Newman, NM Golden State Limited Station - Photo?

[HistoryBuff]

Good morning all: This is my first post. I have a great interest in railroads during the Mexican revolutionary time period.

My question is this - We know that on June 27, 1915 former Mexican President Victoriano Huerta was riding the Golden State Limited from Kansas City to El Paso, TX to meet up there with his generals and supporters to put into place a rebellion that would lead to him becoming the president of Mexico again. He was to meet his famous general, Pablo Orozco to formally enter Mexico on the 28th to begin the rebellion.

Because of the presence of US agents in El Paso, they decided that Orozco would meet the train at the tiny Newman, NM station, just 20 miles north of El Paso in the middle of nowhere. It was scheduled to stop at 5:45am. As a station, according to a schedule I found it offered both telegraph and ticket services. It also must have had a telephone. Huerta and Orozco arrived on time with a car to transport the former president. They did not expect soldiers and agents from El Paso and Fort Bliss as well to meet them! Both men were arrested and put in custody at Fort Bliss. Much else happened, but that isn't relevant to my questions.

Newman, NM had, at the most 50 residents, mostly ranchers. It appears the station was also used as the local post office. Was that common back in 1915? Also does anyone have any ideas about how I might find a photo of the station to include in an article I am writing? I spent hours this weekend searching online, but found no photos. The agents "captured" Huerta in his "pullman coach." Does this indicate he had a private coach, or was it some kind of first class arrangement? There is much more of great interest (to me at least) about this place and train, but I won't bore you all any more than I already have, especially considering this is my first post. Thanks so much for any help or ideas you might have. My best wishes to all. 

[Flintlock76]

aboard!

I can confirm that yes, it wasn't unusual at all for small-town railroad stations to do double-duty as post offices.  In fact, as late as 1958 the Susquehanna RR built a station in Oakland NJ that did just that. 

Unfortunately I can't help you with much more.  Maybe the fans of Southwestern railroading out there can chime in.

I just thought of something.  The Newman station was on the Santa Fe, wasn't it? Maybe the Santa Fe Historical Society can help you on this.  Here's the 'site.

https://sfrhms.org/

Good luck!

[Erik_Mag]

Wayne, a bit of a correction...

In 1915, Newman, NM would have been on the El Paso and Northeastern, which was a subsidiary of the El Paso and Southwestern (EP&SW). The EP&SW and EP&NE were bought by the Espee in 1924.

[rcdrye]

The agent functioned as the ticket agent, freight agent, express agent, telegraph office (railroad and probably Western Union), and apparently postmaster.  The real reason he was there was to issue train orders and verify the passage of trains. The agent got a fee for express and non-railroad telegrams, and a separate paycheck as postmaster - the railroad got rent from the Post Office as well.  The regular agent may also have had an apartment in the station.

An EP&SW wooden depot in Columbus AZ is still around as a museum.

[Flintlock76]

Erik_Mag

Wayne, a bit of a correction...

Thanks Erik!  I'm not an expert on the Southwest and it's railroads, by any means.

Maybe HistoryBuff will have better luck here?

https://sphts.org/