USA > Illinois > Madison County > Alton > Gazetteer of Madison County : containing historical and descriptive sketches of Alton City, Upper Alton, Edwardsvile, Collinsville, Highland, Troy, Monticello, Mairne, Bethalto, and other towns, including some account of the resources of the various townships, to which is added a directory of the Altons,. > Part 8
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66
A GAZETTEER OF
recommending the people to vote for or against a Convention was carriedt
A number of the members of both houses entered their protest against the object and the measures used to obtain it, in an able and dignified address to which among others the name of George Churchill is appended, as Representative from Madison County .;
But one of the three papers in the State, the Edwardsville Spectator, took any decided stand against slavery and a Convention.
It became the matter of great moment to the opponents of the measure in the long and excited struggle which followed to obtain the support of an able journal in the State. The Spectator was at once put forward by its friends in the county with the strongest assurance of its fidelity to the cause. To "make assurance doubly sure" one of the Anti-Conventon party and a personal friend of Mr. Warren, the editor, was requested to call upon him and ascertain, without any intimation of future support what the course of the paper would be on the subject of a Convention. "Against it, of course," was the unhesitating answer. It was intimated that the Convention party were strong and would probably bid high.
proceeded through the streets, with drums, fiddles, bugles, tin horns, cow-bells, rejoicing in a most boisterous manner. They were accompanied by several members of the Legislature, and numerous strangers from the adjoining Slave States.
"Several public dinners were given in honor of a Convention, and we select a few of their toasts. to show the spirit by which they were actuated :
"By the President of the Day-The Convention-The means of introducing and spreading the African family-three cheers.
"The enemies of the Convention-May they ride a porcupine saddle, on a hard trotting horse, a long journey, without money or friends.
May those individuals who are opposed to our cause, before the next election abandon the State of Illinois, and then we will have a free silver circulation, com- bined with a numerous black population.
The State of Illinois-the ground is good-prairies in abundance-give us plenty of negroes a little industry and she will distribute her treasures.
Slavery-A political hobby horse which some of our great men loved to saddle. Six cheers.
+The Convention Resolution passed the Senate at Vandalia, February 10, 1823. Senators voting for the Resolution were:
Messers. Barker, Beard, Boon, Crozier, Grammer, Jones, of Bond, Jones, of Gallatin, Kinney, Ladd, Sloo, Smith and White-12.
Senators voting against it: Messrs. Bankson, Cadwell, Frazier, Kinkade, Parker and Stillman-8.
Afterits advocates had resorted to various questionable measures, it passed in the House of Representatives, February 12, 1823, with the following vote:
Affirmative, Mr. Speaker, Messrs. Alexander, of Monroe, Alexander, of Pope, Berry, Campbell, Casey, Daimwood, Davenport, Dorris, Field, Ford, Logan, McFatridge, McFerron, McIntosh, Phillips, Rattan, Shaw, Trotier, Turrey, West, Whiteside, Widen and Will-24.
Negative: Messrs. Blakeman, Cairns, Churchill, Emmit, Lowry, Mather, Moore, Ogle, Pell, Pugh and Sims-12.
In the "Annotations," of Hon. Geo. Churchill, on "Early Days of Madison County," from which this item is takee a full account of the Legislative pro- ceedings is given, and it is to be regretted that limited space precludes its in- sertion here.
Those who signed the "Minority Address" were Messrs. Risden Moore. William Kinkade, G. Cadwell, A. Bankson, Jacob Ogle, Curtiss Blakeman, Abraham Cairns, Thomas Mather, William Lowry, James Sims, Daniel Parker, George Churchill, Gilbert T. Pell, David McGahey, Stephen Stillman.
VANDALIA, Feb. 18th, 1823.
67
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
"They can't buy me," he replied, and the pledge then given was nobly re- deemed in the subsequent course of the Spectator, in which the cause of freedom always found a staunch friend and bold and consistent advocate.
The Anti-Convention and Anti-Slavery party embraced the names of many of the most honored citizens of Madison County, prominent among them those of Gov. Edwards, Gov. Coles, Daniel P. Cook, Hooper Warren, George Churchill and many others.
During the campaign which followed Madison County was active in organizing a systematic opposition to the Convention.
