Evening star., 1938-11-21
Airport at Gravelly Point
Held Flood Menace.


To the Editor Of The Star:
The raising of Gravelly Point above
the flood water level will constitute dam
to that extent into the Potomac and
raise the level of flood waters against the
city Of Washington. There is no doubt
OF that whatever. What with the present
levee along the river front against the
Anacostia (NavaD Airport (Which should
never have been put there, the river
will be narrowed so that during floods
the water will rise considerably higher
than at present against the city of WASH
ington Will q levee become necessary to
protect the large low-lying areas Of the
city, including the public buildings with
their Easements, engines and stores, not
to say foundations?
Certainly, Potomac Park will be de-
stroyed by the increased height of the
floods, unless q sufficient levee Is put
around 1t. That ground will be secured
and upturned or washed away, some Of it
into the shipping basin. A levee around
Potomac Park will become absolutely
necessary, 50 that the raising of Gravelly
1OlllG WILL llOL UC IIlC OlAy CARCAlOC. SAS
the leveeing Of Potomac Park will mar
row the channel, necessitating the rails
ing of Gravelly Point again, unless the
Point is raised against all such contin-
gencies in the first place.
OF course, the present Anacostia levee
will have to be raised higher and
strengthened If it is not now sufficiently
high and strong The force of the water
will become great against that present
levee trying to make the turn in the
river there around the Gravelly Point
obstruction. An adequate airport for
Washington is highly desirable, but it is
a serious question whether it should go
to Gravelly Point.
The levee around Potomac Park will
have to extend along the shipping basin
side and continue along the water (ship-
ping) front and protect the War College
ground and buildings and the Navy Yard
where the shops are already inundated
at times, are they not? It is probable
that with the Gravelly Point raising, the
leveeing suggested and even the partial
leveeing of the shipping basin, ETC., will
llCCCSolCdUC UllC 1CFCC11lS VI WIG CAtAC
Anacostia River front, on both sides, up
a considerable distance, possibly to
Bladensburg. All this effort at control of
the river may back the water into the
Rock Creek Valley and into lower
Georgetown. What may be the costs and
inconvenience In the future?
Since Potomac Park will be ruined,
mi lov,A v>oinhf ha
to turn Potomac Park, temporarily, into
an airport, putting levee around it
only? The increased height of the river
caused by leveeing Potomac Park would
60 to the Virginia side. This would GER
tainly give . convenient airport. Some
day when we can do better the area
could be put back into park use.
Some day long runways will probably
be unnecessary, the helicopter or some
such method being applied to large
planes. II. G. M.
November II.
says Hitler Plumbers
Both Jews and Non.Jews.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Constantine Brown, in his column,
"This Changing World" delineates every
body's establishment at the recent report
that some 100000 Jews were still living
(existing is more appropriately in Ger
many. His explanation is that either
there were more people Of the Semitic
race in Germany or only comparatively
few have been able to get away"
Actually. however, approximately 100,.
GO JeVs remain there, Tho OWp1o.