Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-24
Burke Pleas Heard
By State Airport Unit
Action Proposed
At Session on
Control Body

Enthusiastic support for an
AIRPORT at Burke, Va, marked Q
hearing today before the Virginia
Airport Facilities Study Com
mission.
The announced purpose of the
hearing was to sample senti-
ment on a proposal to establish
a Virginia Airport authority, but
the first half-dozen speakers
concentrated their comments on
desirability of locating WASH
lington's supplemental airport at
Burke in Fairfax County
1 If an authority Is established.
lit would be empowered to ac-
quire Washington National Air
port, plus any other airport ia.
lcilities in Virginia.
The speakers indorSing Burke
during the morning hearing
lat Washington National Air
port were Henry j. Rolls.
president of the Northern Vir-
GINA Builders Association; w.
c. Wills, past president of the
Fairfax County Chamber of.
Commerce: Edward S. Holland
Of the Alexandria Chamber of
Commerce Airport Committee;
Robert Peck. president of the
Arlington Chamber of Com
merce: Charles Harnett, presi-
dent of the Mount Vernon-Lee
Chamber of Commerce, and
Ralph Boyle, president Of the
Northern Virginia Economic
Developments Corp.
Defines Scope of Hearing
Arlington S t a e. Senator
Charles r. Fenwick, chairman
OF the study group, said his
groups prime concern was
whether an airport authority
should be established, but added
that testimony on Burke would
be accepted if it had some bear
ing on the question.
4 The Holland Subcommittee of
the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee. considering the fate Of
1.-The Burke airport project, is
holding its record open to see If
members of a Virginia study
commission. meeting today, want
to present testimony.
Meanwhile, a move toward
creation of a Fairfax County
airport authority to operate the
alternate Washington Airport II
lit is built in the county was
'lunder way.
i Warns Of Losing Control
}, William H. Moss, a member
of the county Board of Super
visors, said yesterday he will ask
! other members of the board
/. next Wednesday to create a
committee to study such a pro-
Iposal.
] Mr.. Moss warned that if the
Federal Government decides to
construct the alternate airport
at Burke, in the county, current
efforts to create a State airport
authority could lead to Fairfax
not having control over the new
airport.
Mr.. Moss said total reye-
nues from the two airportS
would be in excess Of 100000
per year with from 100000 to
100000 resulting from the pro.
posed new airport's operation.
The Senate subcommittee yes
terday heard additional COM
plants from Fairfax County res
idents against development Of
the project there, along with
some eyebrow-raising suggestions
advanced by Col. Francis H.
Miles, USA, retired, who said he
had been a consultant on some
important Illinois airport prof.
ectS.
Col. Miles suggested the Gov
eminent spend a grand total Of
I$317 million for expansion of the
Washington National Airport to
avoid the necessity of a second
airy airport or the use of Friend
ship International Airport near
Baltimore.
Would Extend Runways
He proposed extension of the
Irunways of National Airport to
a point southwark to Alexandria.
He also advocated a sort Of
bridging of the Potomac River
to Hams Point, with sluice-
ways to carry floodwaters.
At the beginning. Chairman
Holland brought out the cost Of
the Miles plan would be a mat
ter of only 500 million, and Col.
Miles said he thought this would
be a reasonable compromise to
plans for developing a secondary
airport at Burke or the use Of
Friendship. But Col. Miles said
he would urge that, meanwhile.
there be an elimination Of mill
tary plane services at Boiling
Air Force Base and Anacostia
Naval Air Station.
The subcommittee was more
amenable to the testimony Of
Edwin Lynch, resident Of Fair
fax County. who operates dairy
farm in the direct range of the
proposed Burke. airport.
Mr.. Lynch told the commit
tee the last time he made a
public declaration opposing the
Burke project he faced a suit
for 100000 by a political oppo-
nent.
Reassured by Chairman Hol-
land that his committee had no
idea of suing him. Mr.. Lynch
said the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority had not made any thor
ough study of the land around
the Burke airport site and that
requests for money for its devel-
opment should be rejected.
Chairman Holland brought out
that the Government had bought