USA > California > Los Angeles County > Pasadena > History of Pasadena, comprising an account of the native Indian, the early Spanish, the Mexican, the American, the colony, and the incorporated city, occupancies of the Rancho San Pasqual, and its adjacent mountains, canyons, waterfalls and other objects of interest: being a complete and comprehensive histo-cyclopedia of all matters pertaining to this region > Part 36
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282
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
known. A bonfire was lighted on school-house square, the bell rang out a jubilee, some cannon firing was improvised, and the band played some of the liveliest tunes in their repertoire.
C. C. Brown and John O. Lowe were the judges of election, and F. H. Heydenreich and Will T. Holmes, clerks. It took them about three hours to complete the count, the result being as follows : Total vote, 229.
For City Trustees : R. M. Furlong
222
E. Turner. 219
E. C. Webster
H. J. Holmes 130
I30
M. M. Parker II2
James Clarke IIO
R. Williams 104
I. M. Hill 83
The first five are elected, and will constitute the first City Council of the City of Pasadena.
For City Treasurer : Col. J. Banbury
140
W. E. Cooley 85
For City Clerk : C. A. Sawtelle. Scattering. 6
220
For City Marshal : I. N. Mundell
158
M. H. Weight. 68
For incorporation, 179 ; against, 50 ; majority for, 129.
The result was officially ratified by the county board of supervisors on June 14, 1886, and so recorded in Book 9, at page 16 and following.
After the vote for city officers had been duly canvassed by the county board of supervisors, Mr. Sawtelle went before the county clerk, subscribed the oath of office. and was thus qualified to swear in the other officers elect. On June 23, 1886, at 2 o'clock P. M., the parties elected all met in a frame building then known as the Wakeley block, on E. Colorado street. The several trustees presented their certificates of election to Mr. Sawtelle, whereupon he administered the oath of office to them. Then R. M. Fur- long was chosen as president pro tem .; after which a formal election was held by ballot, and H. J. Holmes was duly chosen as president of the city board of trustees-hence he stands in history as the first " mayor " of the city.
The Valley Union newspaper was at this time publishing two issues during the week, one being a small sheet called the " Union Junior," and this issue of date June 29, says :
" The Board of Trustees met yesterday, at Mr. Webster's office, over F. D. Stevens' hardware store, and deliberated over and passed the ordinan- ces for the future government of our young and growing city. Ordinance No. 2 provides for the publication once in some newspaper in the city of said ordinances, before going into effect at noon of the following day. Necessarily they, being published in today's Junior Union, are legal from tomorrow at noon. Ordinance No. 3 provides for the filing of bonds by certain of the city officials elect, as follows: City clerk (as ex-officio city assessor) in the sum of $5,000 ; marshal (as ex-officio tax collector) also
283
DIVISION FOUR -BOOM.
.
$5,000 ; city treasurer, $10,000 ; and that these respective officers are re- quired to submit their bonds within five days, to the board of trustees. Ordinance No. 4 adopts forthwith a common seal. the design of which is a key resting within a crown, and the words " City of Pasadena, incorporated June, A. D. 1886," within its rim. Ordinance No. 5 provides for the im- posing and collection of a street poll tax of $2 for each male inhabitant of the city, to be due and payable by the 15th instant. The board will meet at Mr. Webster's office until the necessary furniture can be obtained for meeting in the rear of A. Cruickshank's store on Fair Oaks avenue."
Ordinance No. I is not mentioned in the above article, and this requires historic explanation. Chas. A. Gardner was at this time editor of the Valley Union ; he was also justice of the peace for San Gabriel township. Now, the first ordinance ever enacted by a Pasadena city council was one making said Chas. A. Gardner city recorder-that is, police "judge." And if I had merely copied the newspaper report and not hunted up the why and wherefore of this remarkable omission, the readers of Pasadena history would have been left in a state of perpetual quandary as to "what was the matter with Ordinance No. 1," that it had so quickly slipped out of reckon- ing, " unhonored and unsung." It was a case of editorial modesty that beat all previous records.
