Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-08
TEXAS DAILY PRESS LEAGUE
Foreign Advertising Representatives


Proper terms Of contract for lease or operation o.
an airport is not a problem peculiar TO Brownsville.
Papers Of other cities are filled with reports Of
difficulties being encountered in arriving at a fair
agreement between the owners and operators OF air
lines. The trouble appears to be largely an entire lack
of precedent to guide the contracting parties.
Formidable opposition has developed In New York
to leasing Of the Floyd Bennett Flying Field. a mu-
nicipal airport, to the Curtiss Flying Service, Inc, for
q period Of ten years for the operation Of a flying
school.
according to the New York Herald Tribune. Mayor
Jimmie Walker ordered postponement Of action on
the lease while a study Of the proposal was being
made.
The Herald Tribune says:
Opposition to the granting Of an exclusive priv
ilege for a flying school at the municipal airport to
the Curtiss Company came principally from rivals for
the privilege. although Leo j. MacDermott, represent
ing the Citizens Union. and Clarence Chamberlin.
aeronautical adviser Of the city. opposed the proposed
Curtiss lease in its present form.
Colonel Raymond Egan. a brother of James F.
Egan, secretary Of Tammany Hall, appearing on be-
half of the New York Flying School, objected to the
granting OF the privilege without throwing it open to
competitive bidding. He said his client was anxious
10 offer terms equally as favorable to the city.
TO extend the lease over a period Of ten years
without a public hearing, he said, would amount to a
grab
Mr.. MacDermott opposed the lease as a virtual
monopoly which would jeopardize the citys right to
develop the field In the future. No lease. he said,
should run for more than a year without a cancella-
ton clause.
Mr.. Chamberlin. who as aeronautical adviser Is
supervising the development Of the municipal airport.
said ne was opposed to granting the flying school
privilege for ten years as it might develop that the
city would not want a flyirS school connected with the
field at all. The school. he said. might prove hazard
Gus TO mail and commercial flyinc.
Mayor Walker inquired how much the civ uas
70 receive as compensation for the use of the field
casey 5. Jones. president CT the Curtiss Corlpanv. said
the lease provided for a rental OF $4,000 per wear pIus
ten per cent OF the gross receipts for the first five
years The terms for the second five, he said. were "
DC liked oy arbitration. On the basis of the expected
receipts, MIR. Jones estimated the city's share ~ sao
600 a year" ~
Aviation Is in its infancy as a commercial frame
portation method and even the most experienced as
not Wiling to attempt to forecast what the future A.
veiopnent will be. For this reason no one e uiII,ro
70 stand as authority for what would be fair n ths
lessor and to the owner Of an airport.
In time experience will determine an sor,...,,
neure' out IN the present pioneering stage these ere
prooiems which merit caraful consideration ~ hotr
parties concerned. The subject must be apnroachsd
IN q spirit OF fairness and contracts will necessariIv
nave 20 pe drawn IN such a manner as n nerr,,. !.
Jus'nentS to future developments.