Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-20
BALTIMORE ISSUE
!. ON AIRPORT WORSE
|. THAN WASHINGTON
GraveIIy Point Problems Are
DWarfed by Problems in
in Maryland City.
BOARD OF TRADE SENDS
DELEGATION ON TOUR
Project, When Completed, Expect
ed to Cost About $4,000
Per Acre.

The problems facing Washington in
the construction of an airport at
Gravelly Point are dwarfed by the
difficulties which stand in the way of
the city government of Baltimore, which
has begun to build what will be the
largest airport in the country, dele
cation from the committee on aviation
of the Board of Trade and two Army
engineers decided yesterday after in
specting the plans and work already
completed at the Maryland city's plant.
The Baltimore airport, which when
completed will be considerably larger
than that planned for Washington, is
located on a far less advantageous site
and because of the topography the
construction must be at much greater
cost. Despite all this, however, Balti-
more has floated bond issue of 81, 200,-
600 and the State Legislature has
authorized two millions more for the
further development of the project
The delegates Of the Board Of Trade
were accompanied on their trip to
Baltimore by Maj Brehon Somervell,
District Engineer of the War Depart
ment for the Washington area; E. D.
Schmidt, of the United States Engt-
neer Office, and Maj. Donald A. Davi-
son, Assistant Engineer Commissioner
for the District of Columbia. The party
was met at the Baltimore Municipal
Building by Charles w. Groob, Balti-
more city engineer: F. K. Duncan. OF
his Office, and John Fl. Kahl, chief
deputy sheriff of the county.
Taken To Site.
After examining maps and blue
prints of the field and having explained
to them the magnitude of the task OF
building field on the scale proposed,
they were escorted by Mr.. Grobb to
the city tug and taken seven miles
down the Patapsco River to the scene
Of the operations.
According to Mr.. Grobb, the airport
will cover 966 acres when completed.
More than rs per cent of this land is
under water and must be filled. Al
though the land fronting the river was
of little value before it became known
that It was wanted by the city, it had
to be purchased for $4,000 an acre.
This land must be leveled and the
balance filed and retaining wall
erected around the whole area. 1t is
hoped that most of the earth for the
filling will be obtained from silt from
the river bed. which is being dredged.
The completed airport will have
3O-foot channel alongside and facilities
to accommodate shipping.
1t has not yet been decided OF what
material the runways will be construct
ed. They will radiate in six directions
and will be 500 feet in width and one
l. 1Av1O
To Cost $4,000 Per Acre.
The total cost of the project when
completed, with runways, hangers ano
other necessary buildings, is estimated
bv Mr. Groob as close to $4,000 an !
acre. but this figure must depend on
the changing requirements OF aviation,
he pointed out.
The cost will be reduced, he declared,
by the plan of the city to lease large
portion of the area to industrial con-
Germs. A special section has been set
aside for this purpose.
only half of the 966 acres is being
improved at present. The development
of the remainder will come with addi-
tional funds. Mr.. Groob said that
81 100000 already has been allocated;
There are three ways of reaching the
field. One is by trolley cars. Another
is by two highways which Will touch
the edge of the airport and the last IS
bv the river. Logan Field adjoinS the
nronerty purchased by the city govern
ment, and while the airport is under
construction, it is plannd to make use
of this field.
The delegates Of the Board OF Trade |
who made the trip included Robert j.
Cottrell, executive secretary; Lawrence
William. chairman of the committee on
aviation: D. A. SloSser, j. E. Smith and
Frank N. Chase. They were accom- !
panied by Lieut.. Walter Hinton.
Ready to Resume Hearings.
The Joint Airport Commission is
ready to resume hearings at 10 O'CLOCK
Monday morning. with several aviation
experts scheduled to testify how the
airport problem has been handled else |
where and to give their advice regard |
ing the proposed air terminal for WASH !
ington.
The commission invited Edsel Ford |
to give his views, based on the expert |
ence of the Ford Co. in aviation. but |
Mr.. Ford telegraphed he would not be |
able to visit Washington at this time. |
He suggested the name of another wit
ness, who, he said, would communicate !
with the commission.
Among the witnesses expected to tes- |
tify Monday are Maj. Clarence Young, |
director of aeronauticS for the Depart |
ment of Commerce, who recently in
spected the leading airports Of Europe.
and Maj. Lester Gardner, who also will |
give expert testimony regarding airport |
developments. The commission also is |
expecting one of the pilots in the air |
mail service to tell the commission what |
fog and other weather conditions mail |
pilots have observed in flying into !:
washington. Another witness will be
Maj. Harry M. Horton, president OF
Congressional Airport. Inc.
Mai. Donald A. Dawson, Assistant
Engineer Commissioner, is expected to
report to the commission on Monday
the result of his study of a number OF
airport sites in the Maryland suburbs
north and east of the city.
F. B. Rentshler of the Aeronautics
Chamber of Commerce send word that
he could not be in Washington Monday