Evening star., 1953-06-02
be|tsvi||eUrged
As Location for
Second Airport
But Proposal Gets
Cool Reaction From
Federal Officials
By George Beveridqe

Federal officials today took q
dim view of a proposal that
WaShington's new civilian air.
port be developed at the 1000
acre Agricultural Research Cen.
ter in Beltsville. Md.
That possibility was raised by
Thomas E. Latimer, president Of
the Prince Georges County
Board Of Commissioners. He
suggested it after hearing waves
Of constituent protests to last
weeks decision that Andrews
Air Force Base will take over
some Of the civil air traffic here.
Meanwhile, the Washington
Board of Trade indorsed the plan
to use Andrews base for civilian
traffic. The action was taken at
a meeting of the trade groups
Board of Directors yesterday.
Both Andrews and Beltsville
are in Prince Georges County.
But Mr.. Latimer made it plain
he feels the Me at Beltsville.
largely animal and plant, would
be considerably less disrupted by
an airport-and less vocal-than
residents of the Andrews vicinity.
Air Strips Exist.
He raised the matter before
the National Capital Regional
Planning Council yesterday, in
the event that group wanted to
make a recommendation He said
a double airstrip already exists
at Beltsville. on Government
owned. wide-open land, close to
top-notch road networks.
The Civil Aeronautics Admins
tration said the Beltsville Air
port, located about a mile west
of the proposed Baltimore WASH
ington Parkway, was built just
before the war. But in 1912, an
official said. the Army moved to
Andrews. complaining that the
BeltSville site was too small.
One of the two 4,000-foot run
ways is still in use by the Belts
vile researchers. testing airplane
insect sprays. In addition, the
Bureau of Standards uses it oc-
casionally, said Charles A. Logan,
superintendent of the center.
Mr.. Logan indicated the agri-
culture people were not too happy
about losing a section of the land
for air purposes a decade ago,
and added: I'VE certainly would
oppose the taking of land again."
Developing Land.
Were just in the process of
developing areas surrounding
(the airstrips) for research he
said.
CAA officials indicated also
that the Beltsville strips al
ready might have been consid-
cred, but not very seriously, in
the search for a suitable site.
A spokesman pointed out that
the site is located in the direct
line OF heavy air traffic between
New York and Washington. He
also noted that the land needed
the Government proposed to
take 1900 acres at Burke, Va,
before abandoning that project
would take a huge bite out Of
BeltSville's 1000 acres.
Nevertheless, the planning
council voted to point out the
existence of the Beltsville air.
strips to the Commerce Depart
ment. 1t noted also a provision
of law that the department
must seek recommendations
from the National Capital
Planning Commission and from
county officials in any airport
site selected here.
To Study Bridges.
The planning council, made up
of representatives of the District
and nearby Maryland and Vir.
ginia counties, also:
l. Decided to devote next
months meeting to the contro-
versy over Potomac River bridges.
2. Called on its planning staff
to make specific proposals as to
how to get more unity in area
coming and building codes.
The river bridge issue came
before the council last Decem-
Der, when the group favored a
central area span, which the
District Highway Department
wants to build from E street NV.
Since then, however. Virginia
planners and the National Cap
ital Planning Commission have
taken strong stands against it.
The planners, instead, favor
bridges below Washington at
Alexandria and upriver from the
central region near Nebraska
avenue to drain off through traf-
fic and relieve pressure on spans
serving the central area directly.
Brig. Gen. Prentiss, District
Commissioner, said he
favors a bill by Representative
Republican, of Virginia
proposing Federal funds for the
Alexandria bridge. But since it
will lead from Virginia to Mary
land. he said, the District should
not be saddled with it's perma-