Evening star., 1941-06-07
House Will Get
Bill 10 Settle
Boundary Issue
Smith Denies Entire
Area of Airport
Is in District

Representative Smith. Democrat,
of the 9th Virginia district, today
said he would introduce a bill in
the House of Representatives soon
to establish definitely the boundary
between Virginia and the District
Of Columbia.
He made the announcement fol-
lowing the issuance of an opinion
by Corporation Counsel Richmond
B. Keech yesterday that GravellS
Point Airport lies in District terri
tory.
Mr.. Smith. agreed that part of the
Washington National Airport terri
tory at Gravelly Point might be
called District of Columbia property.
but denied Mr.. Keech's claim that
the entire area hes in Washington
jurisdiction.
Mr.. Smith declared:
This whole matter should be set
tied by Congress. A bill definitely
fixing the Virginia District of CO.
lumbia boundary should be passed"
Mr.. Smith, whose congressional
district embraces nearby Arlington
County and Alexandria, conceded
that the reclaimed or filled-ln por-
ton of the airport project might be
regarded as District territory. How
ever. he said the portion of land on
which the Terminal Building is To-
Gated is fast ground-that is. land
which existed before the airport
was planned.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority.
meanwhile, rushed preparations for
opening the $13,500000 model air
terminal to airline traffic June Is
as engineers completed construction
of a number of revolutionary new
items of equipment at the field.
New Door Developed.
One of the ultramodern feature
of the new airport is the 44-ton
glass-and- d-Steel door now being in
/ stalled on the first of seven giant
hangers for which contracts have
been awarded. The pressure of A
single button operates eight leaves
composing the door, the operator
riding on the door itself to assure
! complete control and prevent pos
sible damage to planes or equip
ment which might be in the path
of the door
The new 'interconnected" typc
door was developed by E. W. Good
win of the Public Buildings Admin
| iStration and is one of many items
expected to serve as models for all
airports of the future. Each of the
eight leaves composing the door
| weighs 1000 pounds and 30 feet
tall and % feet wide.
Opened, the leaves" gather in
fins" at either side OF the hangar.
leaving clear space of 176 feet for
the entrance or exit of planes.
Special Heating Facilities.
All of the door opera ting mech
anism and the tracks on which the
sections roll will be steam heated
to prevent ice and snow from foul
ing the mechanism. Special pro-
visions have had to be made for
heating the giant hangers to make
up for the tremendous loss of heat
when the great doors are completely
opened. In addition to the supply
Of heat from a central airport heat
ing plant. unit heaters with blowers
/ are installed.
! The hangar is protected from fire
| hy "deluge" system. Every 10
| feet, large nozzles are installed and
every 40 feet is a pneumaticallv
controlled switch which opens with
a sudden rise of temperature of
only degrees in 20 seconds. This
provision is intended to take care
of explosions, fires and similar sit
uationS. When all nozzles are 60
ing, total of 5000 gallons of water
a minute flood the hangar.
Hangers 2, 8, 4, S and S now are
under contract. No. l is nearing
completion and No. is for future
construction.