demonstration of night
flying; and Harmon Trophy for de-
velopment of the same.
l926-1927. Airway and radio facil-
tiles transferred from P. o. Dept. to
Department of Commerce. From
1927 until 1888 routes were flown
by contractors. Since the Civil
Aeronautics Act of 1888, the depart
ment has used only the routes
planes, and facilities of air carriers
holding certificates issued by the
Civil Aeronautics Board authoriz-
ing the carriage of mail.
Nov. %, 1885. Begin trans-Pacific
Air Mail service from San Francisco
via Hawaii, Midway, Wake and
Guam to the Philippine Islands.
May 20, 1899: Begin transatlantic
Air Mail service from New York via
Bermuda and Portugal to Marseille,
France.
OCLODeI 4, 1870. ESldDllSA UNIFORM
flag rate of SC an ounce for Air Mail
in U. S. and territories or wherever
the u. S. Postal Air Service is OPP
Grated Canada and Mexico We're
also given the Scent an ounce do
mestic rate Nov. /, 1946-Foreign
rates reduced: 1Oc half ounce to
Latin American countries, except
Cuba &c; l5c to Europe and Medi-
terranian area, and Csc to all other
countries April q, 1947: 10c Air
Letter sheet, good anywhere in the
world.
Oct /, 1947. Start helicopter Air
Mail service in Los Angeles metro
politan area. March Is, 1948. Begin
Air Parcel service
from u. S. to Austria, Azores, Bel
gian Congo, Bermuda, Czechoslo-
vakia, Denmark, Egypt, Ireland,
Finland, Gold Coast Colony, Great
Britain and Northern Ireland,
Iceland, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Tur-
lraU and tho TTpiOr Of South a frico