Business now pressed hard upon the board, to get proper ordinances prepared and enacted, and all the machinery of city government set in motion ; and to meet these conditions they were obliged to meet often in formal session, and to be in informal session almost continuously. Their next official meetings were held July 1, July 2, July 6, July 8, July 10, July 12, July 13, July 19, July 24, July 27, July 29 ; August 2, August 9, Aug- ust 14, August 21, August 24, August 31. In September only four meet- ings were held ; and the same in October; etc.
On July 10 they appointed Geo. W. Dunmore as the first city police- man who ever wore the official star in Pasadena.
By August they had enacted all the first necessary ordinances to regu- late their own proceedings, provide for bonds and salaries of city clerk, marshal, treasurer, recorder, attorney, policemen, surveyor, printer, etc., so that the business of the city was all going on under lawful procedure, and all necessary appointive offices had been filled. But there was no city treas- ury as yet, and no funds with which to pay the necessary current expenses ; hence they were obliged to negotiate a loan until such time as the city revenues could be gathered in. And accordingly on July 2, 1886, they voted to borrow $500 for ninety days, thus providing for this financial emptiness .*
The first city council room was E. C. Webster's office, over Stevens's hardware store in a frame building on ground where the Carlton Hotel
*" The city recorder paid into the city treasury on Wednesday $80 in fines collected. A $20 fine was the first money the city ever owned."-Valley Union, August 27, 1886.
I tried my best to find out who paid this historic fine, and what it was for, but records and mem- ories were all empty of the knowledge.
284 ยท
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
block now stands. But in August they rented and fitted up the second story of James Smith's building on southwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Kansas [now Green] street, over A. Cruickshank's dry goods store. Next, when the Exchange block was completed, Mr. Webster had a
-
PASADENA HARDWARE CO.
PASADENA NATIONAL BA
E.C.WEBSTER & CO. INVESTMENT DANKERS
'2'
EXCHANGE BLOCK [CARLTON HOTEL], 1886-7.
The first city bench-mark was here; also, the enactment of the famous prohibitory ordinance was here; and the National G. A. R. reception ; and the Astronomical Banquet ; and the first editorial convention ; and other historic events. .
spacious double office in it, on the ground floor, and on January 3, 1887, they commenced using the rear room of these apartments as the city council room .* Meanwhile, they were on the lookout for a building that would serve for their meetings, and also for all of the city offices and business. And for this purpose they leased, on February 26, 1887, the old Central School building, then owned by J. W. Vandevort, and located on Raymond Avenue, where Mr. Vandevort's terra-cotta block now stands. The lease was for three years, at $1,000 per year, with option of renewal or purchase, etc., and the first meeting of the council in this building was held March 21, 1887. An adjoining vacant lot on the south was also leased, and a city jail built there.
*July 27, 1886, a bench mark from which to reckon all city levels was established at "top of the stone pedestal or sill upon which rests the third iron column from the west side of the Colorado street front of the Exchange block, the elevation of which is 833 and 451-1000 feet above sea level."-Valley Union.
The Union of July 16, 1886, gives the following altitudes as official : Front of Baker Block, Los An- geles - 282.955 ; Pasadena, at P. O. door - 885.206 ; Sierra Madre, Episcopal church, 899.581.
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DIVISION FOUR - BOOM.
As the time approached for expiration of this Vandevort lease, an ef- fort was made to purchase grounds and buildings that would serve all of the city's uses, including quarters for the fire department. But so much public strife and contention arose over the matter of location, price, choice of prem- ises, etc., that the whole project was abandoned ; and on December II, 1889, they leased for three years, for city hall purposes, C. T. Hopkins's brick block on the northwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Union street, at $1,000 per year -with privilege to occupy it at once, but lease date and payment not to commence until March 1, 1890, when the Vandevort lease would expire. However, out of the agitation for a central and permanent place for all city offices and city business finally came the purchase of grounds and erection of building for exclusive use of the fire department, on Dayton street. [See article "Fire Department.']
The next historic move as to city hall premises occurred October 24, 1892, when rooms enough for all the offices, besides a council room and a police court room, were leased for five years at $600 per year, in Geo. W. White's brick block on southwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Union street, some necessary changes and refitting were made, and this building was formally occupied on February 27, 1893, being the present City Hall.
