!an Antonio, Texas, May 9th, 1922
Mr. H. B. Ayres,
Mobile, A1abama.
Dear Harral:-
I have just returned night before last from the Border inspection with McCrory, Losh, Fauntleroy and Colonel Jadwin, and to tall you the trip was a success is putting it in a very mild form.
It was a HUGE success.
Zapata County’s taxable values will not permit of them voting their fifty per cent of the cost of construction, but the State Highway Department has agreed to'peak the appropriation with state aid for whatever they need. The petitions have already been presented to the voters and practically all of them signed it. The commissioners court will meet in special session Friday to order the election. The same is true of Starr County but they have a much larger population and it will probably take them a day or two longer to get signed up. Their court will meet Friday afternoon and order the election. I am to be at Zapata Friday morning to assist the Commissioners Court in getting the election thru without any mistakes. I am to do the same thing fnr the Starr County people Friday afternoon.
Webb County is already built to the Zapata County line. Hidalgo County is already financed. Cameron County will order her election tomorrow and finance her part of it. Now, you hear about things going over with a "whoop", I would like to know if you ever heard of anything that beat this.
Vie had to abandon our inspection trip from Laredo to Del Rio so we could finish up this job while we had everything just right. Besides that, the Laredo people wanted a few days to think over their problems between Laredo and the Maverick County line. 75 miles of rather heavy construction on account of a great many bridges being necessary, running thru a territory uninhabited, and will be of very much value to Laredo other than as a tourist proposition.
I succeeded in getting the State and Federal Government to agree to a detour via Ashertcn and Carrizo Springs in the event the Laredo people didn’t think it adviseable to try to finance their part of it.
* From Brownsville to Laredo has been adopted as a primary highway, and wrill receive 50f> aid, except Zapata County. Their taxable values will not permit of them voting half the cost but they are to vote the limit and the State Highway Department it to furnish the money Jto-‘ finish the job out of State aid.
Our trip was a very strenuous one on account of being in the rain the first day going to Brownsville, and just two days behind a nine inch rain at Premont and Falfurrias which washed
away practically all the bridges and culberts, and at the same time they had a flood in Zapata County. There had been no