WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 30, 1930.
Harral Ayres, Managing Director Of Old Spanish Trail Decorated by Representative of King Alfonso XIII j
Harral Ayres, managing rtiroc-1 tor of the Okl Spanish Trail development. was decorated by the King of Spain Tuesday night at the home of Mrs. Henry Drought, 1215 North St. Mary’s Street.
Spanish Consul Pablo de Ubarri conferred the Condecoration of the Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica as the official representtaive of King Alfonso XIIT of Spain. In military uniform, Ubarri marched at the side of Ayres to the position where the honor was conferred. A number of distinguished guests were at the reception and both sides of the hall were lined.
As Ayres and Ubarri reached the end of the hall they turned and after Ubarri had been introduced, the message of the king was read. Ubarri read the message in Spanish and concluded by fastening the ribbon of the medal about Ayres’ neck. Ayres, responding, •voiced the appreciation of himself and of those connected with developing the old Spanish Trail. He concluded his remarks by saying . the people who had assisted in the work were equally appreciative because they were certain the Order had been conferred to all in •' the name of Ayres, j In the official party were Mrs. i .1 Drought, Mn.i. William Lassiter, j commander of the Eighth Corps j Area, and his staff: Enrique San-j tibanez, consul-general of Mexico;
J Col. H. M. Dickman, president of the San Antonio Automobile League; Werner N. Beckman, representative of the Old Spanish Trail Board; Dr. Frederick Combe,
T. H. Etheridge, president of the San Antonio real estate board; Mayor C. M. Chambers. County Judge Perry S. Robertson, State Senator W. A. Williamson, Arnold Shanklin, former United States consul-general to Mexico, and Walter Walthall of the San Antonio j Chamber of Commerce.
Others present were Mrs. J. A. McIntosh, Miss Mary Bonner, Mrs.
C. A. Bonner, Mrs. Rosamund
Niles. Mrs. . . B. Lecwright. Mrs. Walter Walthall. Judge W. W. King. Mrs. Alico Adams, Mrs. J. Frank Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Marry Drought. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Drought. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Drought. J. Frank Davis. Col. and Mrs. Sterling Adams, Judge and Mrs. Perry Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Malley. Mrs. J. P. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. David Griffin and Col. and Mrs. H. M. Dickman.
The exceptional distinction was given to Ayres because of his service in opening the Old Spanish Trail. His title is that of Knight Commander with the complimentary title of ‘Tllustrisimo."
Gr
TEXAS Press Clipping Bureau
This Clipping From SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS
APR 3 c 1930
^ELL-EARNED DisYlNCTION FOR HARRAL AYRES
Rc^ogniWg his work in creating most whvvhy and enduring memori to thpMndmnitable explorers, conqui tadorcs and padres who centuries ag blazed thc.t rirst trail across the Nort American continent, King Alfons XIII of Spain has conferred upo Harral Ayres. Managing Director c the Old Spanish Trail Association, th Decoration of the Royal Order c Isabel la Catolica. with the title c Knight Commander.
Fittingly, the presentation—by th Spanish consul for Texas and Net Mexico, Senor Pablo de Ubarri—too place last night in San Antonio, con tral point on the transcontinenta highway, and for the past ten year headquarters of the movement t< create this road and promote public interest in it. Most appropriate, also was the holding of the ceremony ii the home of Mrs. Henry Drought, j staunch friend to the Association from its beginnings and a leader in the re-
lated beautification, memorial and educational work.
Ponce de Leon. Mcncndez. De Soto,
De Narvaez. Do Vaca. Galvez. De Luna. Coronado and other brave, spirits who followed the original Spanish Trail were lured by dreams o'), fabulous wealth or conquest, or movecl by zeal for their church. Mr. Ayres, and his. associates also were led by an ideal. They had visions as splendid as those which the early adventurers ! raised, though far different in nature: {
A new epoch had come—the Motor ■ Age. Cities founded by Spanish ex- | plorers had grown far richer than the j fabled seven in the Cibola of Corona- | do’s dreams. But the bays and rivers | which sped the conquistadores on their I way were barriers to the motorist. So this little group of enthusiastic men and women—gifted with both imagination and a sense of history—conceived the idea of linking these cities together with a splendid highway, ultimately to be paved, across the continent. The ; Old Spanish Trail would bo a memorial j to tho seekers after El Dorado, the j mission builders, and the founder.; of , states. It would preserve priceless relics of the Spanish occupation, help awaken in Twentieth Century America a better appreciation of its glorious past, exemplify something of the Spanish tradition.
Under Mi-. Ayres’ direction and steady-going labors, overcoming many j obstacles and discouragements, the, movement largely has attained tho5 objectives. The dedication cercm in St. Augustine last spring, the mo; cades from sea to sea in the spr, and the fall, strikingly called that i. estimably worth-while success to publi notice. By this honor to the Managing Director, King Alfonso shows appreciation of service rendered his country, also, through revival of its pa* glorics. Too, this is a service to th spirit of adventure, which is the welly, spring of progress.	|