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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1929)
i PAGE TWO 1 '? P i 1 Opening of Municipal . Airport to be Outstanding Event Post to Provide Superior Landing Field For Salem Four Lon& Runways Make Take-off Easy and Field Sure in Any Wind; Commission Works Hard on Project The past two years have seen the most rapid strides in aviation development in Salem and in other cities of the northwest as well. The old landing field was the open space cwned by the state, just outside the state fair grounds at the north end of 18the street. Planes began dropping in there in those days when a plane was a rare curiosity. The first planes to come here used that field as a landing place so they could do passenger service during the state fair. It was close to the grounds and the crowds could get over and see the planes and people could go up for flights over the city. So just as boys started using an open block for a ball field, or as towns of old pastured their cows upon a common, - the old landing field came into use. As aviation developed and moreO 1 planes were calling at Salem It came to be Been that the field at the other state fair grounds would not be adequate. The Lee KvpHv enmcanv activities were centered at the old field. A build ing was put up for office and hangar. Effort was made to use the old field until a new one could be laid out. foO.OOO in Bonds Voted The people of Salem voted on Mar. 18. 1928 to spend $50,000, the nroceeds of a bond issue, for the Improvement of a new airport. Twenty-five thousand dollars of these bonds were sold in 1929 to Ladd and Bush bank. The issue bears four and one-half per cent. Bids are now being called for the sale of the remaining block of bonds. The site chosen was southeast of the clty,: a tract of land owned by the state. It was necessary to wait til 1th 1929 session of the legisla ture met so It could authorize the sale of this ground to the city of Salem. . One hundred and twenty acres of land were bought from the state for $7260. Later 60 acres adjoining were purchased from Tom Holman for $10,000 and 35 acres from "Jim" Linn for $5200. This gives a total area of 215 acres. In designing the air field the plan from the first was to lay It out on lines which would make It qualify eventually as a Class A field according to government standards. While It la not yet ready for such approval, all that has been done measures up to standards of the department o commerce. The land is well adapted for airport purposes. It is quite level. The soil is gravelly, easily worked and readily drained. It is sur rounded by open country also. The field is large in itself and has the further advantage of not being hedged tn by buildings, woods or other landing hazards. The present power and telephone lines along the county road will be moved over. It Is stated, to remove that danger to planes using the field. Field Now Tiled The first task was to level the la ad. A caterpillar tractor was purchased and used with scrapers and drags to work tbe surface level. The field was tiled so It will be drained the year round. Four long runways have been laid out, each 100 feet wide, and with 100 feet cleared on each side which is also usable. The depart ment of commerce requirement for class A field is 2500 feet, but the minimum length of runway for the Salem field Is 3300 feet. The north-south runway is 3300 feet; the east-west runway 3600 feet; , the northeast-southwest runway ! 3400 feet; the southwest-northwest runway 4100 feet Eventually the whole surface of the field will be a landtag flour. The runways all conform to government standards In having an angle of 42 degrees at the In tersections. A hangar So br 100 feet has been erected of corrugated iron. It wfl house about 12 fair-eised QEral AnjiiriSllOagy It3ecnalb3i?Q "Vlya planes. Space i3 provided for of fices. The floor is of concrete. Lee Eyerly Manager The management of the new airport is in the hands of Lee Ey erly whose corporation has a five acre tract adjoining the city's field. The city council has enter ed into a two-year contract with Mr. Eyerly. He Is to equip the ma chine shop, manage the field, han dle the receipts and expenses. The contract is regarded as favorable to the city as it relieves the city of operating costs during the in fancy of the port. Oil companies are planning to establish service connections at the airport. Revjpnues at the port will be de rived from rentals for hangar space for private planes, fees of various kinds, concessions, rentals for transport companies using the field for landing purposes. It is not expected that any charge will be made on planes simply for lighting on the field. The whole development of airports is yet in the beginning, so it will take time to work out common schedules for charges and services, tbe same as came about at