12
THE PROGRESS OF THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL
up the mountain side. Then there is Tombstone of turbulent history, and Tucson with its great university, and down to the border again, Nogales, its main street the border line of the two nations.
The stories of the wild West arc the stories of that country when guns were law, the saloon the club, and every new “strike” bred a new aristocracy of riches.
What a mingling of life and history! The ancient Indian civilizations that led Coronado and his Spanish cavaliers on that epic exploration, the later years of the padres and the classic missions they built along that Indian pathway up the Santa Cruz Valley from old Mexico and Nogales to Tucson, then the historic years of the Apache and the outlaw, of the Mormon settlement, the gold rush to California, and the overland stage that first linked the East with the Pacific; now the highly organized mining industry, the irrigated orchards and orange groves and fields of long staple cotton, the cattle ranches, and the great highway of the tourist threading it all!
Vice-President A. H. Gardner, Tombstone, Arizona, reports the highway practically complete as a federal standard road from El Paso, Texas, to Buckeye, 32 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona. This means westward out of Texas, then across New Mexico and half way across Arizona. It should not be understood that everything out there is finished, but big works are finished and other places are made and kept in condition for modern-day travel.
The road from Phoenix to Yuma, about 200 miles, is planned to be complete in two years. Those South Arizona counties voted something like §12,000,000 total to carry the highway across Arizona. The work they are doing is making Arizona famous.
There are a few unfinished sections, but those Arizonians are road-builders and travelers will revel the joy of fine driving. It is the only winter road into California. The celebrated Tombstone Divide is an easy grade and never closed. Travel going west should see Mr. Gardner at Tombstone, for on westward are points not yet constructed and travel should choose routes as the season suits.
Compliments of
PLANTERS HOTEL
DAUPH1NE AND IBERVILLE ST. NEW ORLEANS, LA.
California.
Ed Fletcher, OST Councilor, San Diego, reports on the Ajo route from Tucson. This cuts across the bend south of Phoenix, through the cactus forest. Sixty miles aie built westward from Tucson and the financing of the remaining distance to Yuma, the California gateway, is progressing.
From Yuma to San Diego, 182 miles, over 100 miles of concrete are built or under contract, and the entire distance from Yuma to San Diego is financed and under order not to stop until completed.
A HIGHWAY ACHIEVEMENT.
It has been said the Old Spanish Trail would be the first paved road across the continent—paving is coming fast.
It has been said the Old Spanish Trail has greater construction activity than any transcontinental highway—that is probably true for immense works are financed or under way.
The Old Spanish Trail is the one great highway that is driving its way through as future travelers would have it in spite of fearful physical barriers.
It is no longer a single highway, but a system of highways, for the people are seeking to open the way to every alluring historical spot along the Southern Borderlands.
Altogether there are 4000 miles of OST trunklines; 2900 miles of Main Line from St. Augustine to San Diego and the remainder are the trunklines to the border of Texas and the west for the international connections, and for the military development of the system, and to complete the historical unity of the project. The system is now a state, federal and military highway project receiving primary attention. All its barriers; bay, marsh, river, plain, mountain and desert are destined to bow before the might of the engineer. Its cities and shrines, and all its gulf, mountain and hill playground spots, will, when the work is completed, lie like a great necklace strung together at a cost of §150,000,000.
A. FRED BULTMAN, JR.
Chairman Good Roads Bureau, Association of Commerce
President the Bultman Mortuary Service, Inc.
REDUCED FARES
Full fare going, half fare returning, granted for Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Special excursion rates in force from Western points.
Certificates should be secured when tickets are purchased. At New Orleans the certificates will be validated granting half fare returning when the required number of tickets from all the states are shown to have been purchased.