New-York tribune., 1920-06-20
First Airplane
Port in Nation
Is Opened Here
Aviators Soar Overland as
Speakers Indulge in Ora.
torical Flights and Strong
Predictions of Success
Nayor Refuses to F1v
Landing at 8lst Street and
the Hudson River Seen
as World Center Soon

The first air port in America was
first Street and the Hudson River,
while alrpanes dipped and circled over
head and the orators scared into opti-
mistic prophecies for the future of
the port.
This landing place may we'll become
the center of airplane passenger and
freight traffic to all parts of the
world" said Murray Hubert, Dock
the Police Reserve Air Forces in estab-
fishing the port. From it in the near
future air craft will take passengers
over three routes, to Boston, to Albany
and to Washington"
Rear Admiral John II. Glennon, COM
mandant of the Third Naval District,
saw the air port as the official gateway
to the United States.
Urges Site as Memorial
"This would be the appropriate place
for the great national memorial to the
heroes of the great war;" he said.
Through a great arch erected here
ne should bring home the bodies of
the dead. 1t will become the official
landing place for distinguished guests
Of this government.
Major Charles j. Glidden, who has
Just returned from a trip around the
world in the interest of the first aerial
derby, announced that he had appointed
commissioners for the derby in sixty
cities. He said the first trip by air
around the world probably would be
made next summer.
he b,,,,
ticket on Broadway for an airpane
trip round the world Aviation is the
coming thing in the Far East" he said.
"In Hong Kong, for example, they have
an air service under the police depart
mont for the purpose of hunting pirates
on the river"
Major Glidden said that two Amer-
can aviators in Handley Page machine
probably would make q test flight
around the world this summer, pre-.
paratory to the derby. They expect to
make tho trip in 250 flying hours, he
said The date of their fight will de-
pend upon reports of climate con-
ditions in the tropical oceans.
Mayor Hylan caught the contagion
of prophecy, and declared that in the
future all docks built by the city would
have landing places for aircraft on
the roof.
Mayor Renews His Plant
Renewing his claims that he was
'maliciously" treated by the news
papers of the city, Mayor Hylan warned
his hearers not to believe what they
read about him.
when was a candidate for office
only one paper in this city supported
me-" he said. "In spite of the mali
cous criticisms of the press, I have
had but one purpose since I became
Mayor; that was to serve the people
of this great city. I have encouraged
the commissioners of all departments
TO use their best judgment and to work
necessarily for the public good, with
out interference from the Mayors Of
fice'
The crowds were treated to exhib-
tion flights by all manner of airplancs,
some of which swooped so low that
they blew the straw hats off the heads
of small boys on the freight trains be-
low Riverside Drive. The Navy De-
partment had sent one dirigible and
FIVE seaplanes to the regatta. The
Army Air Service sent fourteen air
planes and the Trans Oceanic Com
pany sent three passenger planes.
Mayor Hylan declined the invitation
TO ride and, accompanied by most of
the invited guests, sailed away in the
John +. Hylan for the port of the Bat
terv