Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-18
TEXAS DAILY PRESS LEAGUE
Foreign Advertising REPRESENTATIVES


: Brownsville has ambitions to establish an airport.
and present Indications are that the ambition will
soon be realized. Events Of the past month have serv-
cd to thoroughly convince the great majority Of
Brownsville residents that an airport is virtually nee
essary, and thnt it will prove a very important factor
in future development Of the city.
In making plans for this airport Brownsville can
not afford to be too conservative. Recent events have
indicated that the time is not far distant when
Brownsville will be the aerial gateway to all Of Latin
America, the most important international airport on
the western hemisphere. Doubtless other ports will
be established along the Mexican border, but due to
the fact that Brownsville is on the logical route from
Mexico City to the great industrial areas Of the United
States, this city possesses q distinct strategic advan-
tage.
Captain Gilpin Erwin, one of the foremost pilots
in the army service, advises the city Of Brownsville
not 70 consider an airport which will comprise less
than GAO acres; and this advice was seconded by Han
ford MacNider, assistant secretary OF war, who has
probably had more experience in connection with avia-
tion than any government official not directly con-
nected with the army air service. Both MacNider and
Erwin voiced the opinion that many Of the airports
now being developed will eventually prove inadequate.
and that an international airport Of the Importance
Brownsville should ultimately attain should make
provisions at the outset to provide facilities for fu-
ture expansion.
Lindbergh has blazed the trail for development Of
the airway connecting the United States and the Latin
American republics. He has demonstrated the prac-
~ticability of commercial air lanes, and commerce will
not be slow 10 profit. The army flight Of four planes,
undertaken last December, first attracted attention TO
the possibilities Of aerial connections with the repub-
lies south Of the Rio Grande, but it remained for
Lindbergh to prove beyond question the feasibility Of
commercial air lanes. His missionary work has not
been confined to the United States. All Latin America
Il accIaiming his achievement, and the newspapers and
public officials from Buenos Aires to the northern
border Of Mexico are now clamoring for immediate
establishment OF aerial connections.
It Is trae that future development Of commercial
air service is more or less problematical; but few
doubt that the next decade will witness tremendous
progress, progress which makes the development Of
recent years appear almost infinitesimal in compare
son. There will be as keen competition for aerial
traffic as there was for railroads a generation ago,
and the city that makes the preparations in advance
and provides facilities for development OF the COM
mercial air service will have a distinct advantage.
Brownsville should secure sufficient acreage i'm
mediateiy to assure ample room for future Develop
ments. There is no possibility Of loss. Real estate
values are we'll stabilized, and any investment would
probably show a handsome profit in a year or two II
the entire area should not be required for that pur-
pose. However, il the city secures a limited area and
develops a port, the cost Of additional land when the
time comes to enlarge the port would doubtless be sew
eral times what would now be required TO purchase
sufficient land for an airport that would fill every
need Of the future.