WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 5, ID2C
CLUB HEARS
II. U. Ayers Tells Progress and Problems of tbo Old Spanish Trail.
Four excellent speakers with four widely divergent, but interesting and timely messages were guests at the American Business Club luncheon at the Great Southern Hotel yesterdsi
The first speaker introduced to club membership by chairman Julius Brown was II. B. Ayers of San An lonio, Texas, managing director of the greta national military highway, the Old Spanish Trail,
For the benefit of the young men Air. Ayres recited tlie history of the development of the Old Spanish Trail since 1915 when it was organized at Mobile, Ala. “It is not a promotion,” he said, “but a development by the people to open and popularize all this southern borderland country. As evidence this Old Spanish Trail dovelop-men is doing just this is shown by the millions in new investments and tbo volume of new settlers now coming in. This arterial trunkline across the bottom of the continent is essential to the trunk lines building from the north and it is the recognition of tins fact that we stand today with $45,-000.000 spent on construotion and know the remaining $55,000,000 needed will be forthcoming.”
Air. Ayres told of the long struggle to make this highway a federal aid trunkline along its whole length. Now, lie said, wo have made it a United States highway; it will cease to be a state highway. lie read from a letter by a high Federal official to a United States Senator showing how these United States highways are a part of the national effort to stop the numerous men who run around promoting “highways” and cumbering established highways with numerous names in order to milk the people of money. One set of promoters, lie said, was given thousands of dollars by a Mobile organization, the city commission and others; they marked the Old Spanish Trail eastward and now the Florida road department wants those marks painted off and the waste of money stopped.
This national hoard, the letter states, “found in existence more than 250 so-called highway organizations. Of these only a few had earned the right to a continuing existence. Those few had kept faith with the public; had succeeded in obtaining recognition for certain highways and worked with a definite, purpose to put up markers, secure the interest of the people along the way in the improvement of their particular routes, and had built up pride ill the communities in (lie improvement and care of the routes. The members of this joint hoard,” the letter continues, “are all very familiar with these facts. There has been no act to interfere with these names and organizations. On I lie other hand, it is determined if possible (o wipe out the promoter of trails whose numbers and activities in collecting funds from the public have been increasing rap-
id]
Air Avres rinsed with (he statement
if the Old Spanish Trail is to go on Co its destiny as a great travelway all must help; that the Alississippi Coast had not been carrying its share of the burden, and he hoped while here to aid the Alississippi people in understanding the problems and progress of the work.
I ollowing this address, the chairman presented J. B. Gwiu of 'Washington, D. O., representative of national headquarters of the American Bed Cross, who is now in Gulfport attending tin* state convention of Bed Gross workers that is being held here.
Speaking more particularly of the qualitative work of the Bed Cross, hut touching incidentally upon the quantitative work being done by the organization as a whole, he gave a number of interesting stories taken from real experiences, illustrative of the great good being accomplished by various local chapters In the family case work that is carried out by the executive secretaries ami the workers in the various local communities throughout the nation.
Following (ho remarks of the Bed Cross representative. Director Brian, of the lledpatli Chautauqua, that is now playing in Gulfport gave a short timely and thoroughly instructive talk on salesmanship.
Frank Adams of the Mississippi Jwer Company was the fourth speak--1 and ho gave the club members a brief outline of the plans of the National Safety Council for fostering a months observance of the “safety first” idea. It has been the custom to observance a week each year throughout the entire'nation, but the plans, according to the speaker were to have a months observance this year. He closed his remarks with the request that the chairman appoint a committee from the A. B. Club to assist the promotors in the Gulfport " rvauce. Messrs Kimbrough, Shel-— and Tip pin were accordingly named by the chairman on this committee.
A message from J. B. Howie, president of the llotary Club, was read by George Alurphy, calling attention to rhe observance of Boy’s week by the Gulfport Rotarians, and asking the A. B. Club to take a pflrfc in the big parade that: will he staged on Friday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock from the High school building to the baseball field. The reading of this letter resulted in the Club passing a motion .equJriug each member to see that some boy is entered in this parade o render any other assistance in jary to make the day a pleasant for the boys.
Bey. Karl Knobloch was the nor of the attendance trophy with Tippin as the donor.
The Faubel Entertainers, mem of the Bedpath Chautauqua, scheduled to favor the Clul ship with a musical program owing to illness of one member troup, the entertainment v led.
There were, a number of rs, guests of the various hers and the attendance lit the membership was
Havana.—Members of pistols. Two weapons od when one congressnn other of provincialir of shots, thero
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