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From hobos to leaders
Yes, they were called hobos (“End of the line” – Aug. 21), but some of these young men were not destitute. The two that I am speaking about had just left the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camps. They had a little money in their pockets, but it was cheaper to “ride the rails” than to buy a ticket on the train.
James E. Chase and Elmo Dalbert were looking for work and adventure. They wound up in Spokane and liked what they saw. They found odd jobs, and later opened the Chase & Dalbert Auto and Body Shop on Indiana Avenue.
They became respected businessmen in the community. One of them, Mr. Chase, became the first black mayor of Spokane in 1981.
One of the reasons that I admired these men was that they never hid the fact that they arrived in Spokane by riding the rails.
They were an asset, not only to the black community, but to the community as a whole.
Jerrelene Williamson
President, Spokane Northwest Black Pioneers
Spokane Valley