Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-06-11

Two items of Importance that really
went with the i.io Grandc railroad when
IL was bought IN Mayor n. Albert
Browne and associates. and YET were
not shown in the Inventory turned over
t0 The purchasers. were Jose .Ntala ana
Sidney I.ouSsctt. Both are still with
the line. aud both are scratching heads
that have hcronic gray im The service of
the old rio Grandc, Wondering what AZ
10 become Of this old line that j. soon
10 ~ to the junk pile, and what viii hap
pen a. them when il does.
For III il be- known that Senior lose
Ayaia. or Item w. /. has been with the
Rio Grandc for almost thirty six years.
and for 4 good portion Of that time il
j. said ~ men who know the fact that
the Rio Grandc railroad maintains its
franchise under the laws of Texas bc
cause Jose Ayala can 10 more with fcw-
or tools than perhaps any man ia Texas.
AZ least, he can do more with less than.
any man that has had anything ~ 10
with the Rio Grandc ia these recent
years.
Jose Ayala is the man who pulls the
throttle of the Rio Grandc engine that
bears his name. a name given the engine
in honor of Senior Jose ANala. Whel he
pulls out uf The railroad station that
j. almost ancient history lose .irala
usually gets 10 his destination, which j.
l'oint Isabel and just ~ far west ~ the
track permits, without going clear out
on the wharf THU perhaps is just a.
badly ancient history aS the Brownsville
depot ~ the Rio Grandc.
Whether Jose always arrived at Point
iSabsi or ia Brownsville on time j. a
question that thousands who have made
the trip can decide for themselves. SOME
Of those thousands perhaps occasionally
have had To cot il for one or more
miles Into Brownsville ~ ID Point ISa-
bel. but il was not because Don lose did
NOT 10 his ~durndest." lie was always
on the job. early and late. and with a
hammer and a crowbar hc would knock
his namcSake into service shape. where
as an expert machiniSt from the Kings
willie shops could not have gotten along
without 4 lathe. a furnace. hammers and
fancy tools Of numerous designs and
patents.
Two years ago former President
Winchcll IL the Frisco. Mrs. WinchclI.
their daughter and son went 10 Point
isabel. Ayala hciHg M the throttle. The
trip to the coast town was made with
ont a mishap, but troubles began ON the
return trip. Several miles this side Of
Point Isabel the Jose Ayala'' came to
a dead stop. The passengers. President
Winchcil and his family. inpatient at
the delay. finally stepped out ~ the
train aud began IN Investigation
Going to the engine they found Chief
Engineer Ayala hard AT work. making
fast a l0o>encd driver with Il rope.
That was all Ayala needed. just a rope
to get the special IF the president of the
biz Frisco pack TO Brownsville.
The passengers looked on in amaze
mcnt as Ayala went on with his work.
and in a short time Rio Grande train
No. : began moving ia the direction III
Brownsville.
Most interested Of all in this method
~ repair was Miss Winchell. who Sug
gcStcd ~ her father that the chief me-
chaMic Of the Rio Grande railroad was
certainly deserving of "A pension. if such
4 thing was in operation on the Frisco
railroad.
Done Jose is not only chief engineer
Of the old Rio Grande. but he j. also
shop superintendent. master mechanic.
and all titles. Individually and collec-
lively. that 20 with any railroad. lie
n I'll. all IN all. and everything else that
can not be Thought ~ that may w. ncccS.
Sary IN the effective and continuous Oh
GRAFTON # 4 railroad that has seen better
days. and j. now ready 10 hc generally
superseded
Perhaps even now Don lose j. prcpar.
ing 10 shed tears fer his namrsnkc. for
hr realizes that engine jose Aylia'S-
DAYS are numbered. lie has felt il now
for several wears. hut the fact was not
brought ~ close M home until the An
confinement ~ the sale ~ che Old lime
was made q few dasS aga. non Hose
knows almost ~ name every rruS~ H.
and every rail Nv thu tarntytwo miles IN
little forty five pund steel. and II will
bc a sad day for him when progress has
donc away with II. Iii IN bit.
Not - gray. but with almost the same
time record a. Jose Ayala. Sidney Isoms-
set. Item No. =. = no less a remarkable
part ~ the Rio Grandc railway. Sidney
H0ussctt besides being the man who
shouts ~ail aboard ON the lilo Grande, is
likewise depot agent IN Point Isabel Ii
i almost certain that no other man in
- - Ill L. II