Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-09
Prefer GravelIy Point, but
Any Site Congress Picks
Is Held 0. K.
2 MARYLAND LOCATIONS
ARE BEING CONSIDERED
Bingham Says Finance Is One Of
Most Important Issues
for Commission.

Expressing a preference for oravelly
Point, but explaining that they would
work whole heaTtedly for whatever ate
Congress decides Ia best for the wash
ingion airport. offeiais Of the Board Of
Trade told the Joint Congressional Com
mission on Alrports today that the "a
sentlal question Il 10 be sure the Ma
tlonal Capital has on appropriate cir
terminal BY 1882, the year OF the oeorse
Washington Biceniennial
Several members Of the commission
plainly indicated by their questions To-
day that they are giving considerable
thought 10 the availability Of At least iSo
sites In Maryland and comparing their
advantages and Disadvantages with
orayelly Point. one Of these locations
| A at Chllmm, 60 the north OF the
ritv and the other A. near Camp
SprinRs. in a southeaaterly direction
Another feature Of the session To-Day
was the opening statement OF senator
bingham. Republican. OF C0necucui
chairman who told W. W, EVereti,
president OF the Board Of Trade, That
] ;he question Of how the washington
| airport should be financed one OF tne
most important issues the commission
will have 70 settle.
Welcome Taxpayers VlewA
"probably the most dificult problem
facing the commission said senator
| bingham. lis not the location OF the
ste but the settlement OF the vexed
question of who Is going TO pay the bill,
and since the Taxpayers Of Washington
have no representative In Congress. the
commission will be glad TO have the
views Of the taxpayers belonging 70 the
Board Of Trade"
Mr.. Everett explained that the Board
of Trade has not acted on That phase
of the question, but he promised to take
the question up with the board at an
early meeting and advise the commits
sion later. Expressing his personal
opinion. Mr.. Everett continued:
while I do not think we ought TO
pay all Of the cost. it would not cause
us to stand in the way OF an airport
even II we had to pay all. We are 100
per cent for an adequate airport. and
we would feel ashamed II Washington
did not have suitable airport IN time
for 1882.
I'VE feel Gravelly Point is the best
place for the airport, but We are not
tied to that site"
Mr. Everett added, however, that the
board felt the Gravelly Point project
would be free from the factor Of real
estate values, since it is to be made
ground, brought into existence by hav-
ing the Government dredge the river
and fill in with other material.
Two Others Offer Views.
The views of the Board Of Trade were
further outlined by Lawrence E. VIII
liams, chairman of the aviation COM
mittee. and Robert ]. Cottren, executive
secretary.
Testimony also was given at the
morning session by Henry Berliner, of
the local committee of the National
Aeronautic Association Ond by Lieut..
Nathaniel Duffy, director of the Buffalo
Municipal Airport.
Representative Underhill. Republican,
of Massachusetts, asked Mr.. Everett to
remember, in bringing the question Of
cost before the Board Of Trade, that
Gravelly Point will cost in the neigh
borhood of $4,000, 900, whereas there is
/, another site about eight or nine miles
from the city, near Camp Springs. Nd,
which could be put in shape for half
! or less than half Of the Gravelly Point
cost" He referred also to the available
site at Chillum, Md.
! At this point Senator Bingham re-
called that testimony has been given
| to the effect that about 900 acres Tor
\ an airport could be obtained at these
two places In Maryland, and could De
made available in year, while at GraV-
ely Point it would be three years be-
fore the first 800 acres would be avail
able.
More Thorough Survey.
Maj. Carey H. Brown of the Park and
Planning Commission, interrupted to
announce that Mai Brehon Somervell.
the Army engineer for this district, is
starting out today on more detailed
survey of these two Maryland fields.
Mr.. Everett pointed out that these
two locations were new to him. and en-
phasized that experts had advised the
desirability of being near the water
| front In order to accommodate both
sea planes and land planes together.
Undoubtedly there will have to be
more than one airport" Chairman
| Bingham replied. land one Of them will
be on the Potomac"
II believe that air travel II. the future
| replaced by modern ships and many
improved methods of work were insti-
| tuted. Ever interested in problems OF
| Government personnel, Col. Jones took
an active part in securing passage OF
| the Redistribution act for civil service
| employees and for years In his annual
messages urged revision upward OF the
pay scale of civil service employees.
He received his commission as colonel
| in the World War, serving in the Di-
vision Of Military Aeronautics in France.
He held the diploma of honor of the
! Aerial League of America and was
| decorated officer of the Order IS. Maui
rizio and Lazzaro by King Victor En-
manuel III of Italy. He also held the
Fatigue de Guerre, Italy, and officer
of the French Legion of Honor.
| COL Jones was commissioner of the
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