The following table gives a complete register of all persons who have served the city in any important official capacity :
TABULAR EXHIBIT OF PASADENA CITY OFFICERS IN SUCCESSIVE YEARS. City Trustees [commonly called councilmen] :
1886 to 1888 :- H. J. Holmes, president [Mayor] ; R. M. Furlong, E. Turner ; M. M. Parker, chosen president June 15, 1887, vice Holmes, re- signed ; E. C. Webster ; G. Roscoe Thomas, appointed June 18, 1887, vice Holmes, resigned.
1888 to 1890 : - M. M. Parker, president; Edson Turner; Stephen Townsend; W. W. Webster; A. G. Throop, chosen president October 5, 1889, vice Parker, resigned ; J. B. Young, appointed September 15, 1888, vice Webster, resigned ; Alex McLean, * appointed February 9, 1889, vice Turner, deceased; ; Wm. W. Mills, appointed October 12, 1889, vice Parker, re- signed ; Elisha Millard, appointed December 7, 1889, vice Young, resigned ; John Allin, appointed February 15, 1890, vice Townsend, resigned.
1890 to 1892 :- T. P. Lukens, president ; A. K. McQuilling ; James Clarke ; C. M. Simpson ; Thomas Banbury.
1892 to 1894 :- Oscar F. Weed, president ; John S. Cox; T. P. Lukens; A. K. McQuilling ; James Clarke.
1894 to 1896 :- T. P. Lukens, president; S. Washburn ; H. M. Hamil- ton ; O. F. Weed; J. S. Cox, elected president January 2, 1895.
*" Mr. McLean resides on Mountain Avenue ; he was formely editor of the Lompoc Record; he was in the state legislature from Santa Clara County at the same time Col. Banbury was there from this county, and worked with the colonel in trying to get a local option law passed. '-Pasadena Standard, Feb. 16, 1889.
+ Jan. 14, 1889, Mr. Turner's horse took fright at a steam pump which was then working in a well- house at foot of the north drive up Raymond Hill ; he was thrown from his buggy so that his head struck on a rail of the Santa Fe R. R. track; he lived a few hours but never recovered consciousness again.
286
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
City Clerk :
1886 to 1888 :- C. A. Sawtelle, elected.
1888 to 1892 : James H. Cambell, elected.
1892 to 1896 :- Heman Dyer, elected.
City Marshal :
1886 to 1890 : - I. N. Mundell ;* D. R. McLean appointed March 25, 1889, vice Mundell, resigned.
1890 to 1892: - D. R. McLean, elected.
1892 to 1896 : - John T. Buchanan, elected.
City Treasurer :
1886 to 1896 :- Jabez Banbury; M. E. Wood, appointed March 25, 1889, vice Banbury, resigned, but did not qualify until June 8 ; Hon. P. M. Green, the deputy treasurer officiating meanwhile.
1890 to 1892: - W. T. Vore, elected.
1892 to 1894 :- W. U. Masters, elected.
1894 to 1896 : - Henry C. Hotaling, elected.
City Recorder [police judge] :
1886 to 1895 :- Charles A. Gardner ; C. N. Terry appointed April 9, 1887, vice Gardner, resigned ; P. A. V. VanDoren, appointed January 19, 1889, vice Terry, resigned ; H. H. Rose, appointed December 6, 1890, vice VanDoren, term as justice of peace expired ; J. G. Rossiter appointed April 10, 1894, vice Rose, resigned, and still holds the office, July, 1895.
City Attorney :
1886 to 1895 :- E. J. Hueston, employed July 6, 1886, for one month, at salary of $150. Had done some work before this date. N. P. Conrey, employed July 27, 1886, at salary of $75 per month. John C. Winslow, employed September 21, 1887, vice Conrey, relieved at his own request, to take effect October 1. Frank J. Polley, appointed April 24, 1888, vice Winslow, deceased ; salary $100 per month. A. R. Metcalfe, appointed February 15, 1890, vice Polley, dismissed ; salary $150 per month. W. E. Arthur, appointed April 21, 1890, vice Metcalfe, resigned, and still holds the office, July, 1895.