automobile tourist camps. The location of the field is re garded as almost ideal. It Is far enough away from the city to be away from power lines and build- 5ngs, yet close enough to be read ly accessible. Y The committee which has had charge "of the Improvement of the airport Is: From the city council, Watson Townsend, Paul Johnson, W. W. Rosebraugh; from the American Legion, Carl Nelson, J. J. Elliott. Brazier C. Small; from the chamber of commerce, George Vick, Fred Eriron, Oliver Meyers. AT , Oakland municipal airport's 37 room hotel recently was dedicat ed formally by tbe Oakland Ad vertising Club at a luncheon held in the restaurant adjoining the hotel. Club members in attend ance at the luncheon nmnebred 150. Short addresses were given by H. F. White of the Interstate com pany, lessees of the hotel and res taurant, and G. B. Hegardt. man ager of the Port of Oakland. The Airport hotel has both ac commodations in each room and a barber shop and manicure paror adjoins the spacious lobby of the holstery. From the lounge room guests have full view of the fly ing field activities. The British Air Ministry has agreed to pay Handley Page, Ltd., $600,000 for the right to use Handley-Page slotted-wings la airplanes operated by the Royal Air Force. mm mm ill mm ua-B-Bipn&j Dept. Stores A IN THE WEST They're Putting Salem on Air Map in, mm i . . . , . ' . v "i - v - -fe- sa-oli ttSJ7J f tmamtmmmmmmmamimmmiitin 11 '!i'wmiiii . t,.. wi ' ,'l " "" mmm " ... ... ' t - - 1 " ' CHAMBER TAKES f : hand i work mmm ;' Not Only is Airport Backed But Eyerly Company Gains Support The chamber of commerce has made one of its major activities during the past year the Improve ment of the Salem airport and the promotion of aviation locally through the Eyerly Aircraft cor poration. Early in the game the chamber joined hands with the American Legion in urging the approval of the bond Issue by the voters. Members of the chamber. George Vick, Fred Erixon and Oliver Meyers have been mem bers of the airport committee. An exclusive undertaking of the chamber has been the secur ing of financial support to the Eyerly company. With Induce ments from other cities the Eyer ly interests were considering leaving Salem. The chamber of commerce Immediately got busy. President Brown Sisson and Sec retary "Charlie" Wilson became active in saving to Salem what promises to become an important industrial activity. $5000 In Stock Bold To aid in the financing of the enterprise committees were named who Ji'eld . frequent meet ings to work out a program for the company. Then members were appointed to contact local business men and sell sufficient stock to put the company on its feet. To date about $5000 worth of stock has been sold. The ef fort has been to restrict the sale of stock to as small an amount as possible so as not to over capitalize the company to start with. Additional stock will be sold as required. Great Supply of Food Ready for Legion Barbecue No one should go away hungry from the barbecue at the airport grounds this afternoon. Sheriff Cy Bingham of Grant county, head cook, has an abundance of material to work with to satisfy the appetites of the visitors. Five beeves have been provided, weighing about 2500 pounds. Then there arer 350 loaves of sandwich bread, 250 pounds of army beans and 150 pounds of coffee. Paper cups and plates will be furnished. The sandwiches will be made up and wrapped ia glass iae ready to hand out. Serving will start Just, after the exercises of dedication. r y - From left to right Ix Eyerly, head of the Eyerly Aircraft Cor poration; Bnd Jensen, secretary-treasurer; W.; A. (Scout) Hazel wood, pilot and instructor. At right: New Eagle Rock biplane. Airport Dedication Will Be Simple and Brief When Field is Formally Opened Governor Patterson to Conduct Ceremony; Nine Army Planes to Salute Flag; Stunts to Mark Airplanes' Participation TQ SALEM folks, the most significant feature of the American Legion program is the dedication of the Salem Municipal airport, scheduled for this afternoon at 4 o'clock. While the crowds which undoubtedly will turn out for the event may be more interested at the moment in the display of aerial acrobatics to be staged by army pursuit planes from San Diego, the dedication itself marks a milepost in Salem's progress, the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. The dedication ceremony will beO simple and brief. It will be held at a platform near the convergen cy of the three principal runways. Gabrielson Presides Carl D. Gabrielson, general chairman of the convention com mission, will open the program by introducing Watson Townsend, chairman of the airport commit tee, who will in turn Introduce Mayor T. A. Livesley. The may or will speak briefly on the mean ing which the airport will have for Salem and the development of aviation here. Mr. Townsend win then Intro duce Governor L L. Patterson, who will conduct the formal dedi cation. As he concludes, the drum and bugle corps of Capital Post No. 9 will play -The Colors" as the national flag is raised on the pole which has been erected near the platform; and the nine army planes, which will be already ' A. , : : v A S y. f.