ANCIENT CASTILIANjlQRDER BltSTQWS,
HONORS ON ASBURY PARK MAN
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Wo3ffiuenTo5n,aSe-t)ne) destined to become one of the.
and popular in
most famous America. The project really had .its inception when 419 enthusiasts met in Mobile, Alabama, in 1915, and organized the undertaking. At that, few of them comprehended the big achievements that were destined in the name of that enterprise or visioned that $110,000,-000 or more would be required before. the two ancient Spanish cities should be connected by a paved highway. Probably the’r heart'- ould have failed them at the . ltion of such a staggerin' sum.
. '-'However, the leadership of a group of San Antonio people and their steady subscriptions for 10 years and the cooperation of other groups across the continent finally gave the Old Spanish Trail tc the southern borderland country. When the time came highway en gineers and officials conquered problems without parallel in road building. In San Antonio a group of some 200 persons backed the work with their faith and gener ous contributions. And their travels totaled nearly 60,000 miles fostering interest and sustaining the leadeship until it finally spread its influence even to foreign countries. For much of the period they were supporting a dream the masses thought impractical. Managing Director Ayers’ travels cannot be computed.
Seemed Impracticable
were the ways for getting around Yet this Old Spanish Trail country was rich in natural resources and exceptionally a 11. r a c t f v e. Travelers today find this attraction and interest everywhere. The people of this country have opened it to national enjoyment. *.
"rhe large cities were working for ■ highways from the north and
The trail movement was organized at Mobile, Dec. 10-11, 1915, to promote a highway that would connect New Orleans with the Florida east coast. Western people became interested and the plans were changed to a Florida California project with the -outc westward from New Orleans thru Dallas.
The eastern barriers and the costs were so serious neither headway nor recognition was achieved for seven years. And there was no recognized loute across south Texas (one-third t. e distance across the continent- u r-til 1921. Only July 25,1919, a conference was held at Houston. Al-tho the routing thru Dallas st'll prevailed, San Antonio was invited to that conference. It resulted in San Antonio being asked to assume leadership and establish, if possible, a southern highway to include the ancient Spanish centers across the continent There were five great centers or mission and colonization works with relics and ruins of those ancient days a heritage of interest and wonder —Saint Augustine,
feared the Old Spanish Trail project would complicate their efforts. Federal engineers vc-y properly ruled a highway along the Mississippi gulf coast should not be built without a protecting seawall.
A four-state conference of >a ers. public officials and state hi
way coinniisfiqr.erS from Florid'. Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana was called a '- Mobile, March 20-21, 1922. The managing dlrec tor spent three moi\ths in those states dcvelop|ng thaJj conference Mobile and Baldwin /county, Ab-f-hama.- palcftj|& rxpev.;,-A- -Thd, conference vNs strongly attended but the Louisiana highway department did, not participate because the construction cast of New Orleans vas considered tm possible. Ncv. Orleans senit delegates. A stronger attendance or a more unified determination was hardly possible yet it was \appar-ent still greater effort was heeded before recogn: ion and appropriations would come.
Gels U. 5. Recognition In June anc-, July, 1922, Manager Ayres establjjlsird himself at Washington. ; The'.e Senator Underwood of /Mabana and Congressmen Me Duffie of *,KadSn& and Wurzbacla ol
As late as 1922 federal and state
officials had not yet granted recognition to the Old Spanish Trail route. This expensive route seemed impractical. The route now U. S. 80 thru Montgomery, Shreveport, Dallas and El Paso to California was logical and inexpensive. Federal aid was denied in 1922 on sections of the Old Spanish Trail. At the same time war department road plans favored connecting the Gulf ports wi*n the Montgomery-Shreveport-Da.-las route.
Bays and rivers tributary to the
San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson aad
San Diego. In addition was New Orleans, the old French center with its Spanish period.
Ayres Made Managing Director At San Antonio, Harral Ayrc: was selected as managing director.
Beginning 1922 it was clear t ;e Old Spanish Trail as a transcontinental highway was still net officially recognized: States were refusing to adopt certain expensive sections. Federal aid was denied. The Texas state highway engineer stated a trunk line highway did not exist if there w'ere unrecog-
vi ui Texas placed their offices a!ad secretaries at h'.-i
Gulf of Mexico broke this Old : nized sections. Ferriage totaled in
Spanish Trail project into disconnected units and kept the oeop'.e strangers and uninterested. Numerous long and tedious ferrljj and mud and mire kept trave, from that country. The manag ing director for many years did not travel the route by automobile. Trains, boats saddle horses} and at times local automobllrs|
spring flood periods $30 to $50. The more northern route, now U. S. 80, enjoyed official favor *oi economy, convenience and easy construction. War department engineers considered the Old Spanish Trail route between New Orleans and Pensacola as impractical. Numerous highway prom -tions claimed the route in Florida.
command ar.d other southern senators and j congressmen aided with the resufit that the war department chalnged its road plans and declared. Tor this far-southern ghway as military necessity. Senators and jeongressen signed a ^ declaration it was a basic national : need. The American Automobile association urged it for winter recreation and travel. The U. S bureau of education fell in step and in an official bulletin distributed to the public schools adapt 'd .Oie Old Spanish Trail as a medium of studying southern development and old history.
The Washington declarations officially established the Old Spanish Trail as the southern national highway and the period of liberal appropriations and great construction immediately followed. Today over $30,000,000, including funds available for present work,.have gone into this project. It is now half paved ar.d pa ving San Antonio eastward wi.l soon. be wholly completed. A1