San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-09
Aged Trail Blazers Open
Annual Convention
on Arrival.

Old Trail Drivers entered upon the
second day of their convention Friday
after blazing another great trail
through San Antonio streets in an
impressive parade Thursday after
noon. The parade was followed by a
grand ball in the Gunter Hotel ball
room Thursday night.
Called TO order by George w. Saun-
ders, president of the Old Trail Driv-
ers' Association, the morning session
Friday was devoted to addresses.
Stuart -Pearco- gave tho
invocation, which was followed by IN
address by Congressman Claude L..
Hudspeth of Ell Paso.
The reading of The Cowboy" by
Mrs. s. Henry, preceded an address by
Colonel w. NJ. Atkinson of Gonzales.
Mrs. II. r. Russell, president of the
Woman's Auxiliary of the association,
also spoke.
The concluding speaker of the morn
ing was Gutzon Borglum, sculptor,
who is here to erect a memorial TO
the Old Trail Drivers as soon as $780,
coo is raised.
Colonel Ike T. Pryor of San An.
tonic. and Colonel Charles Goodnight
of Goodnight, were the first speakers
on the afternoon program.
Mrs. Elizabeth Carter gave two
readings, THE Chisholm Trail and
Jim Split the Beans"
PARADE MILE LONG.
President Saunders annual address
and short talk by Nat NJ. Washer
of San Antonio, were the concluding
features of the afternoon program.
A mile in length. the mounted pa
rade started at Haymarlet Plaza at 4
p. m. Thursday and continued east on
Commerce street. north on Alamo
Plaza to Houston and thence west 10
Santa Rosa avenue and back to the
starting point.
Ambushed by hundreds of San An
tonians and friends, the aged members
of the association, with their children
and grandchildren. rode frisky steeds
with great case along the paved thor
oughfares.
Whenever one of the mounts would
shy the aged rider brought his steed
in hand-just as he did more than a
half century ago when he rode through
the Texas wilderness making history.
HEAD PROCESSION.
The parade was headed by a corps
of motorcycle officers, closely follow
ed by Hiram Craig and Thnd Reese.
The two galloped into the Alamo City
from opposite sections of the state,
opening the convention Thursday
morning. One came from Galveston
and the other from Dallas.
The parade came in sections, each
depicting Il period or n feature Of the
hardy life in Texas when the trail
drivers first took up the march to the
Lone Star State half century ago.
A dilapidated wagon. filled with odd
pieces of furniture, bedding. cooking
utensils, chickens, guns and food, with
a donkey and hound trailing along
behind, showed how n family appeared
moving to Texas in 1850.
A man and woman and several rag
ged children were the occupants of the
canvas covered vehicle.
Sections were given to rangers. ex-
rangers and sheriffs and ex-sheriffs
and Albert Sidney Johnson Camp of
the Confederate Veterans.
Old Trail Drivers before 1870 pa
rRded in automobiles as did drivers
after this period.
They were followed by the woman's
auxiliary and the wives and daughters
of the trail blazers.
A cowboy poker game was incor-
porated on a large horse-drawn float
and drew hearty applause.
Mexican yasqueros, the United
States Cavalry and a number of full
blooded Indians also were in the line
Of march.
Modern women on horseback
brought up in the rear.
Another ball will be held at the
Gunter Hotel Friday night. The
final session will begin at o a. m.
Saturday.
Election Of officers and directors
will be held at this meeting. which
will close with memorial services.