South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-13
u. S. RECOGNITION
GIVEN TO SPANISH
TRAIL TO COAST
'Trunkline Highway Between
Pensacola and San Diego
1000 Miles Long.

f-OVp hllits Long.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 12-CBy l.
" sJ-The old Spanish Trall-a
trunk're highway between Pensa-
cola. Fla. and san Diego. Calf
has been given Official recognition
hy the war department a. essential
20 the plans for the national defense.
The highway Will Doe 3 900 miles long
and viii cost 500. 900 600. the ied-
eral government and the states shar-
Ing in the expense Of construction.
Conceived 10 Mobile. Ala. in 1915.
the old Spanish Trail presents the
greatest array OF serious construction
problems OF any national highway ln
the United States. So formidable
have these problems been that build
ing activity has only cropped out in
w.deiy-scparated sections and unity
o. Interest was lacking
IN 1919 San Antonio. Texas. was
AID 20 assume leadership in efforts
70 weld the project into a national
and unbroken highway.
Prior 10 the designating Of the
n rhway az essential By the war
department a number Of senators
and congressman representing SOU
thern states joined in declaration
with respect 20 the development OF
The Spanish Trail
Declared Essential.
This highway they declared. "is
Irne Of the basic trunklines of the
y nited States system. and anything
shat can be done 90 hasten rs COM
Jletlon will Doe a service OF national
importance IT. has been adopted by
the states as a primary highway in
the federal system for all its mile
p ge except possibly a hundred miles
svili subject TO decision.
The old Spanish Trail connects
the winter playground sections pop
ular with the American people from
81 Augustine through Jacksonville
Tallahassee. Pensacola. Mobile. the
Mississippi. Gulf Coast New Orleans
New iberia. Lake Charles. Houston,
Galveston. san Antonio, FL Paso.
Tucson. Phoenix and Yuma 10 San
Diego and Los Angeles and. through
Texas. IL include old Mexico. Be
cause Of it's winter sunshine It's gulf
pleasures in summer and it's back
ground OF ancient and romantic his
tory its development Will make It'll
the natural resort of the North
American people. When the numerA
Gus highways from the north. now
building, are completed this southern
truukl.ne must absorb and care for
The mass Of travel that viii seek
these southern borderlands.
VIII Aid Nation.
In the public interest and for
the sake OF the all-the-year service
this highway viii render 10 the tray
eIers OF the nation. and for its value
10 the military arms OF the govern
ment. general cooperation and effort
are urged 20 complete it from sea 10
sea in type and character equal toI
the service il viii be called upon to
render"
The war department statement,
approving the Old Spanish Trail sys-
tenn. was issued by j. VI. wainwright,
tho assistant secretary Of war as
follows.
The highway from Pensacola |
through Mobile 10 New Orleans is
considered 10y the war department OF /
first importance. and its early com
nletion. I'm accordance with federal
standards including necessary bridges
is urged i'm the interest of the ma
tionaI defense. a standard federal
highway between Pensacola and I
Jacksonville is also considered inn 4
portant
In Texas tho following trunk |
highways arc considered essential 7
from the standpoint or military OPP /
cra,ions along the border. San An I
tonic 20 the Lower Rio Gr3nde VAL I
Iev. san Antonio 90 Laredo, san An 4
tonic 10 Del Rio. with branch road /
10 Eagle Pass; along the Rio Grande 1
from Brownsville 90 Del Rio. thence I
westerly TO Maria and FL Paso. with I
connections southwark from Maria /
to Rio Grande points. also from san .
Antonio 20 Corpus Christi Standard .
federal highways from san Antonio [
10 Houston Galveston and Orange (
are also regarded as important.
Standard Highway Important.
"A standard highway running /
along the Mexico border through
New Mexico Arizona and California /
is also rated OF frst importance by
The war department.
Considered as a whole the pro- I
posed transcontnental trunk high,
way from Jacksonville TO san Diego. I
with its connections 10 border points, .
is an essential element i'm the plans .
being formulated by the war depart
ment for national defense and should I
he completed without delay. accord
0s 20 the best federal standards for
road construction
The war department statement,
according 20 Harral r. Ayres. man
aging director q the Old Spanish
Trail. ts a elimination Of general
and unanimous agreement among
national leaders of the necessity of
invoking all forces now 20 promptly
carry on construction and 20 con-
form all plans TO the important char