Evening star., 1938-12-15
.Grave||y Point
Airport Ready
Late in 1889 !
Engineering Body
Is Set Up to Take
CHARGE of Work

Washington National Airport will
be ready for flying operations late
next year, the Civil Aeronaltics
Authority forecast today as 1t an
nounced the creation of an engi-
neering commission to take charge
of the work s.
Col. Sumpter Smith, chairman of
the Air Safety Board and represent
ative of the c. A. A., the sponsoring
agency, was elected chairman of
the commission.
Other members are Col. R. S.
Thomas, district Army engineer;
Col. F. c. Harrington, assistant ad
ministrator and chief engineer of
the Works Progress Administration;
Herman P. Hevenor, principal engi-
neer of the P. w. A, and w. E.
Reynolds, assistant director of pro-
curement, Treasury Department.
H. H. Houk of the Air Safety
Board was appointed acting resident
engineer in direct charge of the
project.
Work Progressing.
Work is progressing satisfactorily
at the Gravelly Point site and will
continue through the winter, the
new commission announced. Test
borings indicate ample supplies of
hard sand and gravel are available
and there will be no delays for lack
OF material or necessity for trans
portation. On this basis it was
forecast that the site will be ready
for flying late in 1889"
The commission announced that
In addition to the C.. A. A., Army
engineers, P. w. A. and Works
Progress Administration, the Public
Buildings branch of the Treasury
Department Procurement Division
also will participate in construction
of the Washington National Air
port, which is intended to be a
world model for close-in air termi-
nails. The latter agency will have
charge of preparation of designs for
buildings to be constructed at the
airport, preparation of specifica-
tions and advertisements for bids
for building contracts and prepara-
tion OF a design for seaplane base
to be constructed in connection with
the airport.
Responsibility for C. A. A.
Under the set-up announced to-
day the Civil Aeronautics Authority
is given primary responsibility for
all plans for the airport and facili-
ties, including direction and sizes
OF runways and taxi strips, location
of buildings, highways and parking
areas, other aeronautical features
and general plans for landscaping.
The Authority also was made re-
sponsible for acquisition of land and
obtaining permission to use land
now under jurisdiction of other
Government agencies. The Au-
thority has, however, delegated to
the District Army engineer the task
OF negotiating for purchase of two
small privately owned parcels of
land within the airport boundaries.
These negotiations already are un-
der way. The Authority is arrane-
ing for necessary clearances from
non-pa r ii clip ting Government
agencies, including the National
Park Service, Bureau of Public
Roads, National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, Fine Arts
Commission, District Commissioners
Arlington County and the State of
virginia. The c. A. A. also will
handle all airport funds and will
make plans for operation of the
airport upon completion, it was an
nounced
An advance of $500, 900 has been
allotted by the c. A. A. to the Arnv
Engineer Corps for dredging opera
tons being carried on with Govern
ment equipment. The bulk of the
dredging will be done by private
concerns under contract. The Army
engineers also are preparing plans
specifications and estimates for re-
location of section of the Mount
vernon Memorial highway around
the airport.
The w. P. A. will be responsible
Tor dry excavation and fill, grading.
clearing. seeding, landscaping, drain
age, boundary fences, paving of
roads and parking areas and in
sta!lation of water and sewer piping
and other utilities connections.
The new Eengineerina Commits
Sion Is charged with approving the
work OF all cooperating agencies.
passing on plans and specifications
estimates, materials and equipment
and execution. 1t will review all
proposed contracts. 1t also will
make general decision on engineer
Ing and construction methods.