Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-15
'jnARK GROUP BACKS
/ GRAVELLY AIRPORT
War Department to Give Con-
ditionaI Permit for Boiling
81. Field Use.


Official approval Of Gravelly Point
as the logical and best available site
for the Districts permanent CONNER
cial airport was given today by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, which added its full in
dorsement to the proposed project.
At the same time the War Depart
nent announced that it will issue
"revocable permit" for the use or
Boiling Field as a temporary LANDING
place for air mail planes only on con-
tiitions which include a Recommended
ton for an initial appropriation of at
least $50 900 by the District Commits
sioners in the District budget.
CoveII Report Tomorrow.
These developments today in the
opinion of Maj. w. Z. +. CoVell, as
sistant District Engineer Commission
or. make it practically certain that
the Board of Commissioners will give
its official assent to carrying out the
airport project during the coming
wear. Maj Covell expects to submit
his report on the airport proposal to
the board tomorrow and in support OF
his recommendations he will have the
approval of the three local trade
bodies, as we'll as the National Capltal
Park and Planning Commission.
The only fly that appears in the
ointment is the failure of the War
Department and the Planning Com
mission to make any recommendation
as to the proportion to be paid by the
Federal and District Governments.
At n meeting of the local airport sub
committee later in the day with Maj.
Covell, the business representatives
agreed that $150,000 was within the
requirements of the District budget,
but they took the position that the
Federal Governments share of the APP
propriation should be guaranteed be.
fore any District funds are expended
on the project.
Terms for Permit.
F. Trubee Dawson, Assistant Score.
tary Of War, IN charge of aviation,
with whom Maj. Covell has been in
negotiation regarding Boiling Field,
TODAY communicated to the District
official the conditions which the Dis
trict must meet.
These terms were explained by Maj.
Covell in the following statement:
''The War Department states that
the following actions, or actions sub
stantially equivalent thereto, viii be
accepted as sufficient assurance that
the District of Columbia will take
steps to provide a commercial airport
within a reasonable time, and that as
soon as these or similar steps are
taken, a revocable permit will be
granted for the use of Boiling Field
as a temporary landing field for air
mail planes only:
81. That the District of Columbia
Commissioners recommend definite
legislation for an airport carrying
with it an initial appropriation of at
least $4,000, to. be available imme-
diateiy.
"'2. That the approval of the
Budget Bureau be obtained to this
proposed law.
"'3. That assurances be obtained
that this act will be introduced as
soon as Congress convenes.'
THE War Department feels that 1t
would not be proper for them to make
any recommendation as to the proper
ton to be paid by Federal and District
governments.
Sees Citizens Approval.
Mai Covell was confident today of
obtaining approval of Gravelly Point
as an airport site by the Federation
of Citizens Associations and the Cit
liens Advisory Council.
The action of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission in in
dorsing the Potomac River site was a
feafirmation of its previous action
taken more than year ago.
Maj. Covell and Lieut.. Donald
Duke. chief Of Army anyways, who
has been assisting in the selection of
an airport site. conferred with Col.
u. S. Grant, Sd, and other members
OF the planning commission early to.
day. The two Army officers explain
ed in detail the entire airport situa-
ton, with a result that the plans
were approved by the commission.
The Deciding Factor.
Acceptance of Gravelly Point by
the governmental agency, in the
opinion Of Maj. Covell, practically
eliminates consideration of any of the
other proposed sites. including the
mucn discussed Benning tract in the
Northeast
While the planning commission has
no authority to recommend what share
OF the expense the Federal Govern.
ment should bear, it Is the agency
created by Congress to select the sites
or various projects in connection with
the development of the National Cap.
1taI. Its recommendation of the
GraVeily Point site, then, should be
the deciding factor when the airport
issue comes up in Congress, Mai.
Covell believes. So far as the Dis.
trict Commissioners are concerned
they will be guided by the recon.
mendations Of the commission in Civ.
ing their official approval of the Sc.
lection Of the Potomac site
The Park and Planning Commission
based its acceptance Of the Grayelly
Point site not only from the viewpoint
OF its unexcelled fitness for a perma.
nent airprot. but also because it's loca- |
ton dovetails with other projects
which the commission has in mind for
the development Of that section of the |
District and in the vicinity Of Airing. |
ton. These projects include the Mount |
Vernon boulevard and the Arlington
Memorial Bridge.
Maj. Covell expects to have his re-
port in the hands of the District Com. |
missioners tomorrow and take a brief
vacation from airport worries.
In Five Years.
1t is comparatively certain that the
Commissioners will make some definite
recommendations as TO the share Of
the initial burden to be borne by the
Federal Government in carrying out
the airport project.
With an appropriation of $I50,000
annually, it would be possible TO com.
plete the Gravelly Point project in
side OF five years. This would give
the District class A aviation field
Even should the initial appropriatf ton