The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-14
OFFER Of PARK
BY THOMAS REEs
Sets Out Proposal Fully in Letter
TO Chairman of Park Commit
tee and Explains
Position.
WANT TO ACCEPT IT
Efforts Will be Made to Meet condi-
tlons Which viii Make the
Acceptance of GIFT
Possible.

The following letter has been re.
ceived by William Ballinger which
fully explains the nature of Mr.. Rees'
splendid offer 70 the tity of Keokuk
and every effort will be made to meet
conditions which will make the ac-
ceptance Of the generous gift pos
sible:
SPRINGFIELD. Illinois. March s.
Mr.. VIM. Ballinger. Chairman Parks,
Fairgrounds, etc, Keokuk, Iowa. Dear
/ Sir: In answer to your letter of Feb
ruary 19, 1913, l would be willing to
make the following proposition to the
properly constituted authorities of
Keokuk in relation to the old Rees
HON estead.
If the city of Keokuk through its
proper Offices will relinquish all
claims and allow the fractional pub
lie square. which my father donated
to The city of Keokuk some fifty years
j ago and which the city has failed to
4 improve as was required by the dedi,
cation and will get possession either
by purchase or otherwise for park
4 purposes the four lots which appear
/ to belong to the Beplor estate and the
/ strip of ground between the Rees
homestead and out at least to the
brow of the bluff which appears to be
1 the property Of Mr. Taber. would
be willing to donate to the city for
/ park purposes in connection with the
Beplor and Taber property, all the
balance of the block which appears
on the plat as the "Rees homestead"
OF course, I would dedicate it with
the usual conditions that it should be
accepted and used as a public park
and would request that it be known
as the Rees park in memory of my
father and mother, who lived there so
long.
The Rees homestead block referred
/ 20 is bounded on the north by Iowa
street and on the west by California
avenue and appears to be 400 feet by
$50 feet. The Beplor lots, as under
stand are cut out of the southeast
corner 12O feet by 200 feet in all The
old public square which my father do
mated is further back and | think
down in the hollow near the Hilton
place, bounded on the east by Oregon
4 avenue and on the south by Missouri
street 1t appears 10 be 270 feet by
400 feet so that the homestead block
is much larger piece of ground and
in much more desirable location for
park purposes.
AS l presume the city could not
make a conveyance of this property,
but could only agree to court rec
ord being made, relinquishing their
right to the public square. That prop,
erty would then revert to all the heirs
of Vim. Rees, SO that it would be
practically of little or no advantage
to me personally as the value of II
would be divided among number OF
heirs. However, If the city had the
, more desirable homestead block for a
park, the city would then have no use
for the public square which they
should relinquish, as they have fail
: ed to improve 1t.
If this homestead block was open
J ed out with the Taber property to the
brow of the hill it would make mos
excellent small park. The view takes
in the three states of Iowa, Missouri
and Illinois, the four cities, and the
magnificent Mississippi and De!
Moines rivers.
i My father appeared to have beer
} very liberal in laying out this addition
> Having grown up in the congestet
9 quarters of London, he was e1trem
!. in the matter of public grounds, an,
/ in his wide streets and garden spot
! in each block, it appears that h
: decided more to the city than he KEEP
4 for his own profit in laying out tn
e ''Rees" addition.
/ have some sentiment in havin
Y his wishes carried on. providing 70
q a small park in the addition but
would like to have more desirabI
park than the public square which h
donated I thought at one time tina
I would offer to purchase the Beplo
5 and Taber lots and donate all but tn
n high prices now being asked 70
}, property in that neighborhood PR
r cludes this idea. With this start o
+ park in this locality, addition
E might be made to it of he abrur
e hills and hollows adjoining in tina
). locality, which can certainly not be {
d very great commercial value, br
e would be very good for park purpose
C. on account of their rugged, ston
o fronts
In addition to tie size of the HON
stead block stated above, the street
IS on each, side are 90 feet wide whic
II would add practically that much |
W the tract.
Thanking you for your kind int