Report of the Library Trustees
To the citizens of Winthrop, through the local press, as well as in the annual report to the town, the Library trustees have advised the people of Winthrop of the generous offer toward the cost of a library building, made to the trustees in the following letter:
Dear Sirs:
In memory of my husband, Morrill Frost, I wish to make the following offer:
It is my desire that a free public library be erected in the Town of Winthrop. How much a building suitable for this purpose will cost, I am unable to tell, but I make this pledge, namely,
I will contribute the sum of ten thousand dollars for this purpose with the following provisions:
First, That the building be dedicated and knows as the Frost Free Library. for, as I have said above, it is memory of my husband, who always took a deep interest in the welfare of the ton and its people, and in this I wish to perpetuate his name.
Second, I make this pledge with the distinct understanding that at least ten thousand dollars more ·shall be raised for this purpose, and that the building -shall be either brick or stone, my preference being for stone by far.
Third. This pledge of ten thousand dollars is made also on the understanding that this amount, together with the above mentioned ten thousand dollars additional, shall be exclusive of the land.
It is my desire to keep this money in readiness so that when the above conditions are filled, and not until then, and you are ready to start on the work, that it may be paid over to you promptly, and I hereby bind myself and my heirs to this extent and for this purpose as described, and only on the above conditions.
My own wish would be that the building cost much more than the above mentioned sums, viz., twenty thousand dollars over and above the cost of the land, as it will last so many generations, and in my opinion the more that is put into it the better.
From now on I shall take a deep interest in this· fund, and the sooner you are prepared to call on me for the payment, the better pleased I shall be, but it is distinctly understood that the above mentioned ten thousand dollars additional must first be raised.
In the meantime I remain,
Most respectfully yours,
Eliza W. Frost |
The trustees immediately acknowledged the receipt of the above, and conveyed to Mrs. Frost, their thanks, and also the inhabitants for her liberal offer together, with the promise that the best effort would be given to obtaining the mountain necessary to carry out her purpose of contributing to the memorial to her husband, the late Morrill Frost.
The question of obtaining $13,000 or $14,000 by subscription rather in large or small amounts has been considered, but after many inquiries it did not appear at all that anywhere near the amount needed could be obtained, and as many expressed themselves in favor ofpaying their part of the cost in taxes rather than by subscription, it was determined that the matter should be brought before the voters at the annual meeting in the article, under which we are now acting, was inserted by the trustees to bring the whole matter before the citizens of the town at the annual town meeting, and the article under which we are now acting was inserted by the trustees to bring the whole matter before the citizens of the town.
Yje trustees have in various ways investigated the appointments and the cost of a number of public library buildings recently erected in Massachusetts, and are satisfied and satisfied that the needs of Winthrop for a number of years can be met by the expenditure of $20,000 for a building. Such a building should contain a stack room capable holding 20,000 volumes, a reading room for adults and another for children. A room for a collection of articles connected with the history of our town, and also relics of the war of the revolution and the rebellion and other events of importance. The building should be also repository of work of art.
In
looking for a site for the building trustees have tried to find a lot of land containing from 12,000 to 15,000 sqaure feet centrally located in with a gravel or sand foundation.
Information has been obtained concerning three parcels of land on Winthrop Street, and one on Fremont Street. The prices per foot for these four parcels range from 18 to 25 cents making the cost of the suitable lot from $3,000 to $3,500.
We believe that a lot should be selected which will admit of the building being located is 30 feet from the street, and that the land should be ample for extension of the building when required.
We recommend the adoption of the motion before the meeting under article 13 of the ward spectrum,
Alfred Finney
David Floyd
Channing Howard
I A Whorf
FA, Ingersoll
FW Tucker with
Winthrop,
March 28, 1898
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