[Photograph 2012.201.OVZ001.6278]

Photograph used for a story in the Oklahoma City Times newspaper. Caption: "The most recent Oklahoma City purchase of land for Tulakes Airport - from E.K. Gaylord of Oklahoma City - was made at a price of $5,200 and acre less than the average cost of 71.35 acres previously bought by the city for the south "clear" zone. Injection of the purchase from Gaylord into the city council election race in Ward 4 led to a check of official records. These records disclosed the 71.35 acres bought for the south clear zone actually cost $155,638 more than 160 acres purchased from Gaylord dor the north clear zone. $2,500 an Acre The two tracts were purchased to assure clear zones on each side of the city airport, and an extension of the sorth-south runway was made possible by the sale of the Gaylord land. The $400,000 price paid to Gaylord was at the rate of $2,500 an acre. This price was set by thre recognized real estate appraisers appointed by the city, R. J. Spradling, Harold Brand and Roscoe Sears......Sixteen of the property owners declined to sell at the city appraisers' prices, requiring the city to acquire their land through court condemnation procedures. Bond Fund Used The land was acquired through a 50-50 federal matching fund arrangement under which the Federal Aviation Agency pays 50 percent of the cost and the other 50 percent is paid from the 1957 airport bond issue of &,497,000. The land is required by the FAA as part of its overall expansion and safety program. Several other tracts will be required before the long-range Tulakes program is completed......With its new terminal building, runways and taxi-ways, Tulakes is now recognized as one of the outstanding small airports in the nation. An additional $178,000 has been earmarked by the FAA for installation of approach lights and an all-weather landing system at the northside field.