May 31, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 6, page 3, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Preparations are under way for the transfer of the Transcontinental Airway to the Department of Commerce, effective July 1, 1927. Inventories are being taken of existing equipment at beacon sites and intermediate fields; new contracts are being arranged for the fiscal year 1928, under the Department of Commerce, for carrying on the maintenance of the Transcontinental Airway. This airway will be operated by private contractors. The National Air Transport, Inc., will operate the section between Chicago and New York; the Boeing Airplane Company will operate the section between San Francisco and Chicago.
June 30, 1927 Domestic Air News Vol. 7, page 4, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The Transcontinental Airway was transferred to the Department of Commerce on July 1, 1927.
The Transcontinental Airway is 2665 miles long, of which 2041 miles are lighted. The air navigation facilities on the Transcontinental consist of 90 intermediate fields, 101 electric beacons, 417 acetylene beacons, and 17 radio stations.
The personnel transferred by the Post Office Department comprises 45 radio operators, 14 maintenance mechanics, and 84 caretakers.
For maintenance the Transcontinental Airway has been divided into five sections.
The section between New York and Bellefonte will be maintained through the expansion of the office of the Superintendent of Lighthouses, Staten Island, N.Y., and A. Raymond Brooks will be detailed as Associate Airway Engineer.
The section between Bellefonte and Bryan will be maintained by the expansion of the office of the Superintendent of Lighthouses, Buffalo, N.Y. Howard D. Ingalls has been appointed Associate Airway Engineer in that office.
The section between Bryan, Ohio, and Omaha, Neb., will be maintained under the Superintendent of Lighthouses, Milwaukee, Wis. Irving D. Marshall and William E. Boesch, formerly with the Air Mail Service, have been detailed to the 12th Lighthouse District to carry out the airway maintenance work.
A new office has been opened in Salt Lake City, known as the Airways District Office, Lighthouse Service, Room 214-215 Boston Building, Main and Exchange Place, Salt Lake City, Utah, and is in charge of William E. Kline, formerly Chief, Maintenance of Way of the Post Office Department.
The section of the Transcontinental between Reno and Omaha, together with the Pueblo-Cheyenne Airway, Las Vegas-Salt Lake City Airway, and the Salt Lake City-Pasco Airway will be maintained by the Salt Lake City Office.
The maintenance of the western end of the Transcontinental Airway, between San Francisco and Reno will be maintained by the expansion of the office of the Superintendent of Lighthouses, San Francisco, Calif.
To facilitate navigation over the Transcontinental and identify the beacons and intermediate fields they will be numbered under a mileage basis following the system established by the Department of Commerce for civil airways.
July 15, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 7, page 2, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
San Francisco-Chicago Airway. This section of the Transcontinental began operation under private enterprise (air mail contractor Boeing Air Transport, inc.) on July 1. The radio, lighting and intermediate field equipment and personnel engaged therein were transferred by the Post Office Department to Airways Division of the Department of Commerce. Transfers of Post Office Department buildings and lighting equipment at various airports were made on June 26 under the Air Commerce Act to the cities of Chicago, Iowa City, Des Moines, North Platte, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City and Elko.
October 1, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 13, page 1, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
F.C. Hingsburg, Chief Engineer of the Airways Division recently make a night flight from New York to Chicago over the transcontinental airway to check up on the lighting system. The trip was made in six hours and fifty minutes, starting at 7:45 P.M., from Hadley Field, and landing at Maywood, at 2:35 A.M. The passage was made in a Douglas mail plane, piloted from New York to Cleveland by Wesley Smith of the National Air Transport, inc., and from Cleveland to Chicago by M. Williams.
October 15, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 14, page 6, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Mr. Jay Mount has been employed as Inspector of Airways Construction and will be assigned to the Twelfth District in connection with proposed construction work on the Transcontinental Airways.
