PIONEER DAYS ON THE TRAIL
Snn Antonio's Old Time Importance
Trails from early times have existed between San Antonio and San Diego. San Antonio was the meeting place and clearing house for the North and East and Mexico and California. The San Fernando Cathedral plaza at San Antonio was the terminal and changing point for all the trails. The Old Spanish Trail monument now stands by the Cathedral.
In 1772 the King of Spain ordered a chain of missions and presidios from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of California with San Antonio. Texas and Santa Fe. New Mexico as the northern outposts. After the Mexican War, 1810*47, the United States established a chain of forts as indicated in the old advertisement below. Then came the perilous overland Journeys—the little courageous groups, the mule pack-trains, later the freighters with their strings of mules and groauing wagons, then the fast stagecoach, then the railroad and now the motor highway.
(Reproduced by Old Spanish Trail from Texas Almanac of 1859)
OVERLAND TO THE PACIFIC
The San Antonio anil SanBieg'o Mail-Line
Fort Clark, Fort Hudson, Fort Lancaster, Fort Davis,
Fort Bliss,
El Paso,
Fort Fillmore, La Mesilla,
Tucson, Arizona, Fort Yuma-, Sail Diego
The Conches of oar Line leave semi-monthly from each end, on tho 9th and 24th of each month, at C o’clock, A. M.
An armed escort travels through the Indian country with.each mall train, for the protection of tho malls and passengers..
Passengers are provided with provisions during tho trip except where the Coach stops at Public Houses aloug the £Ine, at which each Passenger will pay for his own meal.	,
Each Passcrger Is allowed thirty pounds of personal baggage, exclusive of ldankets and arms.
Passengers coming to San Antonio can take tho line of mall steamers from New Orleans twice a week to Indlanela. from the latter place there Is a dally line of four horso mall conches direct to ttls place.
On tho Pacific side tlio California Steam Navigation Company are run-n first class steamer, semi-monthly, to and from San Francisco nrid
San Diego
FARE OH THIS LINE AS FOLLOWS, INCLUDING RATIO'S
San Antonio to San Diego, §200	Snn Antonio to El Paso. $1Q0
•«	“ Tucson,	150	Intermediate stations 15c per mile
Extra baggage, when carried, 40 cents per pound to El Paso, and §1 per pound to San Diego.	........	.
Passengers can obtain nil necessary outfits In San Antonio.
For further Infonrttlon, and for the purchase of Hike's, apply nt tho office of the Company In this city, or address I. C. WOODS. Superintendent of the Une, care of American Coal Company, 50 Exchange Place* New York.
G. H. GIDDINGS R. E. DOYLE.
Proprietors.
TniS LINE which hns been In successful operation since July, 1857, Is ticketing PASSENGERS, through to San Diego, and also to nil Intermediate stations. Passengers and E:#iress matter forwarded In NEW COACHES, drawn by six mules over tho entire length of our Line, excepting the-Colorado Desert, of ICO miles, which wo cross on mule back. Passengers guaranteed In their tickets to ride In Coaches, excepting tho 100 miles, abovo elated.
PASSENGERS TICKETED TO AND FROM SAN ANTONIO AND