A meeting of the anti-slavery citizens was held at the log Court House at Edwardsville in 1823. A secretary was appointed to correspond with the friends of the cause in other counties-and an active warfare was from this time kept up in the county, characterized by great zeal and energy. Meanwhile the Convention party had not been idle. A paper was estab- lished at Edwardsville to support their interests under the editorial man- agement of Theophilus W. Smith, called the "Illinois Republican" be- tween which and the Spectator the war of words waxed hot at times .*
Gov. Coles at the beginning of the contest resolved, it is said, to devote his whole salary as Governor for four years (four thousand dollars) to the canvass, and was, as might have been expected from his character and convictions, one of the most determined and hard working members of the opposition. In a letter addressed to Rev. Thomas Lippincott, Gov. Coles himself says: "I contributed to other papers (than the Spectator,) under various signatures, and published many pamphlets, several of which I assisted in circulating. My labors in the cause were so great that during the several months which passed between my purchasing the Illinois In- telligencer (at Vandalia) and the election there were but few numbers of that paper which did not contain something from my pen." Gov. Ed- wards did not himself take any active part in the campaign, from consid- erations it was supposed of a political and personal nature, but his son-in- law the Hon. D. P. Cook, contributed a series of able and convincing articles to the Spectator, which continued to be the medium for the dis- semination of the views of the Anti-Slavery citizens of Madison County. Mr. Warren himself was well known as a clear and powerful writer and many of the most cogent and readable articles published in the Spectator were from his hand. Among the leading advocates of a Convention in the County were Theophilus W. Smith, Emanuel J. West, Judge McRoberts and others. Gov. Bond, Elias K. Kane, McLean, A. P. Field, Joseph A.
*Mr. Smith was a man of ability known as such and afterwards occupied a seat on the bench of the Supreme Court of the State, but in this contest Mr. Warren had so decidedly the advantage that his opponent resorted to pesonal violence, taking his friend Mr. West with him for that purpose to Warren's office. I be- lieve the latter defended himself pretty well with the sheep's foot which he happened to have in his hand .- Lippincott's Popers No. 47.
.
68
A GAZETTEER OF
Baird, Kinney, Robinson, R. M. Young and others were also active parti- sans of the measure in the State, while the Rev. John M. Peck Judge Lockwood, Judge Pope, Morris Birbeck, David Blackwell and George Forquer were equally active in their opposition.
To Mr. Peck various authorities join in attributing much of the success which afterward crowned the efforts of the Anti-Convention party.
Says Gov. Reynolds in his Life and Times :"
As soon as the Convention resolution was carried in the Legislature the Rev. Mr. Peck had a meeting called in St. Clair County and a constitution adopted for an association to operate against the introduction of Slavery in Illinois. Headquarters were established in St. Clair County, and four- teen other societies were organized in as many counties, all acting in unison with the society in St. Clair County. A perfect organization was kept up during the canvass throughout the State, which was effected more by the exertions of Rev. Mr. Peck than by anyother person .*
The result of these labors of the Anti-Slavery party was the defeat of the proposition to hold a convention by about 1,700 majority, the entire vote in the State being by the official canvass from the Edwardsville Spec- tator, December 2d, 1824.
Convention, 4,972; No Convention, 6,640; Daniel P. Cook, Congress, 7,460; Shadrack Bond, Congress, 4,374.
The vote of Madison County was as follows:
Convention, 351; No Convention, 553; Daniel P. Cook, Congress, 644; Shadrack Bond, Congress, 285.
A RELIC .- In examining the papers of Capt. Curtiss Blakeman, who died at Marine, in this county, on the twenty-second of May, A. D. 1833, an article, of which the following is a copy, was discovered.
"We, the subscribers, convinced of the necessity of supporting some newspaper establishment, the conductor of which will take a firm and manly stand against the introduction of slavery into this State, and against the calling of a Conven- tion to alter the Constitution; the sole object of which, we are well convinced, is to effect the introduction of slavery : do hereby agree to use our utmost exertions and endeavors to support such newspaper establishment as shall be fixed upon .- Henry Starr, Curtiss Blakeman and Thomas Mather, Esqs., are hereby appointed a Committee to make such arrangement as they shall deem necessary, with the conductor of suchi newspaper establishment, and for the purpose of giving ef- ficient support to such newspaper as shall be edited in the cause of liberty. We, the subscribers, ho hereby subscribe for the number of copies of such newspaper set opposite to our respective names. at five dollars a year, in State paper, to be paid in advance; the amount of which subscriptions shall be deposited with the above named Committee.
