El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-07
E PASO ENGINE
DRIVER IS OUT.
Had Two Sons and Son-In-
Law In Army Besides
Self; 50 Years Young.

san Antonio. Texas. April ITO
have been a railroad man in Central
and South America. as well as in
Mexico was not enough for a man So
years young, and so it is that Corp
Jack Reese. a well known engineer,
is awaiting discharge from the army
at Camp Travis after six months Of
service in France.
Corp. Reese. who is a member Of the
Brotherhood Of Railroad Engineers at
Portland, ore. was the first member
Of his division Of the brotherhood to
enlist-as wei as holding the record
for being the oldest
In May. 1918, after the United
States had got into the war and there
was a cry for railroad men for service
overseas Reese. who was at Ell Paso,
at that time, couldn't resist the call
He walked boldly up TO a recruiting
office in The Herald building and de-
manded to enlist He was an engineer
on the FL PasO & Southwest rail-
road then and when he gave his age
as "39" the recruiting officials
snapped him Up. He was sent at
once TO Fort Bliss and five DAYS later
went to Camp Laurel, Nd Here for
five weeks he learned squads east
and squads west"
Runs Train in France.
On June 80 he was on shipboard.
sailing on the transport Mongolia On
arriving overseas. the French put him
through an examination as to his
ability as an engineer. which he
passed. After that time he says he
ran everything in the engine line
French, Belgian OF British-until the
American locomotives began to arrive. /
While overseas, Reese was attached I.
20 the 66th engineers, and with that
regiment he saw service in many parts z
Of France.
@Once or twice" he says" when 7
was running those trains the dough- I
boys got into action, and it was all 4
could do TO keep from leaving
the engine and getting in with them
I was Just as fit TO get into II as /
they were. and 1 sure wanted to take I
just one smash at the Germans as .
those doughboys were doing
Drew Diaz's Trim
Reese had other experiences, too. +
before he got into this war, for he was
employed from August L 1900, to
April Il. 1912, on the Mexican Central
Chihuahua division While
employed on this division, he was en-
gineer on the special train which
hauled president PorfIrfo Diaz, from
sion Of the presidents meeting with
William Il. Taft incl Paso. In this con-
nection he has in his possession a let
ter signed by D. F. Butcher, who was
Of the Mexican road,
expressing the gratitude Of the divi-
sion chiefs for the way in which the
rain was handled.
Family Well Represented.
However, Reese wasn't the only
member Of his family to get into the
army, for he had two sons and SON
nlaw in the service One OF these,
]. 3. Reese. was with the 35th engi-
1eers in France The second, Walter
Reese, served in the motor transport
sorps. and who IS now running an en-
zine on the Southern Pacific from
Tucson. Ariz- Sergeant Isaac White.
Reese's soninlaw, is now with the
18th infantry. with the Army OF Oc-
supation He was a member OF the
Machine gun company.
Reese is to be discharged soon, and
viii spend some time with his wife at
he home OF her mother, YRS. Tom
5rown, r T. D. No. J. Fort Worth.
Texas. after which he says he VIII 90
1acz to Ell Paso to his old Job rail-
'oadirE-