G. A. STOUT, THE PUBLISHER

Mr. Stout is not a native son, but since coming to Pella he has been so closely
identified with every important movement and project that had to do with the
modernizing and upbuilding of the city that the community has adopted George
into full and complete membership in the family circle.

Real, one hundred per cent boosters are born, not made; and we do not hesitate
to place G. A. at the head of the list of those who for thirty years have
boosted, worked and sacrificed in order to make Pella what she is today— a
clean, beautiful, modern city of homes, where each succeeding year the citizens
take an increasing pride in making their town a desirable place to live.

Mr. Stout started in the newspaper business in 1892, when he commenced to
publish the Advertiser. He sold this publication in 1893, to A. P. Heald, who
conducted the paper for two years. In 1904 G. A. engaged in the job printing
business, and in the same year purchased the Weekblad and the Pella Blade,
consolidating the latter with the Chronicle, which he had launched at about the
same time. In 1905 he sold the Chronicle to Rev. R. R. Sadler. In the winter of
1907 he started the Booster Press and has steadily built up this paper o. a.
stoi' t until it has the largest circulation of any in Marion county. During the
years of his residence here he has been the direct cause of initiating some of
the most important improvements made in the city. He inaugurated the campaign
for replacing the old board walks with modern and permanent cement walks. There
was considerable opposition at first, but no one will now q uestion that G. A.
had the right idea.

He carried on an extensive propaganda in favor of paving, municipal water and
light, and was one of the leaders in the work of securing the location here of
the canning factory. In fact there has been no proposition for the betterment of
the community that he has not enthusiastically supported.

He not only conceived the project of publishing this book, but he was probably
the only citizen in Pella possessed of the courage and initiative to finance a
proposition that req uired a considerable outlay of capital and involved an
immense amount of labor. In this he was not actuated by a desire for financial
gain, but rather to show his appreciation of the many years of residence here,
during which he has come to look upon Pella as his permanent home, and her
citizens as his personal friends.

While the brief time which it was possible to give to the work of compiling the
history did not permit of any attempt at literary excellence, yet we feel that
when it is in the hands of those who love Pella and take a pride in her worthy
past, the judgment will be that this is the crowning work of all the many things
that Editor Stout has accomplished for her. The Historian.

There were many photographs of former Pella citizens that were brought to us too
late to secure any definite data of the lives of the subjects. Some of these
were of men and women who filled an important place in the life of our
community. While it was impossible to give exact facts in these cases, we have
given a general account of their activities during the years they lived in Pella
or vicinity.