Mr. J. W. Trainer,
President, Old Spanish Trail Cluh,
Sonora, Texas.
Dear Mr. Trainer:
Mr. Aldwell advises that we give you suggestion respecting the best moves to prevent any re-naming of the Old Spanish Trail or any interference with its work. ’Vo enclose a declaration which l think will do for you. Make such corrections, of course, as you may wish. You could get as many signatures to this declaration as possible and have copies made for the Governor and each member of the Highway Commission and enclose whatever sort of letter you think wisest.
The Highway Department is non-committal and seeking to avoid the issue. The women, however, who obtained this concession from the Highway Department are proceeding according to our information to take every possible advantage of the situation. They will get marking done and do lots of confusing things and the first thing we know instead of a great distinctive trunkline known to everybody as the Old Spanish Trail we will have a mongrel road of various names and in consequence of little interest to any one and of no national apneal to the great array of automobile tourists.
The Jefferson Davis Highway as authorised ftr the women by the Highway Commission takes the Del Hio route westward. The effect of this if allowed to prevail would bo to give official precedence and dignity to the Del Hio route and leave you people with simply a local Texas road on your hands. The Old Spanish Trail could not continue if the Highway Commission and these women are allowed to mess up the Texas situation which measures one-third the distance across the continent.
Sincerely,
Harral B. Ayres,
OST Managing Director.
HBA/b enc. Dec.