written
communication and proposal to the Mayor and City Council; and
places on record its profound appreciation of the public spirit
and munificence of the donor, and its recognition of the
incalculable benefits which will result to his fellow citizens
and their descendants and successors for all time from this
noble gift.

Alderman Joel said the surprise was so great and so agreeable
that words were not at his command to express the thanks he, in
common with all other members, felt for the munificent gift
presented by Mr. Wallace. He moved that a committee be appointed
to prepare and forward a vote of thanks to Honorable Rodney
Wallace for his gift. The motion was unanimously adopted, and
Mayor Davis appointed Alderman Joel, Councilmen Flaherty and
Parkhill as the committee."

From the _Sentinel_ of April 10, 1884, I clip the following:

"The following resolutions have been presented to Honorable
Rodney Wallace by the special committee appointed at the joint
convention of the two branches of the City Council, March 25:

To HONORABLE RODNEY WALLACE: FITCHBURG, Mass.

_Whereas_, the Mayor and City Council of the city of Fitchburg
have received and accepted a proposition tendered by Honorable
Rodney Wallace of this city, by the terms of which a lot of land
situated at the corner of Main street and Newton place is
donated to the city of Fitchburg, and a sum not less than forty
thousand dollars is to be expended by him, with the advice and
approval of the Trustees of the Public Library, within the next
two years in erecting a building on said lot, said building to
be used for a Free Public Library, Reading Rooms, and an Art
Gallery; therefore,

_Resolved_, That this body desires to voice and place on record
the universal appreciation on the part of our citizens of the
generosity and public spirit of the honored donor, of the
timeliness of the gift, and not less, of the wisdom and
foresight manifested in the particular mode by which the city
is made the recipient of the munificent present.

_Resolved_, That we recognize the fact that a gift of this
nature will result in incalculable benefits to the community so
fortunate as to receive it, enlarging and intensifying, as it
does, all the privileges of acquiring information and securing
culture which a public lib