City Engineer :
1886 to 1895: -- J. M. Willard, appointed July 8, 1886. Salary $5.00 per day. On May 25, 1887, August Meyer was employed as sanitary engi- neer to manage the public sewer work. Salary $250 per month. October 8, 1887, Meyer was made sewer commissioner. On May 8, 1888, the two offices of city engineer and sanitary engineer were consolidated, and Mr. Meyer appointed to the double duty. On May 17, 1890, James E. Place was appointed, to date from June 1, at $5.00 per day for actual time required in city service. John W. Sedwick, appointed January 17, 1891, vice Place, deceased. Wmn. B. Clapp, appointed April 23, 1894, vice Sedwick, resigned.
* Dec. 3, 1887, the office of captain of police was created, and Geo. R. Shaw appointed to fill it, at a salary of $85 per month. But somehow it seemed to infringe ou the statutory prerogatives of the marshal ; and after a month or more of trouble over it the new office was dropped.
287
DIVISION FOUR - BOOM.
Street Superintendent :
1886 to 1895: - The first street superintendent was E. Turner, ap- pointed November 10, 1886. May 14, 1887, Turner resigned and J. W. Vore was appointed. April 26, 1890, C. C. Brown was appointed, vice Vore resigned. April 13, 1894, J. A. Buchanan was appointed, vice Brown, re- signed. Buchanan still holds, July, 1895.
Health Officer :
1887 to 1895: - Dr. Theron Nichols, first incumbent, appointed Feb- ruary 19, 1887 ; no salary. Dr. W. L. McAllister, appointed August 27, 1887, vice Nichols, resigned ; salary $50.00 per month. Dr. H. H. Sherk, appointed April 26, 1890, vice McAllister, term expired. October 6, 1892, a cit, board of health was created by ordinance, and Drs. H. H. Sherk, J. M. Radebaugh, R. J. Mohr, and H. K. Macomber were appointed as such board. Dr. Sherk was thus continued as health officer ; and on October 24 he was appointed to serve also as building and plumbing inspector. Dr. F. F. Rowland, appointed April 23, 1894, vice Sherk, resigned, and still holds, July, 1895.
Official Newspaper, or City Printer :
1886 to 1895 : - The Union Junior of June 29, 1886, contained the first official publication of city ordinances, and they took effect the next day at noon. Hence it was the first official newspaper. The Pasadena Star, ap- pointed July 8, 1886. [For printing city ordinances, resolutions, etc., the Star had bid 24 cents per square and the Valley Union bid 50 cents per square. Hence the choice.] The Daily Union was appointed to the same service on June 2, 1888, having now made the lowest bid. But when in 1889 the Union suspended publication, this business went to the' Daily Star again ; and the Star still holds it, 1895.
Chief of Fire Department :
1887 to 1895 : - On October 8, 1887, a city fire department was author- ized and the office of "Chief" created. Robert Hentig was appointed to fill it ; salary $10.00 per month. On June 9, 1889, Hentig tendered his resig- nation. On August 16, 1888, J. D. Jones appears in the records as Fore- man and Acting-Chief of the Fire Department. Then on September 10, 1889, Jones is discharged, and Hentig reappointed. A. S. Turbett was appointed November 30, 1889, vice Hentig, resigned, and still holds the place-July, 1895.
City Librarian :
On January 14, 1890, a public vote was carried to issue bonds for the purchase by the city of the public library property. This made the post of librarian a city office ; and on April 21, 1890, Mrs. S. E. Merritt was ap- pointed to fill it -as she does yet, 1895. [For Library Trustees, see page 210].
In 1894 the city clerk published a full and exhaustive tabulation of city finances, including debts, salaries, current expenditures of every sort, tax levies, etc., etc. This was printed in a neat manual of thirty pages, which contained also a complete directory of all city officers, departments, etc. And from it I compile the following 'exhibit of current expenses of the city during the fiscal year ending February 28, 1894 :
288
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
DISBURSEMENTS IN ONE YEAR.
Clerk and Assessor's De-
Building and Plumbing
partment $2,389 30 Inspector's Dep't 300 50
Fire Department 6,478 06
Street-sprinkling Dep't. 7,077 48
Street Department 6,013 82
Street-lighting Dep't. 6,296 31
Police Department. 2,671 50
Rent Dep't
733 32
Engineer's Department 1,351 35
Public Printing Dep't 1,374 OI
Tax Collector's Dep't. 644 10
Sewer Dep't. 434 04
Recorder's Dep't. 229 60
Sewer Farm Dep't.
