Remarkable Construction Progress
THE TOTAL COMPLETED WORK ON THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL BY THE END OP 1927 WILL AMOUNT TO $03,000,000-IX the EASTERN SECTION $17,000,000: IN TIIE WESTERN SECTION $16,000,000. IN TIIE EASTERN SECTION $17 000.000 ADDITIONAL ARE NOW FINANCED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSTRUCTION.
THIS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS EXCEEDS THAT OF ANY OTHER TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE. NO HIGHWAY HAS HAD SUCH AN ARRAY;OF RIVERS. BAYS, MARSHES AND WET LANDS TO CONQUER. BY THE END OF THIS YEAR THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL WILL BE AN ALL-YEAR ALL-WEATHER ROUTE AND THE ONLY ONE ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
42% OF THE MILEAGE FROM SAN ANTONIO TO ST. AUGUSTINE IS NOW FIRST CLASS ASPHALT OR CONCRETE PAVING. ADDITIONAL PAVING FINANCED OR AUTHORIZED ASSURES A PAVED SURFACE FOR TWO-THIRDS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAN ANTONIO AND ST. AUGUSTINE BEFORE THE END OF 102S.
WESTWARD GRAVEL PREVAILS; THE PAVING ON THE WESTERN SECTION TOTALS 31%.
THE EAST NOW LEADS THE WEST AND WILL DOUBLE THIS LEAD NEXT YEAR WHEN THE PAVING AND BRIDGES NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE COMPLETED.
CHANGING THE TKAVEL MOVEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
The (ravel movement must now be changed from its old established routes down to the Old Spanish Trail— down among the numberless attractions of the Gulf of Mexico country and the scenic West Texas Hills for recreation, and down along this trunkline for the industrial, commercial and agricultural opportunities that abound in this country.
To this end the following are all being worked thru. I tanning, preparing and putting over works like these are not easy tasks; spreading over so much territory is a different problem, and more costly, than in local matters where organizations and people are together daily.
The works here outlined are all wanted. Inquiries come to us and to OST communities from every part of tiie United States and we must take good care of those inquiries if we would turn the full tide of travel to this highway. Twelve years of accumulated experience and in-lormation, the recognition this organization now enjoys thruout. the United States, and the completion of the great construction works, are assets we must now use in the !!!*!,«<•• 0l!r Heople. It depends upon your cooperation in uie linancmg to meet the costs; your personal cooper-auon and the support you should help obtain from your local organizations.
Program to Deuelop Trauel, Settlement and Investment
Most Comprehensive of any National Highway
Methods of Financing Discussed
norm: .marking. This win cost 520,000. Blue prints ami specifications showing (lie most advnnced marking plans of any national highway have been approved. Conferences and studies in various states have been in progress for several years. Coordination with tiie Federal Itoad Bureau and with tiie state highway departments is essential. Tiie marking force is organized and ready. Local costs can lie arranged ns tiie outfit moves along hut a truck and general equipment must he purchased now.
STRIP MAP BOOK AND DESCRIPTIVE MATERIAL from St. Augustine lo San Diego are financed at a cost of 510.000. These books have already run thru 00,000 copies. Cars must now again cover tiie whole mileage for re-logging and re-mapping: these costs also are financed lmt tiie descriptive dnta is costing six months work, traveling and other expenses on tiie OST treasury.
TRAVEL POCKET MAPS. These are in general demand. Now that tiie Old Spanish Trail, the United States Highways, and tiie Stale highways, are definitely fixed permanent maps are possible. We have arranged with a well qualified map maker for an authentic map of tiie southern country showing all trunkline highways: tiie Old Spanish Trail and its communities to be tiie outstanding features. This will cost 5S00. With the plates made tiie distribution will be self-sustaining thru orders from garages, hotels and others.
WALL MAPS. At present nil sorts of junk maps hang on Uie walls thruout tiie South. When the pocket map drawings are completed the wall map can be issued in quantity for about 52000. They will lie a permanent advertisement on walls everywhere for the Old Spanish Trail and its territory.
TRAVELOGS. In various forms these have now run thru 05.000 copies. Their publication quarterly and their distribution, at first of 100.000 copies annually, are apparently provided for. OST headquarters are associated with over 1000 auto clubs, tourist bureaus, newspaper and magazine information bureaux, bank travel bureaus, chambers of commerce and OS!' agencies so that distribution will he universal thruout Canada and the United States, and much of tiie information will be translated into Mexican publications. These travelogs will lie self-sustaining after tiie present issue which will cost tiie Association 51000.
MOTION PICTURES. Filming of the Old Spanish Trail industrially and historically and tiie distribution thru theaters is already organized and considerable filming lins been completed. The OST costs during the formative period may run into 55h0: after that the filming will he without expense to tiie OST'. It will he a cumulative and continued advertisement of the Old Spanish Trail and its territory.