Names of Sub- No. of Places Where Directed.
Names of Sub- No. of Places Where
scribers. Papers. Directed.
William Kinkade. .. 10 Lawrenceville. Henry S. Dodge .. 10 Kaskaskia.
Abraham Carnes. 10 Lawrenceville. William Lowry .10 Clark County.
Risdon Moore .. 10 St. Clair.
Wm. H. Brown 5 Vandalia.
George Churchill, 10
Edwardsville. Thomas Lippincott 5 Edwardsville.
Henry Starr. 10
Edwardsville. Stephen Stillman ... .10
Springfield.
A. Bankston. 10
Covington.
Gilbert T. Pell 10 Edwards Co.
Thomas Mather 10 Kaskaskia.
Sam'l D. Lockwood. .10 Vandalia.
James Sims. .10 Springfield.
Daniel Parker. .10 Palestine.
Jacob Ogle. 10 Belleville.
David McGahey .10 Palestine.
G. Caldwell. 10 Carrollton.
John Emmitt .10 New Haven.
Curtiss Blakeman. .10 Edwardsville.
"The above has been carried fully into effect, and settled in full, by Liberty being fully established in this State, and so may it remain."
CURTISS BLAKEMAN.
*Reynolds Life and Times, page 242.
scribers, Papers.
XI
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
MISS I. DOUGLAS & Co", DEALERS IN
VERY,
Of Every Description; Also,
BABY LINEN, ROBES, CLOAKS, HOODS. Dress Trimmings, Etc.,
BELLE STREET, OPPOSITE THE MERCANTILE HALL, ALTON, ILLINOIS.
V. WALTER, DEALER IN
PIANOS, ORGANS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, SHEET MUSIC, THIRD STREET .: OPPOSITE BELLE, ALTON, ILLINOIS.
HOMER STANDFORD, BRASS FOUNDER AND FINISHER. ALL KINDS OF BRASS CASTINGS MADE TO ORDER.
A SUPPLY OF BRASS FITTINGS ALWAYS ON HAND. BABBIT METAL, BRASS BOXES, For the Different Mowers and Reapers. MODELS MADE, LOCKS REPAIRED AND KEYS FITTED. No. 5 MARKET, (Near Terre Haute Ticket Office,) ALTON. ILLINOIS.
XII
A GAZETTEER OF
A. S. BARRY,
Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
DRUGS, MEDICINES, PAINTS,
OILS, DYESTUFFS, GLASS, PERFUMERY, &C.,
CHOICE WINES AND LIQUORS, For Medicinal Purposes. CORNER OF SECOND AND STATE STREETS, ALTON, ILLINOIS.
M. FISHBACH.
1
B. ELBLE.
FISHBACH & ELBLE, DEALERS IN DRY GOODS, GROCERIES, BOOTS & SHOES, READY MADE CLOTHING, WINES, LIQUORS, &C., Second Street, opposite Sweetser's Lumber Yard, ALTON, (Hunterstown,) - ILLINOIS.
CHARLES L. JOESTING,
BAKER
Manufacturer of BREAD, CAKES, PIES, &c., South Side of Third Street, ALTON, ILLINIOS.
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
JOHN O. FRENCH.
T. D. GIDDINGS
FRENCH & Co.,
Wholesale and Retail Dealers in
LUMBER, Shingles, Lath, SASH, DOORS & BLINDS,
Lumber Shipped to all Points on the Railroad on the SHORTEST NOTICE.
-: 0:
The Citizens of Alton and Vicinity, are invited to give us a call before pur- chasing elsewhere, as we think we can suit them both in prices and materials. Yard in the Eastern Limits of the City, on the Upper Alton Road.
X
GAZETTEER OF
METROPOLITAN
CIGAR & TOBACCO STORE.