-e..rf. . t Tel. 1 in the air, will swoop down and salute the flag from the air, then proceed immediately with their stunt program. To Take Ride in Plane When this is finished, the de dication party wilt be taken up in the first airplane to leave the new ly dedicated airport. This will be the trl-motored Ford plane sent here for the occasion by the Standard Oil company. This wiU be the signal for the starting of other fights by the 40 or more commercial planes, which win carry passengers during the remainder of the day, some of them also remaining for possen ger flights during the remaining two days Sit the convention. In the dedication party on the platform will be the officials tak ing part, all members of the city council and the airport committee, state and American Legion officials. Greetings to Visiting Members American Legion and Auxiliary w i KANSAS CITY IS PUSHING PORT Ground Courses for Boys in Mechanics of Flying Soon to Start KANSAS CITY The aviation industry is pushing forward so rapidly that the public schools of this city next fall will be giving ground courses to boys mechani cally inclined, it was learned to day. George Melcher, superintendent of schools, has been conferring with educational directors of avi ation companies with a view to laying the matter before the school board, it wa3 said. The courses will give students an opportunity to gain first hand experience in the building of air planes and airplane motors. The study probably will be given along the same lines as the courses now in vogue fn California schools. Cooperation of airplane com panies such as the Western Air Express, Inc., will be given the schools. Earl W. Hill, education al director for the company, who has been in the city several days, has conferred with Mr. Melcher on the subject. "Mr. Melcher Is enthusiastic about the proposition," said Mr. Hill, "and the Western Air Ex press will give all the aid possible in introducing this new course to the students. "The course will not have any thing to do with flying airplanes, as I understand it. The plan Is to teach boys the fundamentals of airplane construction and mechan ism. Then If they want to become pilots later, they will have some knowledge of the mechanism of a plane." Clifford Brown Trophy for Drum Corps Competition Handsome Award From the number of trophies and loving cups on display about the city, it would seem as though every post in the state ought to get at least one. The size and beauty and number of the prizes offered in various competitions would make one believe the Inter MANY CUPS NOW 0 DIM III STORES West Salem "Dependably Serving the Lumber uv: ; t Weider's laundry national atoek show was about to start. The displays of the ovlng cups may bo seen in windows of many of the downtown stores. The handsome Clifford W. Brown tro phy ia exhibited in the window of the Central Pharmacy on State street. This trophy was presented last year by the members of Sa lem Past No, t in memory of the late Clifford W. Brown, who was an active member pt the post and who lost his life on a hunting ex pedition fa Alaska. The trophy is the award for the drum corps com petition. It has been held the past year by Portland Post Nj. 1 and will be competed for again this year at dinger field. No post may obtain permanent possession of the great trophy. The Ben S. Fisher award is shown In the window of Tower's Jewelry store. It is of myrtle wood which grows in the Marsh field country where Commander Fisher lives. It goes to the post with the record of the greatest community service. At Burnett's lewelrv store are shown the Lydia E. Horsfall mu- HeW.o Buddies Glad to See You Wolf's Tire Shop 1985 Commercial GUARANTEED VULCANIZING Tire Tubes Repairing Greetings Legionnaires and Ladies' Auxiliary Members JJ. W. 5IPEILANin LUMBER YARD OIL GIB TO BE FLOOD L1GHTFU The drill grounds on dinger field., 200x300 feet in size where the drum corps will "strut their stuff" Friday night, will be flood ed, with lights according to Dave Shade, member of the committee arranging for the competition. Large flood lights secured at considerable expense, .will be trained on the field so every ma noever of the drum corps will be plainly seen by the spectators. No reservations are being made in the grandstand or bleachers, uniform admission charge of $1 being made. The drum corps competition will follow a short band concert-which will start at 7 o'clock. ::c trophy and the gavels. Other trophies are on display at ! Nelson & Hunt. Pomeroy and Kcene, Miller's and Ken Brown. Telephone 576 Consumer" 263 S. High V J