3,607 04
Attorney's Dep't. 1,027 25
Library Dep't. 3,047 60
Treasurer's Dep't. 980 72
Miscellaneous Dep't. 1,753 85
Poundmaster's Dep't. 209 85
Soup house department, providing temporarily for "the unemployed :" [As this is an historic episode, I give the items in full.]
Salary of Special Officer a
Stove, dishes, and cooking
$50 per mo .. $50 00
utensils 46 04
Repairs on building 6 72
Groceries and provisions 94 93
Shovels and rakes 6 60
Coal 5 50
Total
$209.79
Interest on Fire and Sewer Bonds* $7,075 00
Interest on Library Bonds
505 75
Interest on Deferred Payment of Bills. 740 18
Total this year for interest on borrowed money, $8, 320.93. A total of $10,025 was also paid out for redemption of bonds.
The following is a complete inventory of property belonging to the city on February 28, 1894 :
Sewer System* $160,000 00 $160,000 00
Sewer Farm and buildings, 300 acres @ $250 per acre 75,000 00
Horses and Implements on Sewer Farm.
875 00
75,875 00
Fire Engine House and Lot
10,000 00
Fire Department Horses
1,275 00
Fire Engine.
4,400 00
Hook and Ladder Truck
1,600 00
Harness
175 00
1,900 feet of Hose.
1,425 00
Furniture, etc., in Engine House.
200 00
Fire Alarm System
3,975 00
23,525 00
Public Library Building and Lot
25,000 00
Books in Library.
6,500 00
Furniture in Library
300 00
31,800 00
Instruments, Engineer's Dep't.
300 00
300 00
Furniture in City Hall
300 00
Two Safes in City Hall
500 00
Street Sprinkler
400 00
Street Sweeper.
550 00
*Ou July 19. 1887, a public vote to authorize the issue of $192,000 of City Improvement Bonds was carried by 197 for, and only two against the measure. Five per cent interest.
800 00
Hose Cart and Reel
475 00
289
DIVISION FOUR - BOOM.
Road Machine.
100 00
Carts, Scrapers and Implements.
150 00
Cart Horse.
25 00
1,225 00
City Jail.
600 00
Supplies, Police Dep't
25 00
625 00
Cash subject to warrant
8,229 59
Total Assets
$302,379 59
The city had at the same date a total bonded indebtednees of $138,700.
CITY ASSESSMENTS AND TAX LEVY IN SUCCESSIVE YEARS.
Year.
Assessed Value.
Levy per $100
Year.
Assessed Value.
Levy per $100
1886-87.
$1,001,737 00 $ .65
1891-92.
$4,551,330 00
$1.10
1887-88.
4,881,245 00
.40
1892-93.
4,890,218 00
1.13
1888-89
8,668,627 00
.72
1893-94.
5,473,821 00 1.00
1889-90
7,237,338 00.
.70
1894-95
6,462,576 00. 1.00
1890-91 4,709, 164 00 .. .90
November 10, 1893, the Board of Trade issued a circular prepared by its secretary, Wm. H. Knight, from which I glean a few points to preserve, as showing the condition of certain matters at that time :
"Pasadena, with a city population of 8,000, and an adjacent population 3,000 more, probably has a larger number of beautiful homes than any other city of equal size in the world. [See page 226.] * * * Building im- provements now under way amount in value to $552,400. Among them are dwellings ranging from $1,000 to $30,000. Between January and September, 1893, there were 9,519 lineal feet of streets graded, 26,458 feet of curbing built, and 99,335 square feet of sidewalks laid, at a total cost of $40,000. The principal business streets are now being paved with asphalt. * * * Within and adjacent to the corporate limits of Pasadena are 155,000 orange and lemon trees from three to fifteen years old, and there are 2,500 acres planted to walnuts, olives, prunes, figs, apricots, and other deciduous fruits."
NEW CHARTER - "NO!"
