AIRMAIL CREATES AN INDUSTRY: NY - Chicago

On January 13, 1919, "Aerial Age Weekly" quoted Second Assistant Postmaster General Otto Praeger's new pledge to open the New York City – Chicago flyway. Speaking of the first attempt, he said "very few people realize what an undertaking this is . . . the task is stupendous. This has never been attempted, either in America or in any other country of the world." Having learned a lesson, Praeger declined to announce a specific start date for the service.

Praeger and his people had been hard at work making the changes necessary to realize a permanent New York – Chicago flyway since November. The hard work had paid off. On May 15, 1919, a year to the day after airmail service began, the postal service opened the Cleveland – Chicago portion of the flyway. The New York – Cleveland segment opened on July 1, 1919. The new service was not without problems, crashes and even deaths, but it was here to stay.

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