C. W. SCHEUTZEL,
Manufactuer, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
TOBACCO,
0
500
-
CIGARS, PIPES, TOBACCO BOXES, &c.,
THIRD ST., ONE DOOR WEST OF PIASA, ALTON, ILLINIOS.
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
GENERAL INSURANCE AGENCY.
'H. A. MORGAN. WELLS COREY. MORGAN & COREY, FIRE, MARINE, INLAND, LIFE AND ACCIDENTAL
INSU
AT EQUITABLE RATES, IN FIRST-CLASS COMPANIES; BUSINESS PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO; OFFICE ON WEST SIDE BELLE STREET, BET. THIRD AND FOURTH, ALTON, ILLINOIS.
GREENWOOD MARBLE WORKS.
R. DIXON.
J. DIXON.
DIXON BROTHERS, STONE CUTTERS & BUILDERS, Also, Manufacturers of all kinds of
MONUMENTS AND GRAVE STONES,
Of the most appropriate and superb finish in
ITALIAN AND AMERICAN MARBLE, GREENWOOD, near ALTON, ILL.
All Orders by Mail promptly Attended to.
XVI
A GAZETTEER OF
S. J. ANTHONY,
Manufacturer and Wholesale Dealer in
TOBACCO
AND
CIGARS
State Street, bet. Second & Third
1 UNDER THE FRANKLIN HOUSE,
ALTON, ILLINOIS.
SWEETSER & PRIEST, DEALERS IN LUMBER, LATH, SHINGLES, SASH, DOORS AND BLINDS, Office South Side Second Street, bet. Henry and Ridge, ALTON, - Hunterstown,) : - ILLINOIS.
E. L. DIMMOCK. THOS. DIMMOCK. DIMMOCK & Co., Wholesale Dealers in
BOOTS & SHOES,
THIRD STREET, OPPOSITE BELLE,
ALTON, - -
-
ILLINOIS.
XIII
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS,
1
(Successor to D. Martin & Co .. )
LIME BURNER
And Dealer at Wholesale and Retail in
PLASTER PARIS, CEMENT, HAIR, WHITE SAND, ETC ..
ALTON, : ILLINOIS. -:- ( -:-
MY LIME IS BURNED IN
GRISCOM & DENN'S PATENT KILNS, WARRANTED NO. I.
- CASH. TERMS, - -
Office Immediately above Shooler's Mill.
Orders with Cash, or undoubted city reference promptly filled.
C. BORCKMAN. J. SUTTER.
SUTTER & BORCKMAN,
Dealers in
FURNITURE 7 SHOW CASES, Etc.,
Also, UNDERTAKERS,
SECOND STREET, BETWEEN HENRY AND LANGDON, ALTON, ILLINOIS,
XIV
A GAZETTEER OF
CALM'S BAZAAR.
A& M.
Wholesale and Retail Dealer in Foreign and Domestic
DRY GOODS, CLOTHING,
HATS AND CAPS, BOOTS AND SHOES, FANCY GOODS, NOTIONS, Etc., THIRD STREET, FOUR DOORS FROM STATE ST., LALTON, ILLINOIS.
WHEELOCK, PENDLETON & CO.,
SASH,
DOORS,
BLINDS,
AND MOULDINGS,
CONSTANTLY ON HAND OR MANUFACTURED TO ORDER. 1
SHOP NORT-EAST CORNER OF PIASA & 5th, near C., A. & St. L. DEPOT, ALTON, ILLINOIS.
ALTON.
Alton, in north latitude about 38 deg. 20 min. and west longitude 14 deg. from Washington, is situated upon the left bank of the Mississippi river, three miles above the confluence of the Missouri, and twenty below the mouth of the Illinois. It is connected with Chicago by the St. Louis, Al- ton and Chicago railroad, with Terre Haute, Indianapolis and Cincinnati, by the St. Louis, Alton and Terre Haute, and with Jacksonville, Peoria, and other points north by the St. Louis, Alton and Jacksonville railroad.
The site upon which the City is built possesses many advantages. The business blocks are mostly upon a level, above highwater mark, and ad- jacent to the levee-one of the finest on the Mississippi. The river a short distance above takes an eastern course which continues along in front of the City for some two miles, necessarily giving the current an impetus toward the opposite shore, leaving the waters along the wharf compara- tively quiet.