November 15, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 16, page 3, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Effort is being made to install lights between Colfax, California and Reno, Nevada, before the snow and cold weather make work in this mountainous region impossible. The Transcontinental route through this section follows in a general way the Southern Pacific Railroad and in many cases, due to low hanging clouds, the pilots are forced to fly through narrow canyons. It is the plan of the Department to install 375 m/m acetylene lights at a close spacing of from three to five miles along this section of the route, which extends from Colfax via Alta, Blue Canyon, Emigrant Gap, Cisco, to Truckee, and from there in a general way along the railroad to Reno. This work is under the general direction of Airways Extension Superintendents G. C. Miller with W. T. Miller in charge of the survey work. Mr. W. T. Miller has with him Airways Extension Superintendents J. P. Worthington, T. B. Burne, A. C. Preil, G. R. Fitzgerald, A. P. Taliaferro, and Walter L. Avery.
December 1, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 17, page10, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
In view of the continued bad weather in the forms of heavy rains and snow between Reno and San Francisco very satisfactory progress has been made. A field is planned at Roosevelt (*note(CAS): this has to be Roseville), California, at Auburn, and at Blue Canyon. It is the present plan to install a light at Clipper Gap, Howell Hill, Colfax Hill, one midway between Colfax hill and Cold Spring Hill, One at Cold Spring hill, one at Chinatown, two between Chinatown and Blue Canyon. The installation of this equipment will carry the airway from Sacrament to Blue Canyon, near the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Every effort is being made to complete the survey of this section before the heavy snows, which usually set in about this time of year, make further progress impossible.
December 1, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 17, page 12, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The Boeing Aircraft Corporation report 50% increase in poundage of mail west of Chicago. Owing to lateness on schedule and frequent layover at Reno of west bound planes, it was decided to install lights between San Francisco and Truckee, Calif., the high point of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This section is already overtaken by winter and rapid work was necessary to cover the upper section from Colfax to the Blue Canyon if lights were to go in before next summer. A party consisting of eight Airways Extension Superintendents, with surveys under the direction of W. T. Miller, construction under Jack Worthington, and G. C. Miller as contact officer, was assembled with trucks and working parties to select sites and erect beacons. The lighting equipment was shipped from the east by express. Lumber for structures was purchased locally and erection of lights started. Owing to the high growth of timber it will be necessary to install a number of the lights on 85 ft. steel towers. Acetylene tubing in 60 ft. lengths has been shipped to carry gas from the storage tanks to the lanterns installed at the tops of the towers. At sites where power is available flashing electric lanterns will be used instead of the acetylene type, each lantern being given a distinctive flash by means of a sign flashing mechanism. An intermediate field has (page 13) been elected at Blue Canyon and a contract will be awarded for clearing about 40 acres of timber for the field and approaches at the entrance to the Blue Canyon pass across the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
December 15, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 18, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Airways Extension Superintendent E. M. Haight, and F. H. Tower, Associate Airways Engineer, have reported on a similar check of fields and beacons between Bryan and Bellefonte, and a survey will be undertaken in the spring.
December 15, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 18, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Preliminary work toward improvement of the Transcontinental Airways has been undertaken. Airways Extension Superintendent A. W. Smith, and A. R. Brooks, associate Airways Engineer, have made a number of flights over the section of the Transcontinental between Bellefonte and Hadley, and report has been prepared covering a number of constructive changes including enlargement of many existing fields.
December 31, 1927, Domestic Air News Vol. 1, No. 19, page 1, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The conditioning of Blue Canyon field, a strategic point on the route San Francisco to Salt Lake, is proceeding as rapidly as weather conditions will permit. The field is located near the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and at present work is seriously hampered by the presence of several feet of snow on the ground. The selection of beacon and field sites between San Francisco and Blue Canyon is proceeding rapidly.
January 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 1, whole No. 20, page 6, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Beacon sites at Sandy Valley, Corsica and Woodland, Pa., have been relocated. At Moshannon, Pa., a cluster beacon has been replaced with a standard 24” rotating searchlight. Primary cell boundary lights have been replaced with standard 110 volt systems at the intermediate fields at Vickary, Ohio, Clarion and Snowshoe, Pennsylvania. These changes are in line with the program of the Department of Commerce for installing the most modern lighting equipment on the Transcontinental Airways.
January 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 1, whole No. 20, page 5, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The resurvey of the Transcontinental has been accomplished from New York to Bryan, Ohio.
