Evening star., 1928-04-01
ny AIIrN NJ. SMYTHE.


Nemher Airport Committee of ne Wss,irs,
ton Chapter ~ the National AeronaNh's a
Association.
IF legislation now pending in Con-
RreSS. the Stalker bill. which mas
the Endorsement Of the Commis-
sionerS Of the District Of Columbia,
the Bureau Of the Budget, the
National Park and Planning CommiS-
sion and the various trade and civic
bodies of Washington, rs well as the
Reronautical interests. is firally enact
ed into law, the city Of Washington
will find itself N possession Of one OF
the finest airnorts in the New World
and one that will compare tavo"2bly
with those of London Berlin and Paris
Under the Stalker bill. Il is proposed
10 reclaim land al GravcHv FONT, on
the Virginia side Of the Potomac Riv-
er. directly across from the southern
end Of the Potomac Park and border
ing the proposed Mount Vernon bouie-
ward.
The District engineers have estimated
that an initial area. 3,000 feet square,
which is sufficient for class AAA air
port rating from the Department Of
Commerce, could be reclaimed and put
into shape for n thoroughly modern
flying field in three TO five years for
an expenditure of Sl.000000 no allow
snce being made for saving in cost sS
a result Of dumping material from Dis
tTlct excavations or maintenance
dredging from the Potomac River
channel.
The stalker bill carries with it an
authorization of Si500000 for the air
port That would provide for the neceS-
ssry buildings. as we'll as for the fly
lns field
7-1.e osv.r.,~or oF C~s,.oi1,- poi,7t
as National Capital airport site,
which figured III the decision Of the
District Commissioners to recommend
that site. were numerous. To begin with.
il would give Washington an air sta
tion closer 10 the downtown business
district than is possessed by any major
CITY in the world with the poSs' bic e%-
csption Of Berlin II would bring the
air station within minutes OF the buS-
ineSS and hotel district on 2 route over
the Mount Vernon boulevard. across
the Highway or Memorial Bridge and
through the finest civic scenery Of
crowded crosS-streets and unpleasant
sections in reaching the heart Of the
city
Il allows for any extension down the
river that future requirements might de-
mand. At other locations, all sorts Of
Developments would almost certainly
take place near the flying field. and
when it became desirable to expand the
airport improved land would have TO be
condemned.
At Graveily Pcint the expansion
would be on land reclaimed by dump
Ing and dredging in the course OF build
tng operations and ash disposal in the
CITY. and channel deepening on the
Potomac. and. therefore. would be pub
lie land that would require the payment
Of no expensive condemnation awards.
The fact that the Cravelly Point site
makes possible complete facilities for
seaplanes and that yacht basin. which
would be used as shelter for both pleas
ure boats and saaplanes, is included in
the project. was another element that
led TO its adoption by the Commits
Sioners.
The project was found to fit in ideally
with the plans of the National Park
and Planning Commission for parks,
Grlvaways. boulevards and landscaping
In the region that is intended TO be the
water gate and the airport Of the Ma
items Capital.
Furthermore. It was found that an
airport could be established there which
would be isolated from private building
districts and where citizens would not
be disturbed by any noises from the
operation Of aircraft.
\
A MOTHER vital consideration that
led to the adoption Of this site was
that it will always have unobstructed
water approaches from the north. east
and south. which is great aid to pilots
in landing and taking of. Airports ad-
Joining bodies Of water are also more
easily located from the air.
although this site eventually might be
expanded 70 500 or 500 acres, the tax
able area Of the District of Columbia
would not be decreased. with the pos