Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-23
THE BOOSTING OF A CITY
a Letter. In Response Al, Inquiry Telling What
the Commercial Club of Another City is Doing.

was done by means of cross strings Of
sixteen candle power incandescents
hung across the street. Two strings Of
ten lights each to a block. These add
much to the attractiveness of the city
at night
Our city had, during the past year,
the usual street railway fight, and this,
thru the good offices of the club, was
successfully arbitrated.
A series of open monthly meetings
has afforded forum for the free and
open discussion of needed city reforms,
and many of these reforms the club
has been able to see carried thru Thus
they have shaped the city government.
in fact the present city government is
composed almost entirely of men picked
from our directors, whose nomination
and election the club was largely in
strumental in securing. This was done
without regard to the politics of the
men, but was based solely upon their
business ability.
The jobbers and shippers of our city
had considerable trouble with the
freight service on one of our chief rail-
roads. The club accordingly took this
matter up, gathered data upon the sub
ject, and then invited the officials of
the road to meet the club for friend
ly talk. This the officials gladly did,
and the result was almost an immedi-
ate Improvement of the service and at
the same time the establishment of a
most friendly relation with this partic-
ular road.
That the club has been impartial
in its aid to any institution looking for
the bettewnent of this city might
mention that equal assistance and en-
thusasm was given to boosting both a
Y. NJ. C. A. building and packing
house. The building campaign for the
former was started at a banquet of the
club. In the case of the latter the club
took it upon itself to construct nearly
mile of a highway leading from the
city to the plant. Besides the club
assisted in the actual raising of the
building fund and stock subscriptions
necessary for these two buildings.
The club has helped to establish
friendly trade relation with neighbor-
: ing cities thru the entertainment OF
trade excursions from Omaha, Cedar
Rapids. and Des Moines. The club has
always been ready to back with its
influence any measure looking to the
! betterment of the state and the coun-
try at large. Our theory has always
been that while our town is the best
town in existence yet there are at the
same time a number of other gooc
towns in which there live people worth
knowing and from whom, thru contact
our own city can get many new ant
good ideas. Patriotism and jealous.
are not synonymous terms.
Of course the club has secured {
number OF new industries for our city
That, while one of the objects of {
comm ercial club, do not believe to b,
either the sole or the only one. In ad.
dition the club man has distributed {
considerable amount of literature con
corning the city and other advertising
i feel that our club has had, during
/ the past year, a most successful year
in fact the most successful in It's tel
years existence. This success has beer
i due as much to the spirit of the mel
who have shaped the policies of tn,
year as to the ability of the men them
\ selves. There has been a lack Of petit.
jealousy and all have been co-worker
and boosters. If there has been a faul
4 in our system it has been due to tn
i fact that we have been little to-
conservative. Whether that has beel
a real fault, time alone will tell.
\ Sincerely yours,
4 H. M. PRATT,
Secretary TT. Dodge Commercial Club