PIONEER DAYS ON THE TRAIL
San Antonio's Old 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 Clulf of Mexico to the Gulf of California with San Antonio, Texas and Santa Fe, New Mexleo as the northern outposts. After the Mexican War, 1S4G-47. the United Slates 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 1850)
OVEEMND TO THE PACIFIC
The San Antonio and Sen Biego Mail-Line
PASSENGERS TICKETED TO AND FROM SAH ANTONIO AND
Fort Bliss,
El Paso,
Fort Fillmore, La Mesilia,
Tucson, Arizona, Fort Yuma, Sart Diego
• Line leave semi-monthly from each <
the 9th
Fort Clark,
Fort Hudson,
Fort Lancaster,
Fort Davis,
Tbo Coaclies of our I--------------------
and 21th of each month, nt 6 o clock, A. M.
An nrtned escort travels through the Indian country with.each mall trnln, for the protection of the malls nnd passengers..
Passengers are provided with provisions during the. trip except where the Coach 8top3 nt Public Houses along tho JLlno, nt which each Passenger will pay for hl3 own meal.
Each Passenger Is allowed thirty pounds of personal baggage, exclusive of blankets and nrms.
Tsssengers coming to Snn Antonio can toko tho lino of mnll steamers from New Orleans twice a week to Indlamda, from the latter place tbero Is. a dally line of four horse mall coaches direct to tbls place.
On the Pacific side tho California Steam Navigation Company nro running a first class steamer, semi-monthly, to nnd from San Francisco and San Diego
FARE OK THIS LINE AS FOLLOWS, INCLUDING RATIO'S
San Antonio to San Diego, 5200	San Antonio to El Tnso. ?100
“	“ Tucson,	150	Intermediate stations 15c per mllo
Extra baggage, when carried, 40 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	apply	nt	tho
office of the Company In this city, or address I. C. WOODS. Superintend dent of tlio line, caro of American Coal Company, 50 Exchange Place* .New York.
G. H. GIDDINGS R. E. DOYLE,
Proprietors,
THIS LINE which has been in successful operation since July, 1857, ia ticketing PASSENGERS, through to San Diego, and also to all Intermediate stations. Passengers and E:#/ress matter forwarded In NEW COACHES drawn by six mules over the entire length of our Line, excepting the-Colorado Desert, of ICO miles, which we cross on mule back. Passengers gunr-nntred la their tickets to ride in Conches, excepting the 100 miles, above Stated.
Dxecrvrcoc Tirmrn to ivn ronu ciu antomio tun