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The Congressional Declaration Signed at Washington, .June'-1?22
"The Old Spanish Trail is one of the basic trunklines of the United States and anything that can be done to hasten its completion will
be a service of national importance...........................•Ju3t»ice~fcO'
±he_iapxwtant“COn3tEucti-on~in-progreaa. or- finanoed and soon to-be. -etar-t-ed-ea-lls-.for..imediate. effort in sections -still inactive that-the ■service-of an opened, national trunkline my not be denied because of
■bawrieiu-sect-ions-atill unimproved..................3eoause	of	its
winter sunshine, its Sulf pleasures in summer and its background of ancient and romantic history, its development will make it the natural resort of the North American people. When the numerous highways from the North, now building, are completed thi3 southern trunkline nust absorb and care for the mass of travel that will seek these Southern Borderlands.
'‘jAVriie primary military importance of this highway is evidenced by the fact that it embraces all the extensive military, naval and air defenses and depots of the Gulf Coast and of the Mexican border, and that it connects these with the defenses of the South Atlantic and the South Pacific seaboards. There is a larger concentration of national defenses and supplies on this highway than any other in the land. The War Department asks for the construction of this highway and its border connections.
Therefore, in the public interest and for the sake of the all-the-year service this highway will render to the travelers of the nation, and for its value to the military arms of the government, general co-operation and effort arc urged to complete it from sea to sea in type and character equal to the service it will be called upon to render.”
Signed!
Senators of Old Soanish Trail States-IVilliams, Pat Harrison, C .A .Culberson, J Duncan U. Fletcher, Joseph E. Ran3dell,
-Oscar Underwood, John Sharp •Thomas Heflin, Park Trammell, Uorris Sheppard, E .S .Broussard.
Congressmen of Old Spanish Trail districts—John McDuffie, John N. Garner, John C. Box, Clay Stone Briggs, Harry it. '.Vurzbach, Joseph J. TTansfield, C ,B .Hudspeth, James O'Connor, L. lazaro, \l .P .Martin,
J ,H .Smithwick, Frank Clark, John B. Tyson, Paul B. Johnson, H. Garland
War Department Declaration
Signed July 7, 1922 by J	.Wainright. Acting Secretary
of War, Washington, D.C.
“The highway from Pensacola through Mobile to New Orleans is considered by the War Department of first importance, and its early completion in accordance with federal standards, including necessary bridges, is urged in the interest of national defense. A standard federal highway between Pensacola and Jacksonville is also considered important.
“In Texas the following trunk highways are considered essential from the standpoint of military operations along the border: San Antonio to the lower Rio Grande Valley; San » -j.. o—	n<»] Rio. with branch road