SHEFFIELD. The famed country “West of the Pecos” is entered now. a land strange and interesting and filled with history reaching back to Spanish and pioneer days. The arid country of the west is at hand. Waters underlie the land and where springs gush forth they are oases of life. Old Fort Lancaster on Live Oak Creek was the last good water until Tunas Creek was reached -17.5 mi. west of Sheffield and 55 ml. from Fort Lancaster. West of the creek crossing 3.5 mi. are the Tunas Springs under the rock hill the highway crosses. By the cliff is the old stone corral of the San Antonio-Sau Diego stagecoach days. In the mesquite, slightly visible, are the remains of the old stone coach station. The next water is at the great Comanche Springs, now Ft. Stockton. On the fast driving Old Spanish Trail of today these “water holes" are minor matters but men fought for and around them thru the past ages. North of Sheffield gusher oil wells are flowing. At Sheffield, a small country hotel, good meals. Also a good restaurant. Good drinking water. Hale's Garage is good for so small a settlement; Hale is a good mechanic. Has a good free camp. »FT. STOCKTON. "The Spring City. of Texas" is country made fertile by irrigation from the Comanche Springs with an average flow of "“-’-lO.OOO.OOO gals, daily. Comanche Springs, now in the center of Ft. Stockton, irrigate G.200 acres of alfalfa, oats, barley, wheat, fruits and vegetables. About 20.000 tons of alfalfa are shipped annually. West 7 mi. are Leon Springs with 3.000 acres under cultivation and Loon Lake covering 700 acres and with excellent fishing. Stock with supplies, water, etc. No settlement along the way. In 1084 a company of Spaniards, priests and Indians under Mendoza and from below El Paso killed their first buffalo at Comanche Springs. The treaty following the Mexican War of 1S-1G-47 required the United States to prevent the northern Indians from invading Mexico. Forts and garrisons were planted at these watering places from San Antonio to San Diego. Seventy years previously the Spaniards planted a string of presidios (forts) and missions near the Ilio Grande and westward to California as their northern fortifications against the Indians. This was the stage conch and the mule freight train route between San Antonio and San Diego after the Mexican War. The Old Spanish Trail traverses this historic and remarkable territory along essentially the same route except for minor changes due to modern day needs. The old trails to Chihuahua, Mexico, crossed the Pecos Itiver above Fort Lancaster and turned southward at Leon Springs. Ft. Stockton, and thru the Pnisnno Pass to the mouth of the Conehos River on the Rio Grande. From this Ft. Stockton country northward the old Connelly trail of 1839 led to Arkansas. The Indian raids into Mexico ran from 1820 to 1S90 led chiefly by Comanchos, Apaches and Kiowas. Watering places on the raiding trails were the Tunas, Comanche and Leon Springs. HOTEL STOCKTON is a commanding stone building and popular. Two smaller hotels. Free camp at Comanche Springs. GST Filling Sta. camp and apartments, many conveniences, well managed. The George Paco garage for every auto service. Old established garage. ••The U. S. Geological Survey lms numerous measurements o( the big West Texas springs. OST figures are from those records. BALMORHEA. A green valley of irrigated farms alone the painted Davis Mrs. with VI mi. of the OST thru the valley. Ihe water is from the San Solomon Springs 4.4 mi. west from the hotel and from Phantom Springs H mi. west and from flood waters from the mountains. The flow* 2o.000.000 gals, daily. The reservoir covers o-9 A. and cost $12;>.000. There are 20 mi. of main canals ,12 mi. of service canals, three diversion dams, and many miles of local roads among the intensively cultivated farms. 25.000 tons of alfalfa are produced. 13.000 A. under cultivation. Da I morlien people have fought the battles all pioneers fight. The figures reveal their achievements. Good fishing at the reservoir, bathing there and at the springs. Fine road here to Davis Mts. The BALMQRI1EA a small country hotel, clean, good meals. The OST Garage, John B. Coffey, has a modern building and good service; also maintains a good eamp. MADERA SPRINGS. S mi. west of Dalmorhea a road loads to Madera Springs, an all-year resort G.000 ft. high in the mountains: stone lodge: brick, adobe and log cabins; golf, riding horses and burros. The Davis Mts. have the finest all-year climate in the U. S. McELROY JUNCTION. Here the Bankhead Highway thru North Texas joins the OST. Small store. Camp 23c. KENT. Railroad station. A cottage hotel. 10 rins., meals. : VAN HORN. Western entrance to Davis Mts. Jet. road thru Alpine and Del Rio. also to Carlsbad caverns 117 mi. north in New Mexico—caverns of marvelous interest. Mica mines near and numerous mineral outcroppings. Three country hotels: CLARK’S HOTEL best. Cabin camps. SUMMIT. High point S.5 mi. west of Van Horn. Four Old Spanish Trail summits: This. 4.630 ft. The Continental Divide betw’een Doming and Lordsburg, N. M., 4,584 ft Bisbee, Ariz., 6,030 ft. West of Boulevard, Cal,. 7 ml., 4.103 ft. ’’■SIERRA BLANCA. Spanish name for White Mountain. Jet. point of the S. P. and the T & V railroads. Cattle much countrv. An arid land set with mountain petrks. PALACE HOTEL, Mrs. A. B. Pascal, has family style meals. LOVE HOTEL, mis. only over store. Camp 25e. Good railroad lunch room. FT. HANCOCK. New settlement at crossroads. The highway now follows the course of the Rio Grande into and beyond El Paso. The old town and the remains of the fort (abandoned 1SS3) are a mile north of the highway. Travelers should stop over and see the irrigated farming development along the river for many miles. Irrigation, old and new*, is along the Rio Grande here and there all the way to Brownsville and the gulf. From Ft. Hancock westward to El Paso and northward into New Mexico greater irrigation works will he seen. The mountains to the south are in Mexico. Mexican settlements and types now frequently seen. Clean lodging and good store at the old town. FABENS Well developed irrigation; cotton, alfalfa, truck. Port of entry to Mexico; tlie border 3 mi. south. New small hotel. Good cabin camp. At Clint a road leads to (be old Spanish settlements, founded 1GS3. of San Eliza-fio and Socorro and back to tlie OST at Ysleta. l>i ^^IR~*The holds mid servin' houses that are printed in imi fm‘° **vl»e are the ones that help pay for these travelogs ,l,llri' helping to build up good service along the Old Spanish ran. They are established business people.