Evening star., 1934-12-13
U, S. Engineer Office Men,
bers Estimate Project to
Cost So, 800, 900.
IMMEDIATE WORK HELD
POSSIBLE ON LEVEES
Site Favored by Roosevelt, Ickes
and Other Government Officials
for Development.

With President Roosevelt and Sec
retary Ickes, as well as other Govern
ment officials, favoring development
of Washington's air terminal at Grav-
ely Point, and the possibility that
funds may be forthcoming immedi-
ately from the Public Works Admin
istration for its construction, engi-
neers of the United States Engineer
Once looked up their latest estimates
and found such q project would cost
100000.
Maj. Robert w. Crawford, district
engineer for the War Department for
the Washington area, and his asso-
ciates pointed to these preliminary es-
Inmates for work at Gravelly Point:
For land purchase. 100000, al
though they said that the purchase
of the Norton tract at Hunters Point
by the Government and the fact that
part of the Smoot property has been
dredged away. this figure would be
materially reduced at the present
time.
Fill and Grading Costs.
For fill and grading, s723, 900, max
ing the cost of the bare field little
over 100000; for runways, etc.,
$3.50 900; for buildings and equip
ment, $597,o This would give 266
acres, with minimum length of run
ways 1000 feet. The engineers esti-
mated an additional acreage of $40
would be available for expansion,
although they said that moving down
toward Alexandria, Va, the airport
could be built up from the river bot
tom to an almost unlimited extent
E. A. Schmitt, senior engineer in
Maj. Crawford's office, said today the
average elevation above mean low
water of the Potomac River would be
from II to IL feet. This area. he
explained, is more than a mile and q
half below Highway Bridge and that,
due to the flood slope of the river,
the waters would be az feet lower
at Gravelly Point because of drainage
conditions. Complete drainage of the
Gravelly Point Airport is provided
under the United States Engineer Of
fice's plans.
The estimates of the engineers were
prepared after consultation with the
aercnautics branch of the Department
Of Commerce. and would provide a
complete. modern airport for the Ma
tional Capital, said Mr.. Sc.lmitt.
Immediate Work Possible.
Immediate work could be started on
levees in preparation for the dredging
operation at Gravelly Point, said Mr..
Schmitt, and in about As days con-
tracts could be let for dredging and
the purchase Of property initiated.
after the funds became available.
Hangers, aprons and service facilities
would be at an elevation Of IL feet
above average Of low water on the
Potomac River Mr. Schmitt explained
that the 1889 freshet height was well
below that elevation.
At the present tim. levees have al
ready been thrown up to bound the
river edge Of the future GTavcly Point
airport. Mai. Crawford requested the
Army Air Corps to take photographs
of these levees few days ago, and this
was done, materially assisting the en-
gineers in their plans. The levees
will inclose deposits secured from
dredged material, said Mr.. Schmitt,
and it is anticipated that within the
next nine months work should begin
to place over 100000 cubic yards of
material on the future site of the airport.
This will come from the Virginia
channel, upstream of the Highway
Bridge up to Easbys Point. near the
Titanic Memorial.
What will result at this basin at
Gravelly Point can readily be visual
ized, said Mr.. Schmitt, by looking at
Columbia Island, which, like the
Gravelly Point airport site, had two
or three feet of water over it few
years ago. There is 20-foot average
elevation at Columbia Island.
Remaining Area Submerged.
At the present time Gravelly Point
consists of a strip four or five hundred
feet in width of permanent land along
the Mount Vernon Memorial High
way. The remaining area, said the
senior engineer. is now submerged by
two or three feet of water.
The estimated minimum time of
getting some service was three years"
said Mr.. Schmitt.
Possibly it might run as much as
five years until every feature of the
airport is completely developed"
Thomas 8. Settle, secretary of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, observed today that If
East Potomac Park was suitable as
an airport, then also Gravelly Point
must be. Both, he explained, would
be brought into existence the same
way, for East Potomac Park was
created by the United States Army
engineers by pumping up material
from the bed of the Potomac River.