Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1919 — AEROPLANE EXPRESS TODAY [ARTICLE]

AEROPLANE EXPRESS TODAY

Will Bring Shipment to the Traub Clothing House. The world’s firdt aeroplane express will land in Rensselaer on Wednesday, August 13, ait 2:15 p. m., When Lieut David L. Behncke brings a shipment of Society Brand clothes from the factory at Chicago to William Traub. Behncke flies a Curtiss bi-plane and will land on the Amsler field at 2:15 p. m. He will be met by a special committee of welcome headed by Mayor Charles G. Spitler. An auto truck will rush the merchandise from the field to the store. Ample time will be given to inspect the plane and meet the aviator. The world’s first aeroplane express service is a culmination of an idea that originated with Alfred Decker, president of Alfred Decker & Cohn, manufacturers of Society Brand clothes, back in the spring of 1914. A representative of the concern visited flying fields at Dayton, 0., and in the east a'hd on his return it was decided to inaugurate the service. The war came on shortly after which made it necessary to abandon the idea until this spring. A forty acre flying field equipped with a steel hangar has been established at Maywood, Hl., a suburb of Chicago, and two Curtiss J-N-4 [bi-planies were purchased. On Tues-

day, June 3, in the presence of a gathering of representative business men, Harry H. Merrick, president of the Chicago Association of Commerce, dedicated the field and the planes. During ithe ceremonies, the planes were christened respectively, ''“Society Brand I” and “Society Brand II” by the Misses Mae and .Florence Decker. On his trip from Chicago to Rensselaer Aviator Benncke will carry a long range camera, as he is an experienced aero photographer. The (two Curtiss planes will be distinguishable at a great height, because of their checker-board wings. They are capable of a speed of 75 miles an hour and 95 per cent of the American and Canadian aviators were trained in this model. On his trip to Rensselaer, Lieut. Behncke will make the 125 miles (from Chicago in one hour and fiftyfive minutes. He consumes two hours and fifty-five minute? for . stop overs at Watseka, 111., and Brook, Ind., where he makes deliveries of Society Brand clothes to retailers. Lieut. Behncke will be greeted by a tremendous crow* He returns •to Chicago from here after remaining on the fiqld ample time to give the people an opportunity to meet him and to inspect the plane.—Advt.