In 1894 a plan was set on foot to provide the city with a bran new homemade charter, instead of accepting the one for a city of the Fifth Class, or the one for Fourth Class, as already provided by the State Code. A com- mittee of fifteen freeholders was formed to prepare the new document. They spent several months in wrestling and worrying with the manifold points necessary to be covered. At last the completed thing came to a public vote on Saturday, February 23, 1895, and was overwhelmingly rejected, by the following vote :
First precinct-yeas 5, noes 63 ; second-yeas 6, noes 66 ; third-yeas 2, noes 56; fourth-yeas 5, noes 33 ; fifth-yeas 10, noes 42; sixth-yeas 6, noes 51. Total, yeas 34, NOES 311. The total cost to the city of this " new charter " fiasco footed up $1, 325.06.
*"In our city's effort to secure right-of-way for laying pipe under ground to reach its sewage farm, eighty different resisting property owners along the line are made co-defendants in a suit of the city for legal process to secure the desired right-of-way."-Pasadena Standard, September 21, 1889.
19
290
HISTORY OF PASADENA.
NOTE .- After this chapter was ready for press, the city clerk's annual report for 1894-95 was published in pamphlet form ; and from it I glean a few additional points of historic interest.
APPORTIONMENT OF TAXES FOR 1894-5.
General Fund $0.50 per $100 00 produced $32,312 88
Sewer Fund
0.15
100 00
9,693 87
Fire and Sewer Sinking Fund
0.24
100 00
15,510 18
Library Sinking Fund
.OI25
100 00
807 82
Library Fund.
.0975
66
100 00
6,301 0I
Total
$ 1 00 " $100 00 < < $64,625 76
For current expenses of the city, $23,484 31 of interest-bearing (8 per cent) certificates were issued for claims which could not be paid on demand because the treasury was empty : then when they were paid, (after the year's taxes had been collected,) the interest on them amounted to $1,031 83. Among the items of cash receipts by the city, these odd ones occur : Fines collected by recorder [police judge], mostly from violations of restrictions in the liquor permitting ordinance, $1,019.50. Dog licenses, $71. Sale of street sweepings, $130.35. Sale of pumpkins and hay from sewer farm, $1,288.71. Library collections, $311.10.
Some of the expense accounts in 1894-5, worthy of special note, were : Fire department, $6,241.76 ; street work, repairing, sweeping, etc., $8, 822.87 ; street sprinkling, $8,969.18; street lighting, $7,803.01 ; total expense for street interests, $25,595.06. Police department, $3,447. 17 ; soup house de- partment, $825.83 ; printing department, $1,768.87 ; sewer farm department, $3,054.66 ; library department, $3, 170.91.
Some of the valuations of city property in 1895 are : Sewer department, $235,668 ; fire department, $23,525 ; library department, $30,500. The total value of all property belonging to the city corporation is given as $293,969.80.
The city's debts, March 1, 1895, were : Fire and sewer bonds, $122,- 300, at 5 per cent interest ; library bonds, $6,375, at 7 per cent interest. And at that date there was $4,966.77 cash in the city treasury.
The street work done by the city in 1894, was 129,479 square feet of paving ; 61,218 square feet of sidewalk; 22,051 lineal feet of grading ; 49,535 lineal feet of curbing ; 53,026 lineal feet of guttering ; 14,365 lineal feet of sewer construction.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The first effort ever inade toward organizing a Fire Company in Pasa- dena occurred in January, 1885. Meetings were held on the 15th, 21st and 27th of that month, and on February 5th and 12th, at all of which Dr. H. A. Reid presided. Of the first meeting the Valley Union said :
"At a public meeting held at the reading room of the Webster Hotel
291
DIVISION FOUR - BOOM.
Friday evening, at 8 P. M., agreeably to notice, Dr. H. A. Reid was elected chairman and Martin Mullins secretary. Mr. F. B. Wetherby read a list of names of twenty persons who volunteered to act as firemen. On motion the chairman was authorized to appoint a committee of three to learn what articles would be needed for extinguishing fires, and the cost of same. Messrs. T. E. Martin, H. W. Magee and M. Mullins were appointed as such committee ; and T. P. Lukens, Esq., was appointed to learn and report as to the cost of articles needed."
The hotel "reading room " referred to was the same that is now No. 16 west Colorado street, occupied by W. T. Clapp's real estate office and J. A. McIntyre's shoe store and shop. The Union of January 30th reported the first actual organization of a Fire Company, and I quote from it :
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