Evening star., 1926-10-24

Department of Agriculture by direc
boulevard from the Lincoln Memorial
across the new Memorial Bridge to
Mount Vernon the engineer officers on
river development and the Fine Arts
Commission have been called into
conference. Already 1t seems certain
that the Mount Vernon boulevard
will be started next year and will
skirt the river edge. This will neces-
state continued filing in on the line
with Columbia Island and a bulkhead-
ing or buttressing Of the shore in
Point. opposite the Potomac Park
east peninsula. In this fill-in area 1t
is now proposed to locate another
large yacht harbor near the present
home of the Corinthian Yacht Club.
Modern Airport Plans.
In connection with the proposed
modern airport, to accommodate the
present needs and anticipated conGes-
ton as the volume Of private, civic
and commercial flying increases. 1t Is
considered the area should be at least
5000 feet square, and, above all, close
to the business center Of a city.
A field 1900 feet square would en-
able "four.way landings" or make 1t
possible for an incoming pilot to obey
the laws Of flying, which specify q
plane in coming to rest or taking OH
always should head straight into the
wind. Two-way fields are not salts,
factory, although experienced pilots
have little difficulty in taking off or
alighting.
The necessity for the airport being
in close proximity to the CITY is not
to lose any of the time gained by air
travel. Airplanes coming to. Washing
ton from the West have about TO-
hour advantage over the fastest trains
because of the mountains, but there Is
not so very much time to be gained in
short airplane fights from nearby
points.
The War Department owns Boiling
Field, which it shares with the land
planes at the Naval Air Station. This
field already is crowded, but as there
is little hope Of establishing a larger
military airdrome near Washington
the Air Corps has decided to make the
best Of it's present equipment.
Civilian and military airplanes can
not mix on the same field experience
in other parts of the country has
borne out. At an airport, individual
owners may obtain hangar space. fuel,
spare parts. mechanical service.
meteorological advice. maps and
other forms of assistance for flying.
The airport also would be the grand
central terminal for all commercial
lines operating in, out or through
Washington. Civilian aviation there
fore would be centralized on one
broad area, unlike Chicago which now
has three or four municipal airports
scattered throughout its limits, and
which are not working to advantage
h>~ Af he ~ tYf fYa liza tim
Coming Air Hub.
The Department of Commerce 8
bureau of civil aviation sees the neces-
sity for Washington having model
airport. as in a few short years this
city will be in every Eastern and
Southern air route ard will continue
to be the mecca for air travel.
The hill rising Immediately behind
Boiling Field, and on which St. Eliz-
abeth's Hospital is situated. also is
scheduled for Identification in the flu
ture 1t is the hope of the War De
partment, although not the an.
| nounced policy, to abolish the tenn
porary wooden structures which
house a small number of the officers
and locate permanent quarters mid
way to the top of the elevation.
When this is accomplished Ii
would feSemDle 10 great ueSTSS
| the arrangement Of officer quarters al
Crissey Field, Preside. San Francisco
which also is backed by an abrupt
hill. The uniform buildings are neatly
arranged along the side and viewed
from a distance enhance the spectacle
presented by the wooded hill.
Those who have been in conference
! on all these plans are enthusiastic as
never before Of the early development
Of a most beautiful waterway ap
proach to the Capital. They are con
sidered unrivaled and exclusive, for
no water-side city in the world has
anything approaching the same set
ting. These plans have resulted from
extensive world wide study and in
spection. Maj. Somerville, who draft.
ed the plans. has personally studied
the enu4re area from the Black Sea to
Liverpool. Study with pictures has
been made of South America and