finances there are serious and that burdens are increasing for soEieone to lift.
When I left, January first, v;e were payin', off old debts steadily and 1 left as resources for continuing to pay those accounts and for the Maintenance of that office the whole Texas organisation with all of 1933 maabershipa due and the prestige of a successful and developing activity in the Texas Department. I did not ask for any money from there for this eastern work, but have supported this work entirely from here, and in addition, because of cries of distress from there, I have sent $300 that equitably belonged here, and have paid '$835 fror. personal funds to relievo payroll-and ooEF.ersial accounts.
With an established organization there, the running expenses at least should save bean kept paid and have allowed the money X sent to apply on old accounts. The Texas Department should have functioned financially batter than this new work here. We were without credit bare due to over ?M years of neglect in favor of work concentrated in the west. The Texas Department, moreover, was in the hands of a good L-.sittf.ger, and the Rio Grands achievements were over before I left, and if t;.s functioning of the organization had been let alone we surely could have carried.things there and not- lavs hazarded work here by expecting the East to help meet deficiencies in a Department that should Lavs been helping instead of hindering. The East had already contribute^more money to the San Antonio offices than it had received return for.
The year 1931 was a nard one on all civic organizations, due to general business depression, yet the OST lived t.,ru it, the work expanded, and the year closed with our waking steady headway against accumulated accounts. During this depression 1 did not press r.y own salary claims, drawing only $750 for the year 1931.
In addition, I loaned money to the organization because of its need. I also advanced the money for issuing both magazines and paid for the stamps to mail them to members. In the years previously to 1931 I drew only nominally on salary -account, for the organization was struggling to its feet. No other ran ever gave over $100 in. any one year. I have no property or business on the highway that I should do such things, yet officials who have property and business seek personal advantage.
When this work ?;as intrusted to re in 1919 the Old Spanish Trail was essentially dead. In the years that have followed it has passed thru crisis after crisis, yet today it stands nationally-recognized and important while most other highway aasoviations have failed. The OST is admitted to be one•of the most difficult of all highways to coordinate and develop. Even its integrity as a national highway is not yet achieved. by stay hers has been necasary to help weld the East and the West. It has taken years to get even a fair understanding of the problems that lie in the way, and serious problems are still to be composed.
The work should have called forth your unselfish loyalty.