The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-01-19
GIVES A LIBRARY.
HON. z. G. SIMMONS MAKES A VERY
PRINCELY OFFER.
MEMORIAL TO G.. M. SIMMONS.
Magnificent Building to be Erected in
Central Park and Twenty-Five
Thousand Volumes to Be
Presented.

est benefactOr of KenOsha, for added tC
his magnificent gift of Thursday wher
he presented the county and city
soldiers monument to cost not less
than $4,000, he simultaneously sent a
proposition to President O. M. Calkins
} and the members of the City Council
of Kenosha, offering to build for the
city magnificent library building as a
memorial to his son, Gilbert M. Sim
mons. Mr.. Simmons also adds to this
Gift an offer to furnish to the library a
further gift of twenty five thousand
volumes of books for the completion of
the gift. The plan of Mr.. Simmons is
TO erect the building in Central park
and the completion of bis plans will
require the expenditure of nearly
100000.
The project has long been cher
ished idea of Mr.. Simmons and every
available site in the city has been ex-
amined and it has been decided by Mr..
Simmons that the park is the only
suitable place in which to place the
| building.
The proposition to the City Council
came as a great surprise and when it
was announced this morning it created
unbounded enthusiasm. Mrs. Barnes
was in Chicago, but W. W. Strong,
president of the board of directors Of
the library, was seen and was highly
delighted with the gift of Mr.. Sim
mons. Every one seems to think that
nothing greater could be done for the
city. Mr.. Simmons proposition was
handed to O. M. Calkins, President Of
the City Council, Thursday evening
The following proposition was re-
ceived and read:
To the President and Common Council
of the City of Kenosha:
Gentlemen:-In making the follow
ing proposition to you, and through
you to the citizens of Kenosha, beg
to acknowledge my grateful consider
alton and appreciation of the many
blessings that have come to me and my
family during the long time we have
lived in your midst-a period reaching
beyond half century.
Proposition.
I will construct building OF sufti-
cient size to hold over 10000 volumes;
material to be used, stone, steel and
hard wood, made fire proof.
1t will be my aim to make it beau
tiful building in every way, and to
secure this object no effort will be
spared.
The structure to be placed as near as
may be in the center of the park.
End. / will continue and complete
the curling around the park. I will
make of cement and concrete all the
walks that will be required in the park;
will do all necessary grading; will re-
move and replace all the dead trees
and add thereto all the trees and
shrubbery that may be needed to make
the park fit setting for the building so
that there will be true harmony
throughout. In this building | will
place not less than $4,000 volumes of
we'll selected books. The whole, when
completed, [ make free gift to the
city of Kenosha on the following con
ditions:
First-The library shall be named
the Gilbert M. Simmons library.
SecOnd-The city to accept the same
and agree to levy and collect the one
mill tax provided by law on all taxable
property of the city.
Third-The library to be kept open
not less than six hours every day in the
year.
| Fourth-After paying the necessary
expenses of the librarian and help,
heating and lighting, the remainder Gif
there be any of this one mill tax fund
shall be used for the purchase of aedi-
tional books.
Respectfully submitted.
z. G.. SIMMONS.
Kenosha, Jan. II, 1899.
The condition of Central park
has long been cause of disgrace
to the city and the donor of the mag
nifcent gift will be pleased to put it in
condition to be the most beautiful as
we'll as the most useful place in the
city.
Architects have been working on the
plans for the building for some time and
many cities have been visited and many
buildings inspected, and it is safe to
insure that the building will be one of
finest, if not the finest library building
in Wisconsin. The purchase of %, 900
volumes and the addition of the small
library now in the city will make the
Kenosha library the largest in the
state, with the exception of the State
Historical society at Madison and the
public library at the city of Milwaukee.
1t is most fitting that the Magnificent
gift to the city should he erected as a
memorial to Gilbert M. Simmons, the
oldest son of Mr.. z. G.. Simmons, for no