Evening star., 1938-09-30
AIRPORT DREDGING
1'OBEG|N SHORTLY
Work Awaits ALLEGATION of
P. W. A. Funds for Earth
Removal.

Simultaneous dredging and dry
earth filling operations are expected
to begin at Gravelly Point very soon
after the Public Works Administra-
ton allocates funds for the construc-
ton Of the proposed model $4,000, 900
airport there, 1t was indicated today.
Army engineers. having completed
channel deepening and harbor I'M
provement dredging In the last few
weeks, are ready to begin dredging
operations Immediately. w. P. A.
workers are expected to start moving
earth at once from high ground on
the land side Of the proposed air
port. filling the airport out from the
shore line while the dredges I'LL from
the river side toward shore.
Plans now in process indicate the
Army dredging will be chiefly in the
Gravelly Point area and that dredges
will work for the most part just out
side the levees, greatly deepening the
river channel. This will serve the
double purpose Of providing fill ma
terial and at the same time increasing
the cross section of the river so as to
compensate for the loss due to the
filling, thereby lowering the flood crest.
Plans call for filling the new airport
above the level Of the highest flood
waters ever known here.
Seen rs Model Airport.
The Gravelly Point site offers op-
portunities for the development OF
an airport which not only will serve
all the anticipated needs Of the Ma
tional Capital, but which will serve
as . model for this type of airport
construction, Edward J. Noble, chair
man Of the Civil Aeronautics Authority,
said At luncheon given at the Will
lard Hotel yesterday by, the Aero Club
Of Washington in honor Of members
Of the new authority.
I'VE did not make any quick de-
cision on the matter Of site for an
airport" Mr.. Noble said. I'VE went
into the history Of IL years of de-
liberations on the question of An air
port site for Washington. That this
matter has been one Of the first major
acts of the new authority is testi-
monial to our belief that airport IA
cilities here were unsafe.
After consulting all the documen-
tary evidence in the case we found
overwhelming evidence that it was up
to the authority to do q Job which
had long been neglected. Gravelly
Point clearly was the site which should
Be developed we became convinced.
The site there not only offers appor-
tunities for q fine airport but pro-
Ndes needed relief labor. We want
to see an airport there which will
serve as model for the country"
John F. Victory, president of the
club, in introducing Mr. Noble ex-
pressed the belief that "a better site
than Gravelly Point could not have
been selected" Much remains to be
done from the financial. engineering
and legal standpoints he said, pledg-
ing the support of the club to the
authority in its efforts to develop the
airport.
Greater Future Forecast.
Mr.. Victory characterized the crea-
tdon Of the c. A. A. as "the beginning
Of an era Of substantial progress in
aviation" In the face Of world race
to develop the military power Of
aeronautics, he said, the American
people should welcome "a new agency
devoted to the peaceful development
Of aviation.
Clinton M. Hester, new civil aero
nautics administrator, forecast for
aviation "a greater future than seems
likely for any industry today" Col
W. Sumpter Smith, chairman Of the
Air Safety Board, who will be in
charge Of the local airport program,
told the club that safety in aviation
cannot be obtained by regulation, that
It does not come from the top but
depends upon thorough cooperation
all along the line"
Among the clubs guests were Vice
Chairman Harllee Branch and Robert
W. Hinckley of the c. A. A., Charles
McDuffee, general counsel; Paul j.
FriEzell, secretary, and c. B. Allen,
public relations adviser to the au-
thority staff: Undersecretary Of State
r. Walton Moore, Assistant Secretary
Of Commerce j. Monroe johnson,
Charles F. Horner, president of the
National Aeronautic Association, and
Rear Admiral Emory Land, chairman