The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-20
Tru|nbO Air Base
Construction To
Start March lSt
WASHINGTON AWARDS
CONTRACT TO JACK
SONVILLE CO.; WPA
PROJECT APPROVED

Scores of Key West laborers
will soon be employed on the
construction of the new naval
auxiliary seaplane base on
Trumbo island section. il was in
dictated today after naval officers
here received word from Wash
ington that the main contract
had been awarded.
1t was also announced that the
Works Progress Administration
at Washington had approved a
$4,000 WPA project for clearing
and leveling that portion of the
60-acre site not affected by the
contract just awarded for the
hangar and buildings.
According to a communication
received this morning by Liuet.
Comdr. T. ]. Brady, c. E., u. S.
NJ, public works officer at Key
West naval station, the bureau
Of yards and docks has awarded
the seaplane base contract to the
Ivy H. Smith Company, Jackson
vile, at its low bid of $283, 684.
The bids were opened here a
week ago.
After receiving this official
notice, Commander Brady i'm
mediately got in touch with the
Smith organization at Jackson
vile. Naval officers and COM
pany officials indicated later that
the work would be in full swing
around March /.
1t will take several days for
the materials and excavating
equipment to arrive on the site.
First job will be construction of
the footings and foundations for
the huge hangar, for the barracks
and for the bachelor quarters for
aviation officers and other small
jobs covered by the contract.
Immediate need, it was re-
ported, would be for laborers to
handle the foundation and con-
crete work. Later all kinds of
skilled workmen will be en-
ployed. 1t is planned to carry
forward the electrical, pumping
and other constructor as quick
ly as possible. About 100 Key
West laborers will be needed
when the job gets going.
Anchor bolts to be fastened in
the footings and foundations by
the Smith company have already
been delivered in Key West, it
was announced by Commander
Brady.
Steel for the hangar. which
will be 373 feet long, $40 feet
wide and SIS feet high, is at pres
en- being fabricated by the Steel
Construction Company at Biz
mingham, Ala. Delivery of the
huge steel beams and Orders
will begin between April / and
April Is, and will arrive in the
order of construction require
ments. The same company will
have charge of erection of the
steel, which will require another
group of skilled workers.
Regarding the WPA ground
clearing project, it was reported
it would go forward as soon as
the project is approved by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. 1t IS regarded
as likely the President may sign
the approving order during the
present fishing and vacation trip.
The WPA project will include
grubbing and clearing the site.
About $50 Key West workmen
will be required for around three
months. The entire site is to be
laid out for streets which are to
carry sewers, water and sewer
lines and electric and gas serv-
ices.
Under the terms of the con-
tract the Smith company has five
months from the date of the sign
ing of the contract to complete
the $283. 900 job. Naval officers
expect the seaplane base to be
ready for use between July Is
and Aug. /. .x~al