Present Conditions
'? Old Spanish Trail is now essentially an all-year, ail-weatlier highway from St. Augustine to San Diego. It is "C Maintained and is being improved continually. This year there have been numerous road, bridge and paving completions; most of them of unusual cost and of several years construction period. Travel has suffered in these sections but now fine driving is enjoyed. Several more big projects will be completed this fall.
Western Section—San Antonio to San Diego
The western section, San Antonio to San Diego, is 31% Pa' ed; the remainder is good gravel or other improved surface, well maintained. This is a dry area with sunshine, hills, mountains and deserts, natural drainage and natural gravels. There are some short sections west not up to good standard for wet weather but distress rarely occurs for dry weather prevails and those sections then are fine, fast driving. When a storm does occur iu the West it is apt to be heavy, caution then should be observed in all sections. $16,000,000 have been spent iu the western section.
Eastern Section—St. Augustine to San Antonio
The eastern section, San Antonio to St. Augustine, is 42% paved. The remainder is good gravel, sand clay or other improved surface and well maintained except in Baldwin County, Alabama, and in Ft. Bend County, Texas, where distress is possible in wet weather. The Ft. Bend County section has a paved and gravel detour nearly completed. The East is financed now for paving two-thirds of its mileage and the work is in progress; the roadbeds are well seasoned and ready.
Seven ferries remain blit the Sabine River bridge at Orange, Texas, will be completed by October; the two bridges in Mississippi, at Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis, should be completed this year; the bridge across Lake Pontcbartrain east of New Orleans will be completed by January 1st, then only two ferries will remain between the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Mississippi River at New Orleans and Berwick Bay at Morgan City, La. The Mississippi River bridge is financed and it is bcli(yN ed construction will soon begin; it will cost $10,000,000.
The East has 50 to 00 inches rainfall. The highway crosses the rivers and bays near the Gulf of Mexico; two-thirds of the drainage waters of the continent arc crossed in this eastern section. Long and expensive 11 numerous drainage structures and paved or gravel roai * have been necessary to create an unbroken 'Md aU-v eatber highway. $51,000,000 have now been spent on tins, section or appropriated for construction in piogicss.
Travel Service
Permanent marking is now being installed:; it. «^ most attractive and complete ot any national b giTOaj.
otols aara-'es service stations, auto camps and other travel’comforts are always best on a like this. These are verygood «*»« «><;™ and improving constant 1>. The	I
follows carries details.
Zero Monuments
TOP. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS BOTTOM, SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
A third monument is to be placed at St. Augustine, Florida. The Exchange Club of St.
Augustine lias this in charge and a monument worthy of the “Ancient City” will be provided and dedicated with splendid ceremonies.
The	zero	stone	at	San
Diego was dedicated 1923 by an address of President Cool-idge read by Col. Ed Fletcher of San Diego.
Tlie	zero	stone	at	San
Antonio was	dedicated	1924
by Gov. Pat Neff, city, state, federal	and	army	officials,
women’s clubs and the Old Freighters Association.
As the highway is built on its permanent location mileposts of historical significance will be placed.
FERRIES AND TOLLS
St. Johns River. Jacksonville, Fin., toll bridge.
Nunez toll bridge, Florida-Alabama line. Perdido River, 50e, night and day. Free bridge under construction.
Cochrane Bridge across Mobile Bay $1.00 for automobile and driver. Extra passengers 10c each.
Pascagoula River, Miss., 50e. Continuous ferry day and niglit. Bridge to be completed fail 1927.
Bay of St. Louis, Miss., 75c. Ferry on hourly ^schedule until midnight. Bridge to be completed fall 1927.
RIgolets and Chef Mentcur. east of New Orleans, me and 50c. essentially continuous niglit and day.
Mississippi River, New Orleans, 20c to 40e. Con! unions.
Berwick Bay at Morgan City. La., 35c. Continuous.
Sabine River. Louisinnn-Tcxas line. 75c to $1.00. Bridge will lie completed by October 1927.
See also pages 10 to 35.