PIONEER DAYS ON THE TRAIL
San Antonio's Ohl Time Importance
Trails from early times have existed between San Antonio and San Diego. San Antonio was the meeting place and clearing house for the North and East and Mexico and California. The San Fernando Cathedral plaza at San Antonio was the terminal and changing point for all the trails. The Old Spanish Trail monument now stands by the Cathedral.
In 1772 the King of Spain ordered a chain of missions and presidios from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of California with San Antonio. Texas and Santa Fe, New Mexico as the northern outposts. After the Mexican War, 1S10-17, the United States established a chain of forts as indicated in the old advertisement below. Then came the perilous overland journeys—the little courageous groups, the mule pack-trains, later the freighters with their strings of mules and groaning wagons, then the fast stagecoach, then the railroad and now the motor highway.
(Reproduced by Old Spanish Trail from Texas Almanac of 1859)
OVEKLAHD TO THE PACIFIC
The San Antonio	SanBieg’o Hail-line
THIS LINE which has been in successful operation since July, 1857, !9 ticketing PASSENGERS, through to San Diego, and also to nil Intermediate stations. Passengers nnd Egress matter forwarded In NEW COACHES
• Lino, excepting the-Colo-rnuo ueserr. or jvv innea, which wo cross on mule back. Passengers guaranteed la their tickets to ride In Coaches, excepting the 100 miles, above Stated.
PASSENGERS TICKETED TO AND FROM SAN ANTONIO AND Fort Clark,	Fort Bliss,	Tucson,
Fort Hudson,	El Paso,	Arizona,
Fort Lancaster,	Fort Fillmore,	Fort Yuma,
Fort Davis,	La Mesilla,	San Diego
The Coaches of our Lino leave semi-monthly from each end, on the 9th and 21th of each month, at G o’clock, A. M.
An armed escort travels through the Indian country with.each mall train, for the protection of the mails and passengers..
Passengers are provided with provisions during the. trip except where the Coach stops nt Public Houses along the Lino, at which each Passenger will pay for his own meal.
Each Pnsserger Is allowed thirty pounds of personal baggage, exclusive cf blankets and arras.	.	»	,	. ,
Pas-engcrs coming to San Antonio can take the line of mall steamers from New Orleans twice n week to Indlannla. from the latter place there la n dally line of four horse mall coaches direct to this place.
On the Pacific side the California Steam Navigation Company are running a first class steamer, semi-monthly, to and from San Francisco and Han Diego
FARE OH THIS LINE AS FOLLOWS, INCLUDING RATIOVS
San Antonio to San Diego, §200	San Antonio to El Paso. §100
«»	“ Tucson,	ICO	Intermediate stations 15c per mllo
Extra baggage, when carried, -10 cents per pound to El Paso, and §1 per pound to San Diego.
Passengers can obtain all necessary outfits In San Antonio.
For further Information, nnd for the purchase of Hike's. apply nt tho office of tlie Company In this city, or address I. C. WOODS. Superintendent of the line, care of American Coal Company, 50 Exchange Place, Nov York.
G. H. GXDDINGS R. E. DOYLE,
Proprietors,