Buildings for manufactories and other purposes can be erected of any dimensions desired, upon natural foundations of rock, many feet in depth. without danger from quick-sand or the settling of walls.
That portion of the City lying between the bluffs, has been graded to an average of about thirty feet above the mean water mark of the river. The highest point on the west bluff, is on State street about one-third of a mile above Main, where the grade is two hundred and twenty-four and one-half feet above the established water mark on the Mississippi. The Cathedral stands at an elevation of one hundred and seventy-five feet above the river.
The grade of the Chicago and Alton railway near the river is one hun- dred and twelve feet below, while at Monticello, five miles distant, it is fifty-three feet above the level of Lake Michigan. At St. Louis the City Directrix is 381 feet above the level of the sea; Alton is a few feet higher.
On account of its somewhat hilly situation perfect drainage has been secured, rendering it one of the healthiest places in the country, and as it is built up from year to year, the handsomely improved undulations be- come possessed of a charm to the eye which no level site can attain.
In approaching by steamboat from the north, the high bluff immediately above the City prevents any considerable view whatever until that point is turned, when the traveler at once finds himself directly at the levee. But on approaching by steamboat from the south the view is singularly 10 --
70
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
beautiful and picturesque, and from a point opposite the mouth of the Missouri river is pronounced by all to be unsurpassed by any locality along the entire course of the Mississippi.
The City overlooks the country west and south for many miles around.
The view from the heights of "Sempletown," the north-west part of the City, embracing the Mississippi to its confluence with the Missouri, its islands and adjoining shores, and a large part of the opposite heights of "Middletown" with the spires and roofs of Upper Alton in the distance is one of more than ordinary beauty and impressiveness.
From the levee the little Piasa ravine runs in a northerly direction af- fording a passage that has been improved for the track of the St. Louis, Alton and Chicago railroad from theriver to the upland prairies. On either side of this ravine the bluffs rise abruptly, -- the plateaus above affording ample and eligible grounds for dwellings. In portions ofthe City as in the vicinity of State and its intersecting streets on the west, and in what is popularly known as Middletown east of the ravine, the natural advanta- ges of these grounds have been improved with a liberalty and taste seldom found in a country where the useful is so generally cultivated at the ex- pense of the beautiful. Spacious streets MeAdamized, and bordered with evergreens, shrubbery and natural forest trees ; elegant and substantially built residences, surrounded with beautiful lawns and a greatvariety of floral and horticultural embellishments, united with many natural beauties of landscape and scenery, render Alton a most desirable place of residence.
At this pointthe bluffs recede from the river and do not again approach it for a distance of one hundred miles, at Chester, thus formning the "Great American Bottom," a tract of land from six to ten miles in width not surpassed in fertility by any section of the Mississippi Valley
The surrounding country is one of a rich and varied agriculture, It is particularly notable for its fine crops of WINTER WHEAT the quality of which is evinced by its prices in home and distant markets. Other grains and hay are sold in immense quantities. A large amount of FRUITS of all kinds are shipped northward to Chicago or up the Mississippi, and south- ward to St. Louis and New Orleans. For want of later figures we give some of the shipments of 1861.
Apples 40,000 barrels; Pears 600 barrels; Peaches 10,000 bushels ; Quinces 325 barrels ; Plums 240 barrels ; Grapes 200 boxes; Crab Apples 50 bushels. And from reliable sources it is estimated that about one thousand bushels of STRAWBERRIES were shipped from this vicinity dur- ing tho past season (1866.)
A large amount of EARLY POTATOES from the American Bottom and of SWEET POTATOES from the adjacent hills are also shipped annually as well as many car loads of water-mellons from the Sand Ridge near the "Alton Junction."
Mines of Coal that yield abundantly are being worked in various parts
71
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alton.]
of the County, some within two miles of the City. An analysis of these mines, a statement of which is given on pages fifteen and sixteen, discover them to be in depth of veins and in quality of products not inferior to any in the West.
The Bluffs in this vicinity are underlaid to a great depth with beds of Rock for building purposes, and stone from which an excellent quality of Lime is constantly being manufactured and shipped to all portions of the country.
