The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-11
AIRPORT PLANS
ADVANCE WITH
L|NDY'S VISIT
Legal Authority for City to
Obtain Flying Field Is
Discovered.
FINANCES NEXT STEP
Committee Is Expected to
Take Definite Steps Early
Next Week.

Acquisition OF a municipal airport
for Indianapolis today was several
steps nearer realization following
inspection Of sites by Col. Charles
A. Lindbergh, Friday, and discovery
Of legal authority for the city to
act.
The next big step is to get the
money with which to buy or lease
land.
Lindbergh will make his report on
sites to Paul Henderson, an officer
of the Transcontinnenta1 Air Trans
port twenty-four-hour coast-to-
coast air-rail passenger route, who
will forward it to Mayor l.. Ert
Slack's airport committee and the
Chamber of Commerce industrial
commission.
The only site inspected by Lind
bergh from the ground was Indi-
annapolis airport, Mars Hill, although
he said he flew over several other
prospective sites. He termed Indi-
annapolis airport satisfactory if
sufficiently enlarged as proposed"
A real estate man, acting for the
city and National Guard, has OBJ
tanned options on 282 acres adjoin-
ing the 192-acre Indianapoli S air
port at an average cost per acre of
$500. Attempt is being made to OBJ
tain leases on the same ground with
option to purchase in few years.
Find Legal Authority
Acquisition of the additional
ground would give an L shaped
airway, with runways nearly a mile
in every direction. Under plans
proposed, the National Guard would
continue to operate Indianapolis
airport and the city would operate
the municipal field, with all fliers
having privilege of using the COM
fined field for landing and taking
off.
Discovery Of what is believed to
be sufficient legal authority for the
city to acquire by lease or purchase
an airport has been made by George
T. Wheldeon, industrial commission
member.
According to Wheldeon, a statute
enacted in 1920 and amended in
1921 permits cities to buy airport
sites from general funds, special
levy or bond issue, or to lease the
ground pending acquisition by pur-
chase.
The amendment of 1921 provides
for leasing at a reasonable rental,
and also for operation of munic-
ipal flying field by lessee instead
of directly by the city, If desired.
Number Of Available Sites
The committee has a number of
available sites under consideration.
With legal authority to acquire an
airport believed found and several
good sites available, the committees
biggest problem now is finance.
Mayor L. Ert Slack has declared
several times he favors acquisition
of municipal airport, but that
present municipal financial condi-
tions prevent adding to the proposed
city tax levy anything for such a
project.
Faced with increased depart
mental expenditures due TO what he
describes as inherited burdens, Slack
is exerting every effort to hold the
tax levy increase low.
The airport committee is expected
to meet Monday or Tuesday to take
definite steps toward financing the
project and consider sites.
Indy Inspects Fields
The 1921 law provides for issu-
ance of bonds for an airport only
when the outlay exceeds one-tenth
of one per cent Of the assessed valu-
alton of the city. Assessed valua-
ton is approximately $680,000,00O,
making one-tenth of one per cent
$680,000, while the estimated cost
of the airport is less than $500,000.
This phase might require special
legislation to permit issuance of
bonds, but its is believed the law
would permit purchase of the
ground on deferred payments or
from the general fund.
Lindbergh expressed the opinion
Columbus, Ohio, will be the air-rail
terminal for the route, in order to
permit transfer of westbound pas
sengers at daybreak. He added In
dianapolis will probably be a stop
ping point, and in the near future
may be junction point with the
proposed Chicago South Coast
route.
Lindbergh left Indianapolis at
2:40 p. m. after conferring with c.
L. Harrod, Chamber of Commerce