EVENING REeOR.U rAD PHONE 12UU St. Augustine in History One of a Series of Brief Sketches of Historic Interest, Which Will Supply Information to Tourist ancl Hornet Folks The City of St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Pedro Menen-dez de Aviles, one. of the greatest of Spain’s explorers, and colonizers. Settlement was effected on August 28th of that year, which is St. Augustine’s Day, and the little colony in the new world, planted by Mcnendez, was named because of the Saint’s Day on which the city was founded. To this day special masses are held in the old Cathedral of St. Augustine, on the day sacred to Saint Augustine, patron saint of the city. With the date of the city’s founding firmly fixed in one’s mind, the next time anybody tells you that such and such a building, in St. Augustine runs back to 1516,\ or any other such date, you can] “check up.” For the person interested in history, and in an exhaustive study of the character of Pedro Menen-deb, de Aviles, there arc numerous rare historical works, and translations of old Spanish records to be found in the Historical Society library in the Webb Memorial on St. Francis Street. Saint Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, holding the dignity of this position upon a secure basis, despite the fact that there arc several other aspirants for the honor. New Smyrna, and Pensacola, Florida arc among those, and point proudly to ruins which they claim were left by the Spaniards. Be that as it may, St. Augustine was settled in 15G5, and kept on being a settlement, growing slowly in prestige and power, as she continued to be the headquarters of Spain in Florida. There has never been any lapse or cessation of government here, although for a time St. Augustine was the shuttlecock of the nations, going back and forth between them as treaties were signed, and settlements effected following* the cessation of hostilities. But to go back to her founder, St. Augustine has especially honored Pedro Mcnendez de Aviles through naming the new water front park, which is the approach to the Bridge of Lions, Plaza de Mcnendez. The city is the proud possessor of the boards which formed the coffin in which the bones of Pedro Mcnendez de Aviles rested for centuries in a niche in-the Church of San Nicolas in the city of his birth, Aviles, Spain. Several years ago, j, when the city of Aviles decided to i honor its distinguished son by removing his remains to a splendid new sarcophagus in the Church of San Nicolas, St. Augustine was invited to send a delegation to the ceremonies. Leading the St. Augustine party were Obc P. Goode and A. M. Taylor, who had played the roles of Pedro Mcnendez' and Juan Ponce de Leon, respectively, in the great pageants of the Ponce do Leon Celebration in St. Augustine. Other duly accredited representatives were Frank W. Nix, Robert R. Scott, Colonel W. A. MacWilliams, Edward G. Vaill, Frederick S. Vaill. Also in the party were Mrs. Obc P. Goode, Mrs. A. M. Taylor, Mrs. W. A. MacWilliams, Miss Edith Taylor. The relics sent "to St. Augustine by the alcalde of Aviles, and pronounced by John B. Stetson of the State Historical Society as priceless, being the only relics of the kind, and of such great age in this country are being carefully; preserved, until such time as the City of St. Augustine can properly house them in a mausoleum, which