Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-30
ADEQUATE AIRPORT
/ HELD ESSENTIAL
;.
Capital Warned of Mistake
Il as Joint Committee Meet
ing NearS.


That Washington should approach
the problem of a. permanent airport
Shelly from the viewpoint of a munic-
ipal enterprise was the opinion ex-
dressed by District and Federal Off
Gals in advance of the meeting to be
held late today by the joint business
mems airport committee.
With such cities as Chicago and
Cleveland for proper guidance, officials
declared that any project that does not
provide adequately for the tremendous
progress of air travel in the next
decade. would be doomed to failure at
the start. Mistakes made by certain
other municipalities, such as Los An
geles. should be avoided in the begin
ming, it was said, by establishing field
that would be suited to the growing
needs of the District, as well as the
Federal Government.
Owing to the dual form of Govern
nent in the District of Columbia and
the fact that Washington's airport
connot depend wholly upon business
from the commercial interests of the
city, it was declared that munich
pally.owned field is the only logical
conclusion to be reached. Chicago
and Cleveland the one constructing
an airport out of the general FUNDS OF
the city and the other meeting the
expense by a bond issue, were empha-
sized as the types of field which should
appeal to the needs of the DISTRICT In
the next 10 years or so.
Los Angeles Mistake.
los Angeles made the mistake of
constructing a municipal field on an
S0-acre tract, it was pointed out. with
the result that demands soon outgrew
the field, and the city now is planning
a. new and larger municipal airport.
The Chicago airport is what is calico
an eight-way field and the Cleveland
field has a total of 700 acres. Either
Gravelly Point or Giesboro Point. II
was said, is capable of expansion to
anv size necessary. The latter, COM
bined with Boiling Field, would pro-
vide runways more than two miles
In length.
Fewer cities are starting on an air
merit project under more favorable ad-
vantages than Washington, 1t is be-
lieved, in view of the fact that the
Government has solved the immediate
question at issue by offering Boiling
Field as temporary landing place for
air mail planes.
At today's meeting between repre-
sentatives of the Chamber of Com
Ynerce, the Board of Trade and Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton it was fully expected that way
would be found to finance the initial
cost of clinching the War Depart
ment's offer.
Practically every important CONNER.
cial city in the country either has 'es-
tablished a field of its own, or, like
Washington, is preparing to do so.
With these examples, whereby lad
vantages and disadvantages may be
reckoned, officials here believe there
is; no Unsuitable excuse for Washing
ton to make any mistake in connection
with the establishment of a perma.
nent airport, if the public solidly backs
the movement.
Data to BE Supplied.
AN necessary data relating to the
expense of equipping Boiling Field Tor
the temporary landing and taking-off
of mail planes will be furnished at to.
DAYS meeting by the Department of
Commerce and Maj. w. E. r. Covell,
Assistant District Engineer Commits
sfoner, who is in charge of airport
matters. It was expected that Will
liam p. MacCracken, jr., Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Aeronau
ties, would be able to attend the meet
ing and assist in advising the local
committee.
District officials estimate 1000 will
take care of the emergency or tempo
rary situation at Boiling Field. How
that money is to be raised is one of
the principal purposes of the meeting.
Raised 1t must be, one way or another,
officials say. if the War Department
is to keep its contract with The Dis
trict. In other words, the War De-
partment will insist that what amounts
to, certified check be placed in it's
hands before permitting a single maib
plane to land at Boiling Field.
How the District raises the funds
to.provide a hangar and lighting sys.
tenn is a matter with which War
Department officials say they are not
concerned. What they want to see,
they declare, is practical demonstra-
tion of the Districts desire to equip
and maintain an airport service.
For $4,000, the Department Of Com
Merce estimates. a light system can
be- installed at Boiling Field to meet
all requirements. The cost Of flood
lighting the Cleveland field was es-
tfmated at $4,000 Other additional
lights installed were two 25-inch bea-
COIl l5nIS dI 1000 GdCh diAu
lights at $40 each.
.fnview of lighting already installed
at. Boiling Field, it is not likely
that Washington would have to ex-
pend so much in lighting the run
ways for the mail planes. Dallas,
Tax, for instance. installed lighting
system for $4,000.
Definite information regarding the
lighting needs at Boiling Field will
be secured within a short time, it
was said. But it was generally under
stood that the hangar and other nee
essary equipment would cost in the
neighborhood of $35 900.
Hangar costs vary widely. If the
i,ftcain Corporation. which has the
air mail contract between New York
and Atlanta, intends to keep only one
plane in reserye here, a steel hangar
so. by 60 feet, costing $4,000, might
be sufficient. The approximate cost
of hangar 80 by 100 feet, such as
maintained at Cleveland would be