Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-06

determination Of Baltimore interests
to press It's fight before the Post OF.
flee Department to take the coastal air
mail line away from Washington. To
clinch the arguments of Baltimore,
the city has authorized bond issue
of $1,500,O0O for the enlargement of
Logan Field as permanent munic-
ipal airport site.
Post Office officials today were mark
ing time. They have not agreed to
anything, 1t was said, and would
await the results Of the final confer.
ence between Maj. Covell and F. Tru-
bee Dawson. Assistant Secretary of
War for Aviation. The situation, how
ever, is admittedly brighter for Wash
ington's prospects than at any time
since the airport negotiations opened.
Martin A. Leese, president of the
Chamber of Commerce, echoed the
sentiments of Washington's trade
representatives last night when he told
the board Of directors at it's monthly
meeting that the business men Of the
city were prepared to support financial
ly any businesslike proposition for
the establishment Of an airport.
Gratified Over Action.
In reporting on the activities of
the three trade bodies in studying
the question of how an airport could
be provided, Mr.. Leese expressed
qualification over Secretary Davison's
tender OF Boiling Field without ex.
pense to the District. Mr.. Leese
pointed out that the Federal Gov
eminent would be the chief bene-
ficiary of the port and therefore
CHI
of the expense.
trict, however, are behind the air.
port project and ready to join with
the District and Federal governments
in the development of a permanent
commercial airport, either at Gravelly
Point or elsewhere. While the state
ment of the chamber president was
acquieSced in by members of the
board, no formal action was taken,
inaSmuch as the delegates of the
| organization on the joint committee
are empowered to act with those of
the Board Of Trade and the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton. A meeting of the joint COM
mittee was scheduled to be held
| today.
Confident Of Solution.
Since the Government would be the
chief customer, they could not see
| why it was necessary for the District
taxpayers to foot the entire bill, from
! $35, 900 to $40, 900, to provide a hangar
and night flood lighting at Boiling
| Field. On the other hand, they I'M
derstand the War Departments policy
Of barring commercial activities from
| Government reservations
| Maj. Covell was confident today
| that way out of the difficulties would
| be found. He expects to be fully oc-
| cupied for the next two days with
preparation of estimates to construct
an airport at Gravelly Point, which ap-
pears to be the logical site for n per.
| manent project. Previous estimates
showed that it would cost 81 ,227 900 to
provide a site 5000 feet square over
a two-year period. For completion in
one year the cost was estimated at
$1,97O,000.
Representatives of the three trade
organizations here We're unanimously
of the opinion that such a cost was
not to be considered, especially when
it was proposed to put the whole
burden on the District. It was ad
n,itted that 1t would necessitate an in
crease In an already burdensome tax
rate.
MAI. Covell. since then, has re
ceived assure noes from United States
Engineers that these estimates were
high. He Is now at work on esti
mates on the cost Of preparing a field
$500 feet by 5000 feet over a periot
of two years and flve years: the prepa
ration of a field 5000 feet by 1000 feet
over a period of 2 years, & years ant
10 gears. and the prepa5tiea saf a