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History of Project Proves That CitvAir Conscious’In May, 1928, The Amarillo Globe launched a series of editorials and articles designed to show the need for a Municipal Airport in Amarillo. At that time, the city had only one flying field, then known as Bivins field, which was operated by Lieut. Robert H. Gray. It was three miles north of the city. The field later was taken over by Harold English, who has just abandoned it, havingtaken over the operation of the big English field, three miles east of the Municipal Airport.Shortly after the news-* paper campaign was start-5ed, the American Business' F 161(3 IVIcl] [CTClub and the RealSU*iBoard took up the project actively, appointed committees to work for the port and launched an educational campaign to make the city! “air conscious.” The move then was taken up by other civic organizations, including the Board of City Development.In July of last year the city•tarted to look about for available sites. Civilian and army airport experts were brought here to pass on the various locations. The late I.ee Bivins, then mayor of the city, be-* came an enthusiastic worker for the port, and when it finally was decided to call a bond issue election Mayor Btvms secured an option on the 430 acres now comprising the port. The property was purchased from Owen!A. Wood of Fort Worth, for $100 an! acre. Mr. Wood returning $10 an acre as a gift to the city for the development of the field. This made a netof $00 an acre, or a total of $43,200. ■2Bond I»stie Voted.Working with the city commission at this time was an airport commission made up of Walter Barlow and John Hill. Details were worked out! by the city commission, made up of; Mayor Bivins, J. II. Harris and W.jH. Brymer, and the airport commission. The $100,000 bond issue for the purchase and development of the; port was brought to a vote the first week in August, and passed by a majority of 4 to 1. The deal for the property was .closed, and the city started to work on the development Of the port.On August 10, a Municipal Airport commission, appointed by the city! commission, held its first meeting. Its members were Ed R. Mayer,chairman; Walter Irvin, John E. Hill,} J. B. Coe, John Cowan and J. E.; Biggs, secretary. The commissionacted in an advisory capacity and worked out a plan for the development of the port, co-operating with Banks Jones, city engineer, who was in charge of the technical work of laying out the port. The policy of the Municipal Airport commission#as to establish a field that would gain federal recognition and rating as a first class port.Two Members Added.On October 2, Wilbur C. Hawk and Albert Randall were added to the; commission, and aided in workingout the airport plan.The various members of the commission visited flying fields all over the country, a total of more than 20; ports being inspected. Civilian and! army port experts also were called[LOWELL YE REXWho manages the Municipal Airport for Texas Air Transport,lessee of the field. He also is general adviser on the* aviation committee of the Chamber of Commerce, assisting particularly in the lining up of events for the air derby. Yerex was a captain in the Royal Flying Corps in the World war. He is a New Zealander, but enlisted through Canada. He is aclose friend of Lieut. Robert II. Gray, assistant general manager of Southern Air Transport and operations manager for Texas Air Trans* port, and who is one of Amarillo's pioneer fliers.of smoothing the runways, install-constructing theinto conference before the plan was complete.The development of the port was carried out along the plan outlined by the post-election airport commission, with certain minor modifications.The actual work field, building the ing the lights andbuildings was under the supervision of John Bencho of the city engineering department.Leased to S. A. T.Immediately after the port was ready for operation, Western Air Express started its Kansas City to Los Angeles line, and selected the Municipal port for its base here.Shortly after the new administration took charge of the city’s affairs, Mayor Ernest O. Thompson, and Commissioners Lester Stone and J. N. Vernon asked for bids on the leasing of the port. The outcome was the taking over of the field bySouthern Air Transport on a 20-year
Newspaper Details
Amarillo News Globe
Amarillo, Texas, US
Thu, Sep 05, 1929
Page 49
Full Page
Clipped by
Anna B.
TX, USA 07 May 2021
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