SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS:
Old Spanish Trail Work Wins Honors
King of Spain Sends Medal For Work for Old Spanish Trail
llarral Ayres, managing: director of the Old Spanish Trail development, will receive a distinguished honor from tho King of Spain when h.; receives the Condccora-Uon of the Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica, with title of Knight • Commander at a reccnlion and ceremony of presentation Tuesday evening nt the home of Mrs. Henry Drought, 1215 North St. Mary’s Street, for his work in connection with the Oid Spanish Trail movement.
Officiating at the ceremony will be the Spanish Consul Pablo de Ubarri, Spanish consul for Texas and New Mexico.
' In the official pary conferring the decoration besides Ubarri and Mrs. Drought will be Maj. Gen. William Lassirer, commander of the Eighth Corps Area, and his personal staff; Enrique Santiban-cz, consul general of Mexico; Col. II. M. Dickma’nn, president of the San Antonio Automobile League; Werner N. Beckmann, a representative of the Old Spanish Trail board; Dr. Frederick Combe,
H. Etheridge, president of the San Antonio Real Estate Board; May; or C. M Chambers, County Judg Perry S. Robertson, State Senator W. A. Williamson, Arnold Shank lin. former United States consul to Mexico, and Walter Walthall, pr ident of Vr.Q San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
The jewel of the order is a double-sided Spanish sunburst, inches *n diar. eter, suspended from a laurel wreath. On one side is the name of the order, and on the other is "La Lealtad Acrisola da,” expressive of loyalty and merit Ayres accepted the Old Spanish Trail leadership in into when the was no regular route across the Southern borderlands. Automobiles were forced to pick their course through mud. cattle lands and deserts with undependable ferries assisting them in crossing the numerous rivers en route.
The leadership of San Antonio and constant efforts for 10 years was the thing chat eventually made possible the Old Spanish Trail, Federal and State officials were slow in granting recognition to the route and failed to do so until 1922.
Tho Old Spanish Trail movement was organized at Mobile, Ala., to build a highway from Florida to New Orleans. Western States became interested, and the pi, changed to an Atlantic to Pacific highway. No recognition v. the work for seven years because of the cost of construction and the slow progress.
There was no recognized route across South Texas until 1921. conference in Houston in 1919 re suited In the routing of tho road through San Antonio, though Dal las had been the prevailing choice until that time. San Antonio chosen because of its missions historical ruins of the Spa
Ayres was selected as managing director in San Antonio shortly after the Houston conference. Tho first step of the San Antonio group was to hold a convention in this city. More than 100 West Texans attended this meeting and pledged the completion of the route through West Texas.
Ayres went to Washington in June, 1922, and succeeded in hav ing a declaration signed by Senators and Congressmen that the road was a basic National need. The United States Bureau of Education sided with tho road builder as did vhe American Automobile Association. This work in Washington took seven months, and resulted in liberal appropriations. Con struction work followed within short time.
Florida in 1929 became the first State to complete the paving of its Old Spanish Trail route.
A women's department of beautification whs started in 1923 under ihe leadership of Mrs. F. W. Scroll and Mrs. J-L A. Moos of San Antonio to remove advertising sig and to beautify the road.
In 3 9 25 tho United States highways were designated. The Old Spanish Trail through West Texa was not recognized. Ayers again went to Washington after efforts to obtain recognition had failed because no was not present in the capital. On his arrival in Wash ington ho opened the question and was successful in having the San Diego :o Sr,. Augustine route mad, wholly a tout'd Stntos Mgfcv.’n,
The Condecoration of the Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica i ■ to be given to Harral Ayres by the King of Spain in recognition of bis work as leader of the Old Spanish Trail movement. Spanish Consul Pablo de Ubarri, consul for Texas and New Mexico, will officiate at the presentation Tuesday evening at tfc home of Mrs. Henry Drought, 1215 North St. Mary’s Street.
SANANTONiMAN WiNS DECORATION