January 31, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 2, Serial No. 21, page 14, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
As a result of the resurvey of the section of the Transcontinental route between Bryan and Bellefonte, by Airways Extension Superintendent, E. M. Haight and Associate Airways Engineer, F. H. Tower, the airways will be relocated so as to include the new Toledo Airport, located some six miles southeast of the city.
January 31, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 2, Serial No. 21, page 14, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Superintendent Haight, in company with Associate Airways Engineer, I. D. Marshall, is at present engaged in a resurvey of the section of the Transcontinental Airways between Omaha and Bryan.
January 31, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 2, Serial No. 21, page 14, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Ground survey between San Francisco and Blue Canyon is complete with the exception of the field located at Auburn, California, which field is to be leased by the city of Auburn and sub-leased to the Government. Airways Extension Superintendent, T. B. Bourne, who has been working on this section, is to proceed to Elko, Nevada, and work between Elko-Reno. Airways Extension Superintendent, G. R. Fitzgerald, who has been working on this section in the vicinity of Blue Canyon, is being transferred and will work from Salt Lake City west to Elko. It is planned by the Department to accomplish as much work as the weather will permit during the winter months so that construction work can begin early in the spring as possible.
January 31, 1928, Domestic Air News Vol. 2, No. 2, Serial No. 21, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Plan for improving lighting aids from New York to Bryan, Ohio, has been approved. It provides for replacing a number of Ford Cluster beacons with 24” rotating searchlights and installing the present standard 110 volt boundary lighting systems in place of Edison primary cell boundary lights at several fields.
April 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 26, page 11, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The Vickery, Castalia and Vermilion Beacons on the Transcontinental are out of commission on account of sleet storm damage to power lines. (Apr.5). Power service at Castalia and Vermilion is expected to be restored by April 9th. No information available probable day restoration power at Vickery. The telephone service at Vickery is expected to be out of commission for a month. Due notices will be issued as lights are placed in operation.
April 30, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 27, page 20, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The Lighting facilities to be established on the western end of the Transcontinental will provide for a change of schedule so that mail collected at the end of a business day on the Atlantic seaboard or Pacific Coast will reach its destination with a loss of but one business day, the schedule providing for flying two nights and one day. Night flying will take place from San Francisco to Cheyenne and from Chicago to New York under the program of the Department. Intermediate landing fields will be provided thirty miles apart and beacon lights will be spaced approximately ten miles apart. The beacons are identified by route designations based on the names of principal terminal cities and mileage numbers, painted on the roof of the power sheds for identification from the air.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
It meant flying by night between Chicago and Cheyenne, the installation of a great system of beacons and emergency fields, and to the business man it meant delivery of letters between one coast and the other in 33 hours, while the best rail time is 86 hours in one direction only. The 1850 time was 3 days by rail and 21 days by stagecoach. By careful timing, or by placing mail directly on board the airplane at either terminal, a letter could be answered in 72 hours.
May 15, 1928 Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 13, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
May 15, 1919: The next step was the New York-Chicago route, on which service was inaugurated between Cleveland-Chicago on this date.
July 1, 1919: The section from Cleveland-New York was put in operation.
May 15, 1920 Chicago-Omaha route added.
September 8, 1920: Omaha-San Francisco section opened, completing the Transcontinental line. Flying was done by day only. Mail from the East collected after the night trains had left was flown the next morning to Chicago where it was put on the train for the night ride to Cheyenne, where it was taken off and transferred to plane for the daylight trip to San Francisco, for example. Each morning at Chicago a plane left with mail collected during the night and flown to Cheyenne where it was put on the night train for delivery in San Francisco the next morning. Eastbound the procedure was reversed. Thus, there were three planes flying each day, each way, carrying one plane load per day for either of the three sections of the route. While the planes were flying between all controls every day the mail was being carried alternately by train and aircraft, advancing delivery at either destination by two full days and at intermediate points from 1 to 2 days.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 14, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The fall of 1920 saw in operation the Transcontinental, the Twin Cities-St. Louis route, the New York-Washington route, all conducted by the Department; and by private contractors the Seattle-Victoria and Key West-Havana lines. All told, there were 3509 miles of postal airways being flown at the close of 1920.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
August 21-25, 1923: Night Flying experiments in anticipation of transcontinental all-air service.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
July 1, 1924: During the 46 months of transcontinental daylight operations, the Post Office was planning for the night service and on this date it was finally inaugurated.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
In 1925-6 this lighted airway was extended eastward to New York and westward to Salt Lake City, making a lighted strip 2041 miles in length.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
On July 1, 1927, the air navigation facilities on the Transcontinental were transferred to the Department of Commerce under the Air Commerce Act and plans made to complete the lighting between Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
May 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 28, page 26, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Vickery, Castalia and Vermilian beacons again in operation.
