Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10
FIGHT. THREATENS
ON AIRPORT PLAN
KeniIWorth Citizens Head
Says He Will Ask Con-
gresS to Select Site.

Threatening to carry fight before
Congress for the selection of the Ben.
ming tract as the logical site for the
proposed airport, John S. Driggers.
president of the Kenilworth Citizens
Association, has protested that the
citizens Of Washington should have a
voice In the location of a permanent
airport. Mr.. Driggers further charged
that the citizenry is being misled by
discussion of the advantages of an air.
port at Gravelly Point" by a group
or aviation enthusiasts as the best
buy"
Tomorrow's meeting in the Homer
Building at IL o'clock, when the re.
port on Gravelly Point will be made.
Is expected to be the turning point in
the long fight conducted by District
officials to line up the business in.
terests OF the city behind a definite
project that will guarantee to the CITY
the use of Boiling Field as an air.mail
stop until a permanent airport can be
established either at Gravelly Point
or elsewhere near the Capital.
COyell Has Estimates.
Maj. N. E. r. Covell. Assistant En-.
gineer Commissioner, received a new
set of estimates on the cost of con.
structing an aviation field at Gravellv
Point yesterday from the United
States engineers. These estimates. he
said. would not be made public until
tomorrow's meeting when he will ex-
plain them in detail to the trade rep
rssentatives.
Covering periods up to five years
in which to complete the work, II was
understood that the engineers esti-
mates are considerably lower than
those compiled recently by the Dis.
trtct engineers. which ranged to 81
100000. Maj. Covell realizes the fu.
tility of asking District Taxpayers to
agree to an increase in the present
tax rate to provide an airport so he
has endeavored to outline in his re.
port a project that will be possible to
be carried out without endangering
the tax structure. Members of the
trade bodies committee have agreed
to support an annual appropriation Of
100000 or possibly little more, pro?
vided the Federal Government agrees
to pay its proportionate share of the
expense.
Duke Defends Plan.
Lieut.. Donald Duke, chief of Army
Always, who has been detailed by
the War Department to assist In the
selection of an airport site, yesterday
came to the defense of Gravelly Point,
which has been subjected to criticism
from the Post Office and other
quarters.
Just returned from New York, he
said that the metropolis has Endorsed
an airport project in Jamaica Bay
after following the same course pur.
sued here in the selection Of Gravelly
Point as the site agreed upon by Dis
trict officials. With a number Of
available inland sites, like Bennlng
tract. he said the aviation experts in
New York had determined upon con.
structing an airport on the waters Of
Jamaica Bay as the best site to meet
the future needs of commercial avia-
ton.
While cognizant of criticism directed
against Gravelly Point, Maj. Covell let
1t be known that he is ready to hear
from the proponents of other sites
The United States Air Association.
which has been fighting the Gravelly
Point project as the "tnil to the War
Departments dredging kite" is back
ing the movement in favor of the
Benning tract.