Evening star., 1931-12-27
PARK BODY URGES
DISTRICT AIRPORT
At TGRAVELLYPO|NT
Gradual Development Seen
as Best Way to Keep
Costs Down.
GRANT TAKES REPORT
TO PRESIDENT HOOVER
Pressing Need for Adequate Facil-
tiles Cited-Plans for Temporary
Field Are Accepted.

A Dlstrlct-controlled airport, with
eventual development of Gravellv Point,
was proposed again yesterday in the
annual report of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, which
Lieut.. Col. U. 6. Grant, Sd, its executive
officer, laid before President Hoover.
The commission asserted that the con-
gressional commissions program of hav-
ing temporary field used until Gravelly
Point can be constructed would appear
to be a satisfactory solution at present.
While this commission has been
recorded for over four years June II,
1920 as favoring Gravelly Point as a
location ultimately desirable for prin-
clpal commercial airport, it appreciates
the cost and time necessary for develop
ment OF an area now so largely under
water, says the report.
Temporary Field Urged.
"A temporary field, such as that pro-
posed by the Congressional Commission,
which could be used as the principal
port during a gradual and inexpensive
development of Gravelly Point and later
utilized as an emergency or auxiliary
field, would appear to be a satisfactory
solution OF the problem. The commits
sion has suggested that in lieu of the
advantages to flying which would accrue
from combination of the fields with
additional area from the Government
and in lieu of the claims of the United
States to some of the airport property,
1t should be possible to arrange through
private initiative and private capital
for the use of the airport by the public
under favorable conditions and with
restrictions over the future use of the
property.
The extension Of Boiling Field be-
tween the Shepherd Parkway and the
Potomac River involves adjustments of
properties as between the Army and
the District of Columbia. A re-loca-
ton of the branch line Of the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad is desirable to
consolidate an area for flying and
changes in highways must be made to
correspond with new conditions A
proposed adjustment of all these factors
has been agreed to by the Army, District
and park authorities and a develop
ment plan for the field has been ap-
proved by this commission. The COM
mission recommends appropriate leg
islation to permit the necessary ex-
change OF land
Facilities Held Inadequate.
Tackling this problem, the report
said:
Washington now lacks a CONNER
cial airport adequate to its position as
the National Capital Perhaps such a
field in Government ownership is no.
where more needed. Boiling Field. the
present Army airport. has been used by
commercial and mail planes under a
special permit which was agreed to by
the War Department with the under
standing that the District Commits
sioners would push action by Congress
for the establishment of a commercial
airport at Gravelly Point or other suit
able site
Private landing fields are in opera
tion or are proposed in various parts
of the Washington region. At the
southern end of the Highway Bridge
two fields are in joint operation-the
Washington Airport and Hoover Field.
The Department of Commerce main
tains a field at College Park and pri-
vate or school fields are in operation or
proposed on the road to Mount Vernon,
at Halpine on the Rockville Pike, near
Forestville on the Marlboro road and
in Hybla Valley near Mount Vernon"