May 30, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 29, page 12, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The Wesley, Pa., beacon and field, site C-NY #9, will be abandoned and a beacon will be established near Kilgore, Pa., 3 ¼ miles northwest of the present Wesley Field, on or about June 15, 1928.
June 15, 1928, Domestic Air News Serial No. 30, page 14, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Surveying has started on the Pleasant Valley, cut-off between Battle Mountain and Elko. The last survey lap of the Transcontinental between Verdi and Blue Canyon is being finished.
September 30, 1928, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 37 page 15, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Aids to Navigation: 9,070 Miles of airways for night flying, Sept. so, 1928; 1,446 Electric and acetylene beacons; 295 Intermediate fields; 910 Miles of airways with intermediate fields for day flying; 19 Radio weather reporting and communication stations on Transcontinental and Salt Lake City-Pasco airways. Telephone service on other mail airways; 3,000 Miles additional night flying airways scheduled for f. y. 1929; 41 upper air meteorological stations, mostly at airports (Weather Bu.); 8 Cities have airship mooring masts; 3 Radiobeacons on Transcontinental.
November 15, 1928, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 40 page 17, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Cleveland-New York Airway: An inspection of the Cleveland-New York Airway by airplane was made by the Chief Engineer of the Airways Division October 28-November 1. Landings were made in the principle intermediate fields along the route at Northampton, Numidia, Sunbury, Bellefonte, Hylertown, and Brookville, in connection with installation of telegraph typewriters at these points for reporting weather and landing conditions by radiotelephone each hour from Hadley-Bellefonte and Cleveland radio stations. Plans were perfected to install a three room watch house with facilities for taking care of passengers should airplanes land at the principal intermediate fields on account of stress of weather after the system has been placed in operation. Two Airway keepers will be detailed to each station to take care of the landing field equipment and report weather and landing conditions by teletype each hour. These reports will form the basis of an improved weather service communicated to the pilots enroute by radio-telephone.
December 31, 1928, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 43 page 17, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
San Francisco-Salt Lake: This section of the Transcontinental is rapidly nearing completion and additional lights as ready are turned on, the beacons served by commercial power having been put in operation on December 15.
December 31, 1928, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 43 page 18, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Air Navigation Facilities, Cleveland-New York: The airways Division has issued map C-NY covering a 50 mile strip between New York and Cleveland with a representation of the Cleveland, Bellefonte and Hadley radiobeacons superimposed in red. The course is shown in black with all lights and intermediate fields. On one margin are sketches of 11 of the airports and intermediate fields along this route. On the other margin is a profile of this strip of country with the location of lights and fields shown thereon. The radiobeacon signals for port and star board variation from course in either direction are graphically shown in red. This is not a flying map and has not been printed in sufficiently large edition for general distribution, but copies are available for those directly concerned with operations over this route.
December 31, 1928, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 43 page 18, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
Dodge City-Wichita: This airway which is a section of the Transcontinental Air Transport route, will pass over very level country, and very little difficulty will be encountered in obtaining good intermediate fields.
January 15, 1929, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 44 page 16, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
San Francisco-Salt Lake: Nearly all lights have been turned on, on this section of the Transcontinental Airway, those not turned on, require the installation of generators to supply the electric current.
March 15, 1929, Domestic Air News, Serial No. 48 page 23, Stanford University Green Library, basement stack W-158; C23.9:6-32
The last rotating beacon light was turned on, on January 28, closing the last unlighted gap in this airway between San Francisco and New York
