Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-03-15
IN OUR
VALLEY
WE WELCOME progress and all that
w n peans Rut down deem in our

NjE r. WELCOME progress and all that
w it means. But, down deep in our
hearts, we watch the passing Of the old
with "A pang Of regret. 1t is human.
Witness the old Rio Grande railroad
In the yards at Brownsville, discarded
without cover from the weather, stands
"Jose Ayala,~ the faithful old wood
burning engine that for so many years
hauled the railroads freight and pass
engers between Brownsville and Point
Isabel.
Jose Ayalar is useless, except as
junk, but some have suggested that the
old engine should be furnished up, re-
moved TO some prominent place and pro-
tecteJ from the weather to become a
monument TO the old Certainly is
would be an always interesting sight.
Jose Ayala' was retired seven years
ago, when his boiler tubes were Of no
longer use, and was replaced by inn
provised cars equipped with automobile
engines. His successor. mogul of to-
day. stands under fine shed, ready
to begin work.
Scattered along the Rio Grande be-
tween Brownsville and Point Isabel are
also these now useless eontrivanecs for
they, too, have been given way TO prog
ress. Thursday afternoon they hoped
along the mcdium-gauged track, on
their usual dali task. Friday they were
SET aside on little medium -gauged sid
ings. Saturday--there they remained.
Their work is done.
A naughty gasolinc-prope motor
car Saturday passed them by with
hardly glance. Passengers, facetious-
~ perhaps sacrelgiously, but pardon
ahlo under the circumstances, lifted
their hats as the motor car sped by
We said the OLD Rio Grandc railway
haa been discarded. Not entirely. In
little blacksmith shop in the yards
prcsides the human Jose Ayala, veteran
cmiploye of the Rio Grande railroad, and
f. whom the old engine was named.
Mr. Ayala has been connected with the
Rio Grande for a. years, most df that
time az master mechanic. He still holds
th'' position.
Mr.. Ayala has had the reputation of
being genius in the matter Of dong
things to old engires without the equip
mcnt with which to do them. He it
was who kept "Jose Ayala" running
wh"r by all the rules Of railroad opera
tion the engine should have long before
been consigned to the junk heap.
Out in the Rio Grande railroad yarls
Ss'urIa lay morning stood Miss Julia
O'Brien, secretary of the Rio Grande
A motor car--the first on the standard
lied schedule-was to leave at 9:15.
I've got a payroll to make out this
afternoon before the close Of banking
horrs, for $50 men," said Miss O'Brien.
"But I'm ging TO ride over this rail
road in the first train. And ] can't
wait at P'nt Isabel until the regular
train gets back. They'll have to get me
back. somehow" OF course they got
'fv- Rrien hack. And she stood all
the way on the back platform 70 listen
20 the clicking as the wheels passed over
the rail joints.
J. W. Griffin, who has been worrying
allen with old automobile engines on
tho RIO Grnnde for years as the throttle
pusher. thinks it's mighty nice to have
something brand new to run. And r. r.
McGovern, conductor, continues to keep
his eyes on the track ahead. The bane
of his existence is the calves. burros and
other animals that persist N getting on
the track and blocking traffic.
ff
Tho straneest sight IL at Point Isabel
how"ver. One misses the old railroad
station. particularly tho barrel that al
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