The Washington times., 1922-04-24
AIR TRANSPORT
STATION IN D. c.
IS POSSIBILITY
Chicago Plan Being Generally
Advocated for All
Large Cities.
By JOHN GOLDSTROM,
AerOnautio Correspondent Universal
Service.


The Chicago plan to build a great
roof near the business section as
an air transport station has given
rise to a proposal by Government
experts that all big cities join in a
general movement to stimulate COM
mercial aviation by constructing
similar fields.
The army air service has pro-
posed that the reservoir in Central
Park be used in New York. It is
convenient to both the Grand Cen
trail and the Pennsylvania Stations
and to the main postoffice build
ing.
An ideal place for such a field
in San Francisco is Rincon Hill, on
which "A great group of warehouses
Is to be built. II is convenient to
the business section. A roof could
be built over the warehouses.
At Los Angeles there is a large
ground site available near the post
office and adjacent to the Santa
Fe railroad terminal.
The Polo Field in Washington,
convenient to the downtown sec
ton, is the most available site in
the National Capital.
grasts are from Marion, Ohio, and
are very good personal friends OF
President and Mrs. Harding. They
had been routed out Of their apart
ment quite close to the fire.
Later the Coolidges, the Sawyers,
and the Prendergrasts hailed taxi
and drove to the White House. Both
the President and Mrs. Harding
were there to greet them.
The elevators were out Of COM
mission owing to the water that
was pouring down their shaft, so
went up on foot to the next floor,
and greeted Senator du Pont, owner
Of the hotel, who was leisurelY
taking a bath. The Senator asked
me why ] was in such a hurry,
and when / told him the hotel was
on fire. he replied he knew il, but
II would take a long time to get
down to his floor. judged he felt
safer in the bathtub than on the
street.
The fire started at a most unfor-
tunate time, for the famous hostelry
was filled with distinguished guests
from all over the country. The
night before had been the dinner
OF the Gridiron Club. to which news
papermen and politicians from all
over the country had come. Be
sides this, most OF the members of
the D. A. r. were living here dur
ing their convention.
Breaking Speed Limit.
Judge McChord, OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission, and Mira
McChord in very scanty attire, came
tearing down the spiral stairway at
an extremely dangerous rate OF
speed.
Mrs. Calder, wife OF the Senator
from New York, and Mrs. France.
wife of the Senator from Maryland.
were having a great time collecting
their large families in the hallway
of the seventh floor. One OF the
children carried kitten.
Away upon the ninth floor. which
by the time ! reached there had
become a flooded area, I met Mrs.
de Witt Talmadge, widow OF the
Brooklyn preacher, attired in eve
ming clothes, wearing great
plumed hat, and holding in her
arms a Pekingese puppy.
/ wandered through the hotel,
and was amazed at the damage
that had been done as low down
as the sixth floor. Doors had been
smashed in by passing firemen, and
all the carpets were soggy, and
strewn with glass, splinters, and
broken pieces of plaster.
= ID. A. r. Stirred BY Rumor.
In the dining room on the main
floor, the water had penetrated, and
long rows Of buckets were CON
stantly being emptied by hotel bell
boys. Here in a great cluster I
found several prominent members
of the d. A. r. They were
aroused with indignation over the
rumor that the fire had originated
from a midnight smoking party
which it is said they had held
after the Gridiron Club had broken
up.
And on the street outside the
hotel imagine my surprise when I
met Mrs. Charles S. Whitman, wife
Of the ex-governor of New York.
attired in the beautiful gown that
she had worn the night before.
She carried with her stuffed
pillow-Case in which she had placed
all the clothing she had been able