Evening star., 1928-04-01

! sib'e exception Of 2 strip Of sc acres Of
unirnroved Shrre land, now OF value
only for the gravel ii contains
These were the salient features that
were brought cut by the airpor: COM
mittee Of .he Washington Chapter OF
tho National Aoronautcal Association,
and that caused Tho District Comm.a-
S'on,rs to iadorse the Grayclly Point
site
The cost per acre Of thn reclaimed
land In the initial area Of 5000 BY 5000
fect is estimated at $3.50 At firat
glance this does not appear to compare
favorably with tde cost Of reclaiminS
land for the Anacostia Park project.
per acre was $4,000 Physical CCndt-
tons before construction make a diff
ference between the cost Of filing Ana
costa Park and that Of the proposed
airport. In AnaccStia Park the origi-
nal height OF tho marsh was about 2
feet abo"e mean low water on which
q I'll Of about feet was made, Fer
th7 airport the original depth IS TO
feet below moan low water, and
fill Of about Is feet viii have to b.
made In order to give the flying field
a l1-foot height.
An additional area. 1000 feet by 1000
fect. for future expansion of the air
port could be- provided downstream
through the purchase of a small adGi-
tional amount Of land and the reClama-
tion Of the fats by dumping material
from the District Of Columbia and de-
positS drcdged from the Potomac River
channel,
Tha amount Of material the District
can furnish depends on a number Of
very indefinite conditions and may vary
from 100000 TO 100000 cubic yards
Based on an estimate from the District
CT 100000 cubic yards of material that
could b. deposited annually from the
District. and with an average of 10000
cubic Yards Of material annually
from river and harbor maintenance
dredging. it is estimated that the recla-
nation Of the additional field could be
completed in a period of about eight
and one-half years
With an average Of only 100000 cubic
yards OF materials from the District
and the 10000 cubic yards from river
and harbor dredging the reclamation
would BE- completed in about 20 years
In either case the only cost to be
charged to the airport would be the
cost of a retaining wall and the pur-
chase price of "a acres Of low, unin-
proved land along the shore.
Several other sites suggested by real
estate operators or neighboring civic as
sociations were carefully examined and
found wanting in one or more essential
requisites for a firSt-class airport
The Benning race track area. which
has the Endorsement Of the Benning
and Kenilworth Citizens Association is
procluded from consideration because
Of its lack of water for seaplane facil-
tiles and the practical impossibility OF
securing adjoining land for expansion.
It is also farther from the business
center Of the city, and would present
objections because of the smoke from
adjoining railroads and power stations.
The steel plant sites chief objection
is its distance from the center of the
city. There would also be trouble in
securing sufficient shelter for seaplaneS,
as the river channel runs very close 70
the shore line. The area around Buz-
yards Point is not large enough for
either land planes or seaplancs.
It is conceivable that either the Ben
ming or steel plant site could be profit
ably used as private field for some
airplane manufacturer. flying school,
or other aviation service companies.
That either one Of them could be made
into model airport to serve as A guido
for progressive cities Of this country. or
an airport that would be at ali COM
parable to those of the capitals and
important cities Of Europe is out Of the
question