The Flying Mail-Carrier 



An aeroplane to carry mail on the Buzzard's Bay route seems to 

 the Postmaster General to be the solution of a special problem 



THE science of aviation has so far 

 progressed in recent years that now, 

 in the opinion of the Postmaster 

 General and postal authorities, it offers a 

 practical means of carrjing mail. To this 

 end bids have been opened for aeroplane 

 service on seven mail routes in Alaska and 

 one in Massachusetts. These routes were 

 chosen because the need of good facilities 

 for mail communication is imperative and 

 because the difficulties of other means of 

 transportation are serious. 



The Massachusetts route is across Buz- 

 zard's Bay and Nantucket Sound. Most 

 of the route lies over water, and the wind 

 velocities average high during the Fall and 

 Winter. At times fog is prevalent. How- 

 ever, if the exacting weather conditions and 

 weight requirements of the route can be 

 met by aerial carriers, it presents an excel- 

 lent opportunity for improved mail service. 



Two hours is allowed for the flight from 

 New Bedford to Nantucket, with stops at 

 Woods Hole and Oak Bluffs. It is assumed 



that in actual service the flying mail-carriers 

 could keep this schedule and have nearly 

 an hour to spare. It is a question whether 

 aeroplanes or hydroplanes, which could 

 start and land upon the water, would be 

 more serviceable. 



If adopted, the aeroplane service would 

 reach the population of the islands of 

 Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. It 

 would supersede serv^ice now performed by 

 steamboat. In summer these islands have 

 a large population, which makes the volume 

 of mail nearly double that of the winter. 

 The first or morning trip in summer 

 necessitates carrj-ing not less than three 

 thousand pounds of mail. 



At the starting point. New Bedford, the 

 mail-carrying fliers could start about two 

 and one half miles from the postofifice. At 

 Woods Hole, Oak BlufTs and Nantucket 

 satisfactory landing places could be secured 

 one half mile from the center of town. The 

 distance traveled by aeroplane over the 

 route mapped out would be fifty-six miles. 





i^iAhlTUCnLT Souf^o 



Atlantic Ocean 



It is fifty-six miles from New Bedford to Nantucket. The Post Office Department allows two 

 hours for the flight by aeroplane, although one hour is said to be sufficient in favorable weather 



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