Douglas Daily Dispatch

DOUGLAS MAY BE ON AN AR MAIL ROUTE IN APRIL

An invitation has been extended to the Douglas Chamber of Commerce and Mines by the Yavapai County Chamber of Commerce to send representatives to Prescott within the next few days to meet there with Captain R. G. Ervin, commanding officer, Seventh Corps Area Air office, Omaha Nebraska, regarding possible airship mail service for this city.

The Western Air Express is planning to start seven planes on April first carrying mail, passengers and parcels between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, according to the northern chamber's letter. It is the desire of the Yavapai chamber to tap this service at Las Vegas, Nevada, and give the air mail service to all of Arizona through Kingman, Prescott, Phoenix, Tucson and Douglas.

As the Yavapai group plans it, a plane from Douglas leaving here at 5 a. m. could meet the Los Angeles plane at Las Vegas at 10:30 a. m. and planes from Salt Lake City and New York would arrive at Las Vegas at 12:30 noon.

This would give the Douglas plane time to return to Douglas before dark, including all stops.

The letter states that with landing fields duly approved, and flying conditions ideal the year around in Arizona, there is no reason why this state cannot tie into the air mail service from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City.

Captain Ervin, who is flying to Prescott from Los Angeles, expects to reach the Arizona city about February 20. He has authority to land on all uncharted fields while on his trip from Omaha to the coast and will make a report on them upon completion of his trip to the chief of the air service in Washington, D. C.

Accompanying Captain Ervin will be Capt. Lowell Smith and Lt. Eric Nelson who made the around the world trip and also Frank Clarke of Los Angeles who is a nationally known flier.

The Prescott folks will request a favorable report from Ervin on the proposed air service and would like to have Douglas representatives do the same if they will go to that city to meet the flyer.