Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24
Airport Work
lis Two.Thirds
Completed
Concrete Pouring Ends
Tomorrow; Emergency
Use q Possibility


Pouring of concrete for the new
terminal building at the Washing-
ton National Airport will be CONF
pleted tomorrow as construction
work continues well ahead of sched-
ule. :.
A special inspection of facilities al
the airport yesterday indicated the
750-acre landing field is more than
two-thirds completed Col. Sump-
ter Smith, chairman of the engineer
ing council, expressed gratificatiorI
at the progress made. He indicated
the field now was ready for emers
gency use, but that the port would
not be oficially opened until the
end of March or the first of April. /
1t was explained that though the
runways have been paved and are
disable, it was better to wait until
more work had been completed on
the terminal building and the firsA
hangar. IA
More Paving to BE Done.
The only work remaining TO be
done on the landing areas is on The
apron-ways. Several acres more OF
this section need surfacing before
the paving job is completed. Thgs
size of the paving job is comparable
to laying a four-lane highway FROM
Washington to Baltimore. At tho
time it was let this was the "world'f
largest paving contract"
Though closed to the public, the|
airport already looks disable despite
the many trucks, tractors and scoops
stunning about the grounds. Fills
already have settled to level and are
ready for final surfacing. {
An added feeling of completeness
is given by boundary lights and rum
way markers. Special surface level
lights have been installed at the
ends of the runways and directionat
markers are ready to be placed. Z
Boulevard Section Cleared. {
The entire section of the old
Mount Vernon boulevard. which was
cut out to make room for the air.
port, approximately 2 miles, has
been cleared out. Final traces are
being removed. A derrick with q
ton steel ball is used to shatter thu
pavement into small pieces, which
are easily scooped up.
A new pumping station to pump
river water through the air-condi-
tioning system and the steam heat
ing condensers is beginning to take
shape at the south end of the field.
Inside the terminal building work.
ers' already are beginning to set
blue tile and install large plate glass
windows. Virtually the entire side
facing the field win be of glass. Rest
rooms, telephone booths, air lins
ofiices and other compartments ars
rapidly taking shape. The entire
main waiting room is nearly com.
pleted.
Terminal Longer Than Capitol.
When completed the terminal
building will be comparable to the
Union Station and will be longer
than the Capitol The south wall
has been designed so that additions
may be built If business demands
expansion. :
Though original appropriations
included funds for only one hangar,
five more, financed through supple
mental funds, will be erected this
winter. Specifications for these are
to be completed this week. it was
reported.
The one hangar under construc-
ton is more than half finished. Part
of the roofing is being laid and
work on the floors will start soon
The hangers, when completed, will
be large enough to house any COM
mercial plane now being designed, it
was said.
Fuel for servicing will be brought
in by barge through a 16-foot chan
mel. The channel later will be used
for seaplane service.