Potter's Clay of a fine quality is obtained in the neighborhood and sev- eral establishments in Upper Alton are engaged in manufacturing from it crockery, pumps, tiles and all descriptions of earthienware. Clay for brick and sand for plaster and cement can be conveniently obtained.
The buildings of Alton are mostly of brick with stone basements. A few are entirely of stone, among which are the Catholic Cathedral, and the edifices of the Episcopal and Unitarian Churches.
There is a good supply of timber for manufacturing and other purposes, throughout the adjacent country in Illinois, and thousands of acres in Missouri, just opposite.
The attention of the reader will in the following pages be invited to items of the early settlement, the manufactories, schools, churches, societies and other institutions of Alton. With much effort and care some items have been obtained respecting the early times of the "Town" which are here presented under the topic of
ANNALS
OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF ALTON.
The first settlement upon or near the Alton site may have been that of J.B. Cardinal, who, about 1783, as we are informed by the Commissioners, (see page 35) lived at a place called Piasa. Tothe Board of Commissioners who met and adjusted claims pursuant to the Act of Feb. 20, 1812, it was proven that, having built a house, Cardinal resided with his family at Piasa, five or six leagues above Cahokia; he being taken prisoner by the Indians, his family returned to the village of Cahokia. The name Piasa probably was first applied to the locality where that monster was depicted on the rocks, and if this be correct the original Piasa and the future Alton were nearly the same place.
We learn from Mr. Solomon Pruitt, one of the oldest living early settlers of the county, that as early as the year 1807 there was a small building near the present site of the Alton House constructed of loose rock (without mortar) and covered with elm bark, which was used by the French as a trading house for barter with the Indians. With this it is possible that the right of J. B. Cardinal may have had some relation.
When Mr. Pruitt came to the country in 1806, a Mr. Langford had a ferry just above the mouth of Wood river, and by it carried passengers to the opposite shores of both the Mississippi and Missouri.
72
A GAZETTEER OF
[Alton.
As has been stated on page fifty-three of this book, there had been a set- tlement in the vicinity of Wood river, for some time previous to the loca- tion of Alton, which was carried on with considerable enterprise. Mr. Isom Gillham also had a fine farm on the left bank of the river opposite the confluence of the Missouri, where as early as 1818, and probably at various times from 1815 to 1820, boats under charge of Col. James Johnson (brother to Richard M.,) shipped supplies for Fort Osage,-far up the Mis- souri,-under contract with the U. S. Government.
Prior to the year 1817, Col. Rufus Easton, at that time a lawyer of wealth and prominence in the Territory of Missouri, of which he had been a dele- gate in Congress, obtained possession of the land in this vicinity, which he considered to be admirably situated for the site of a flourishing town. With this view, a man in the interest of Col. Easton established a ferry at this point, which he named Fountain Ferry, # and carried it on in oppo- sition to Smeltzer's, + located some distance up the river.
The town was laid out early in 1817 by Col. Eastont upon fractional sec- tions 11, 13, 14 in township, five north, in range ten west of the third principal meridian. The old town plat, or Easton's Alton, extended from Market on the west to Henry street on the cast, and from the river north to Ninth street. ¿
* He had a landing near the mouth of what he called Fountain Creek, which was and is better known as Little Piasa. As has been suggested, it may be that this man so named the ferry and also the creek on account of what is here known as the Cave (or fountain) Spring, and to distinguish this from another Little Piasa, a tributary of the Big Piasa.
+ Mr. Smeltzer was successor to Langford who had been previously at Wood River and, it would seem, removed further up the Mississippi and built what is now known as the Brick House on the Missouri shore.
.. #From those who were among the early settlers we learn that Alton was named for the Colonel's son Alton R. Easton, and that Langdon, George, Easton and Al- by streets were named for his sons and daughter.
¿ The following is from the pen of the Rev. Thomas Lippiucott :
" In a few days after my arrival in St. Louis, I was employed for a little while to do some writing for Rufus Easton, Esq. One of the jobs executed by me for him, was making a fair copy of a plat or map of Alton, a town which he had laid out the previous year, on the banks of the Mississippi, in Illinois. This map was designed for exhibition at the East in order to effect the sales of lots. I took some pains to make it look well, and I believe, gave satisfaction.
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