The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-06-01
Stumps Are Pulled and Holes
Filled Up So That Ground
Will Be Smooth.
MARKERS TO BE PLACED
Giant 'P" to Indicate City win
Be In Center of Field
and Poles at Corners.

&'~ Several stumps in
the center OF the
field were being
pulled and the holes viii be filled in
level so that after it is rolled the field
win be one Of best in the south. Army
flyers who have seen the field agree
that it is an excellent one for the pur-
tpose, plenty large enough to accom-
modatea full flying squadron.
Just now the greatest need is for
trucks and il there are any Pensacola
bosters who have trucks available they
are asked to communicate with Leslie
Partridge. Four flagpoles TO mark the
corners of the field are needed. also.
Kiwanis field is located at Goulding
almost due east of the fertilizer fac
tory and about southeast of the turn
Of the Ferry Pas road after II crosses
the railroad track.
A giant "P" TO indicate Pensacola
will be chaIked in the center Of the
field and wind d-direction Indicator
will be placed at one corner of the
field. These marks are in accordance
with Aero Club rules and are off
cial. The Aero Club will be informed
of the fact that Pensacola has a flying
field and the various aviation maga-
zines will make mention OF it, The
third assistant postmaster general. who
has charge OF the aerial mali. win also
be notified and requested 70 put Pen
sacola on the aerial mail route when
the southern branch is organized.
Speaking of the airplane as a fac
tor in building towns. +. deb New
man of the Aeromarine Company said
recently.
The idea of the airplane as a po-
tent factor in the rise and fall of towns
probably seems far fetched" Mr.. New
man, a follower OF flying since its early
days, said recently. Perhaps" an ex-
PLANTATION will make the prediction
Seem less vernesque.
when man tries to see ahead into
the future he has to go far back into
the past and follow his subject up
through the centuries. We know that
men first banded together in crude
settlements for protection from wild
animals and from other hordes OF say
ages. These first groups Of huts or
caves were built in places naturally
fitted for defense and near good hunt
ing and fishing. But as man progress
ed his reason for selecting a site for a
town altered.
when crude efforts at agriculture
began good soil was necessary: and
when the age Of metals came towns
sprang UP near one outcroppings. Then
boats grew into ships and location
near rivers and good harbors were
sought. Not all towns had these vari-
Gus natural advantages. but the towns
that grew most rapidly had them IN
greatest number or degree.
when this country was discovered
man was fairly well civilized. except
perhaps industrially In the settle
ment of the United States the old laws
of natural advantages counted as they
had in the establishment Of the oldest
of Europe's towns. The first villages
were along the coast on the best har-
bors and later in the nearby rivers.
Then as pathfinders worked eastward
trails sprang up through the best
country and settlements grew along
these trails.
Then came the railroads and within
few decades a town was nothing
unless il was on railroad. no matter
how great it's other advantages. The
towns which first got railroads grew
most rapidly. In the west, then only
sparsely settled, trans-continental rail-
roads literally raised a crop OF towns
out Of the ground along their right OF
way as they were pushed toward the
Pacific. They sowed civilization - a
farmer sows grain. a town, founded
perhaps by stragglers in the CalifOr-
mia gold rush Of '49, became a city or
a deserted village accordingly as II
was on the line OF far from it.
THE airplane and flying boat and
dirigible will do the same thing. Where
they find good landing places. whether
natural or constructed by farseeing
municipalities. gasoline and repair sta
tions. and a welcome they will land
and thus gradually establish the stop
ping places on the great air routes
soon to criss-cross the continent and
weave up and down its coasts. A vii
Iage unblessed by railroad harbor or
navigable river. may become an air
port of great Importance. A city which
has only railroads and no good land
ing places may dwindle as great air
freighters pass it by. Not in day or
a year, but eventually. How soon no
man is competent to say"