Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-07
Board of Trade ReneWs Ef-
forts for Location of Mu-
nicipaI Flying Field.
LETTERS ARE FORWARDED
TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Opposition Voiced to All Sites at
ANY Great Distance Outside
the District.

A letter strongly urging the imme-
date development of a municipal air.
port at Gravelly Point was sent to
| individual members of interested con-
| gressional committees today on behalf
of the Washington Board of Trade.
The circular letter, signed by Law
renee E. Williams, chairman of the
aviation committee of the trade body,
sets forth the many times reiterated
position of the board and the reasons
for assuming that position.
It's dispatch to members of the con-
gressional joint airport committee and
the Senate and House District commit
tees marks a determined renewal of the
boards efforts to obtain an airport for
Washington, which have extended over
period of several years.
Asks Reason for Delay.
The letter begins: "Why the delay on
a municipal airport for Washington?
The site unanimously Endorsed by the
responsible civic and trade organiza-
tions of the city is Gravelly Point"
Various objections to the Gravelly
Point site and refutations of them are
then stated. The last part of the mis-
Sive follows:
This organization is composed of
$500 of the leading business and pro-
| feSsional men of the city. We pay a
large part of the District taxes We
strongly urge that Gravelly Point be
promptly developed as model airport
for Washington. In this we are joined
by the Chamber of Commerce, the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Association
and the citizens association. Our rea-
sons are:
81. The agency charged by Congress
to advise the cities of this country on
such matters. e., the Department of
| Commerce-recommended it to us.
."2. 1t will permit great expansion
when necessary.
80. 1t is very easily located from the
air, being at the junction of the Poto-
mac and AnacoStia Rivers.
"a. 1t offers facilities for both land
and sea planes.
"5. It is Endorsed by the Park and
Planning Commission and fits in with
the plans for the Mount Vernon Boule-
ward.
Location Important.
sc. Taking Fourteenth street and New
York avenue as the business and hotel
center of the city, it can be reached al
most as quickly as the Union Station.
Since the appeal of flying is speed and the
attendant saving of time this proximity
to the business center is of the utmost
Importance. The construction of re-
pair shops yards and round houseS) at
distance is matter for private cap
ital and should not be born by the tax
payers.
I'VE oppose H. J. resolution 100 for
an appropriation of 100000 with
which to purchase options on land on
the ground that the best site available
already belongs to the Federal Gov
eminent and such an expenditure would
be a waste of the taxpayers money.
Further, we shall object strenuously to
any expenditure of District of Column
bia tax funds for the improvement of
land at some distance in either Mary
land or Virginia. The only site offering
sufficient acreage lying mostly within
the District is Gravelly Point. The
traffic to and from this site will be over
the Federally owned and controlled
Mount Vernon Boulevard.
I'VE ask that the recommendations
of the aeronautic branch of the De-
partment of Commerce be carried out
and model airport be constructed at
Gravelly Point.
"On behalf of the directors of the
Washington Board of Trade, I am
Very truly yours,
LAWRENCE E. WILLIAMS,
Chairman, aviation committee"