Published in the interest of THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL
PRESIDENT—Dr. Fred B. JoAnstOn,
San Antonio, Texas.
MANAGING DIRECTOR—H. B. Ayres,
San Antonio, Texas.
TREASURER—M. G. McNair, Gulfport, Miss.
SECRETARY—Herbert Bayliss, Lake Charles, La.
FIELD ENGINEER—Harry Locke, Los Angeles, Cal.
D.«E. COLP, Mgr. Western Dept., San Antonio, Texas
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ON THE 010 SPANISH TRAIL FlORIDA'CAlirORNIA'MIXICO
VICE PRESIDENTS:
FLORIDA—F. W. Marsh, Pensacola, Florida ALABAMA—John Craft, Mobile, Alabama MISSISSIPPI—II. S. Weston, Logtown, Miss. LOUISIANA—Martin Behrman, New Orleans, Li EAST TEXAS—W. E. Lea, Orange, Texas WEST TEXAS—Walter Schreiner, Kcrrville, Texas WESTERN—A. II. Gardner, Tombstone, Arizona SOUTH TEXAS—W. R. Perkins, Alice, Texas DIRECTORS—S. H. Peck, Mobile, Alabama
R. H. Fleming, New Orleans, La.
II. A. McDonald, Beaumont, Texas J. C. Baumgarten, Schulcnberg, Tex.
Vol. 1	San	Antonio,	Texas
lFar Department Endorses OST
After seven years of effort to create a trunk line highway from St. Augustine, Florida, through Texas to San Diego, California, with connections to all important border points, National recognition of the importance of the Old Spanish Trail was achieved when the War Department issued a statement Saturday that this highway is of first importance and essential to plans being formulated by the Department for the National defense.
The OST highway embraces all the border defenses from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the War Department urges prompt completion of the highway.
The plans for a National Southern Highway which would not be blocked by snow and ice in the winter and would be passable each day in the year were conceived in Mobile, Alabama, in 1915, but so formidable were the problems confronting the builders that actual construction has been retarded in many sections until the past year and a half, when the importance of the early completion of the great highway has been impressed more and more upon the communities through which it passes by the ever increasing stream of tourists and vacationists who use it the entire year from California' to Florida and return.
With its 3,500 miles of highway, some completed and up to Federal standard, and the balance either under construction or designated for improvement with funds now being raised, the OST links the' important military posts and aviation fields of the Southland from Jacksonville, Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans, Lake Charles, Beaumont, Houston and Galveston, San Antonio, Leon Springs, Camp Bullis, Fort Stockton, El Paso, Douglas, Tucson, Yuma and San Diego, and with its tributaries and side trips links the early history of pioneer days of the entire Southland.
Rare scenes of beauty along coast, plain, field, stream and mountain, rich in the sacred history of early conquest with the French, Spanish and Indian, the Old Spanish Trail links the plav-grounds of the South from coast to coast.
Annual Convention OST
The OST convention in the Davis Mountains, July 6, 7 and 8th was an unqualified success from any angle you choose to view it. The only thing that could happen to cut down attendance at this meeting did happen— it rained the night before the caravan left San Antonio and a large part of the cars which had left Houston and eastward were tied up before reaching San Antonio.
Even after leaving San Antonio the party encountered heavy rain the entire distance to Kcrrville. The road near Kerr county line where construction work is in progress was very soft but this road was negotiated without serious trouble. Another short stretch of bad roads encountered near Ozona, which gave little trouble, proved the extent of the hardships of the entire trip.
The schedule and program as sent out before the motor camping party started was followed to the letter,
July L5th, 1922
No. 3
with very little variation as to arriving and leaving time, Mr. D. E. Colp, Western manager of the OST deserves great credit for the time allowance and the splendid programs enroutc and at the convention.
The unrivalled scenery along the OST from San Antonio to the convention site in Limpia canyon added pleasure to the trip thoroughly enjoyed by each and every member of the parly. No other place can offer anything to excel the majestic grandeur of the country along the OST westward from San Antonio.
Few persons of the Davis mountains section realize the scenic grandeur and sheer beauty of their section They arc just awaking to this fact. As the condition of the OST is being bettered a stream of tourists and motor vacationists arc flowing into their mountains in quest of the beauties of nature and a place to spend a vacation where quiet and peace reign supreme and the pure mountain air brings roses to faded cheeks and jaded nerves.
W. W. Stewart of Balmorhca deserves great credit for his broad visioning of a National park in his beloved mountains and his vision is being' caught up by others and has already spread across the State.
The OST convention appointed a special park committee from its membership to cooperate with the Davis mountains committee headed, by Representative Stewart in plans for Legislative action in the purchase and designation by the State of the 240,000 acres in Limpia and Madera canyons for a park site that will be tendered to the Federal Government for a National park and game preserve.
The special OST park committee is composed of J. C. Baumgarten of Schulenburg; George Herder, Mayor of Weimar; Harry I’. Cohen, Houston, president of the Motor League of South Texas; Mrs. Frank Fogleson of San Antonio, and Mrs. J. C. McDonald of Sonora.
iv.•'augiiiuii, uaveuug usn, game ana oyster commissioner of Texas, who was a member of (he party was enthusiastic over the National park idea of the convention and made a preliminary cursory survey of the park site as a fish and game preserve.
The convention extended an invitation to Henry
0	Malley, Federal commissioner	of	the Bureau	of
Fisheries at Washington to visit the park site as guest of the OST and the park committee, and it is probable he will accept the invitation during the early Fall when he expects to make a trip South in the interest of his department.	*
Among the good roads and park enthusiasts who addressed the meetings enroute and at the convention were: Judge William Pierson of the Texas Supreme tourt; Dr. J. O. Hardy, president of Baylor College; l.oii A. Smith, state comptroller,	and	president	of	the
Jefferson Davis highway; Judge	Adrian Pool	of	El
1	aso; D h Colp, manager of the. western department
the OS F:	J.	C. Baumgarten, OST counsellor
Schulenburg; Geo. Herder mayor	of	Weimer-	H	F
Cohen, Pres. Motor League of' S. T. and Pres. U s' Motor League of Texas; Mrs. Frank Fogleson, of San Antonio and Mrs. II. F. Cohen of Houston, and many Others Judge W. W. McCrory, Slate highway com-