Advancement of Pella from 1907-1922

Pella Booster, July 24, 1909:

A LETTER WITH THE RIGHT SPIRIT

The following letter is from a former citizen who owns about as much taxable
real estate in Pella today as any man in the city, and he shows the right spirit
in our efforts to make Pella something.

London, England, July 8, 1909.

Hon N. J. Gesman, Mayor--My Dear Nick: Nothing has pleased me so much since you
carried the election in favor of the new railroad as the news of the result of
your late election in favor of municipal water works and electric light plant. I
also appreciate very much the determination with which you and the Council have
inaugurated the new administration to bring about the much needed reforms and so
make our good Pella a healthy, clean and go-ahead city, second to none for its
size in the State.

I saw the forerunner of this in the election results for the railroad which I
had hoped to be in operation long ere now but for trickery of some kind. What
showed me the true spirit of progress though was the way the younger men took
hold of the matter in advocating municipal ownership of water works and electric
light plant, the thing so much needed, for no city can boast as modern without
these commodities or manufacturers.

As in the fight for the railroad I have eagerly watched from week to week the
progress you were making and the determination with which you worked to achieve
the desired result, and noted also how at the last moment Mr. Swisher of
Waterloo came over to make the crowning speech in favor of the proposition. We
have just returned from celebrating the glorious Fourth at the reception yearly
given to residents and visiting Americans by our good Ambassador and Mrs.
Whitelaw Reid at Dorchester House, Park Lane, and I could not hardly wait until
9 o'clock, the time we usually receive the Pella papers, for I knew they would
give the result.

First my eye fell upon was the Booster's front page in red type; this was enough
for me and I felt like going out of doors and shouting "Rah!" but for fear I
might be misconstrued by our good neighbors, I desisted, but can assure you that
it made me feel good, and then I never stopped until I had finished reading what
all three papers had to say on the result. Though a little late, I extend to
you and the Pella citizens generally my hearty congratulations on this glorious
result and success achieved.

May you and your co-workers, encouraged by this vote of approval, not rest now
until you have both plants in working order, and then follow it up with the equally 
needed sewerage, for without plenty of water and good sewerage you cannot
have a healthy city. Then when through tearing up the streets putting in water
mains and sewers, gradually follow up the improvements by starting the much
talked-of paving around the square and to the old Wheeler & Welle livery barn
and down Main street to the new railroad station. By that time I hope and trust
that the new railroad will be in full working order and that a new era will dawn
upon mother Pella.

I greatly admire the way the good women of Pella took hold of the matter and no
doubt greatly attributed to the success and I give three hearty cheers to good
old Mother Faassen in coming out to vote, no doubt the first time in her life.
May she live to see these works completed and enjoy the benefit of them. When
through with these improvements let me call your attention to one matter, of
which I have been thinking of a great deal, and that is of a debt of gratitude we