USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana, from its earliest settlement to the present time; with Biographical Sketches and Reference to Biographies, Volume I > Part 77
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The second merchant in Galveston was Thomas Calhoun, who came soon after the town was laid out and built a log house on the east side of the railroad and sold goods for a time.
The next business firm, and a more pretentious one, was that of B. O. Spencer & Co., who were afterward succeeded by M. B. Knowlton. Mr. Knowlton was identified with the business interests of Galveston for over twenty years, was township trustee and later moved to Logans- port, where he died many years ago. B. O. Spencer was a prominent merchant of Logansport. Other early merchants were James Thornton and John Turley, also William Floyd, George Davis, George Williams, Jerry Sutton, Martin Adams, David Culver, E. P. Myers, Felix Graham, Marshall Ellis and Dr. H. Z. Leonard.
FIRST MECHANICS
The earliest artisans were Michael Garrigan, blacksmith; Samuel Woodington, carpenter ; Mr. Fox, plasterer; Samuel Buzard and Daniel Myers, jacks of all trades.
First physicians were probably Dr. T. Baldwin and Dr. J. C. Loop (see physicians).
First hotel was kept by Dr. Baldwin and David Thomas.
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FIRST INDUSTRIES
Mr. Knowlton, father of Charles and M. B. Knowlton, built the first mill in Galveston. It was destroyed by fire. He rebuilt the mill and started a flouring mill which blew up in 1870, killing Rollin Tucker. Another grist mill was built and operated by Mr. Forest. It was burned and never rebuilt.
About 1856 Mr. Lamb built a sawmill which was operated by him, B. L. King, Shewman and others; it was changed into a pump factory and finally ceased operations, and since the surrounding timber has been largely cut off the mills have all been closed. The last owners were M. H. Thomas and son.
The only manufactory now being carried on is a furniture factory and planing mill by John Thomas, and a canning factory by Edward Faucett.
INCORPORATION
In 1870 Galveston was incorporated as a town, but the incorporation was abandoned a few years later as a useless appendage for as small a village as it was at that time; but as time progressed the town grew and was incorporated again in 1904. The first town election was held De- cember 28, 1904, resulting in the election of the following officers:
Trustees .- Carey E. Shaner, Daniel E. Shewman, Walter S. Sines, Elias N. Turley, Dr. J. F. Cornell.
Town Marshal .- Charles Spaulding.
Town Treasurer .- Dr. H. H. Miller.
Town Clerk .- Eugene Masters.
The officers at present are:
Trustees .- Carey E. Shaner, president of the board; Jesse P. Harris, A. G. Vint, W. H. Shirley, Dr. W. E. Garritson.
Marshal .- William I. Frier.
Treasurer .- H. Z. Carey.
Clerk .- Eugene Masters.
During the year 1905 Joseph Vernon, under the direction of the town board, established a grade for the principal streets and ordered their improvement by grading, graveling, cement curb and sidewalks, and the following streets were improved : Griffith, Washington, Howard, Jackson, Syracuse, Main, California, Deer Creek, Water, North and Lincoln, with 2.61 miles of cement sidewalks. In 1905 W. H. Sprinkle was granted a ten-year franchise to construct a system of waterworks. This plant has a twenty-four horse power engine that gives ample pressure for fire purposes. The town has twenty-five fire hydrants paying fifteen dollars each per year, and with the volunteer fire depart- ment the town is as well protected against fires as any city. Water is taken from deep wells and is of pure quality for private consumption. Galveston lies forty feet above the bed of Deer Creek that flows along the north edge of the town, affording ample drainage for the system of sewerage that has just been completed at a cost of six thousand seven hundred dollars.
Recently the town granted the Interurban Traction Company a franchise to extend electric wires along the streets and soon Galveston will have a complete electric light system.
The present business is represented by one drug store kept by A. J. Funk, two general stores by F. H. Thomas, successor to his father, Meredith H. Thomas, who started in business here in 1865, and J. H. Burton, successor to J. H. Thomas; two groceries by George W. McCoy and Willard Burrows, general hardware by S. P. Bevington, agricul- Vol. 1-89
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tural implements, Bell Bros .; stove and tinshop, W. H. Shirley ; harness- shop, John Eisenbrey; two elevator companies that shipped last year 874 carloads of grain, stock and other farm products; furniture store and undertaking establishment and planing mill kept by John Thomas; lumber yard by Galveston Lumber Co .; three livery stables, two restau- rants, jewelry store, garage and automobile dealer, three blacksmith and repair shops, three barber shops, two millinery stores, one hotel, one weekly newspaper, Galveston Leader, edited by S. E. Thurston; five physicians, Z. U. Loop, J. S. Smith, H. H. Miller, J. F. Cornell and R. H. Ross; one dentist, W. E. Garritson; two veterinary surgeons, D. Sinager and S. O. Goodrich; two banks, The Conwell Private Bank, established in 1900, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars; presi- dent, G. W. Conwell; cashier, Lyle Brown; deposits amount to one hun- dred and forty-two thousand dollars.
First State Bank, organized June 7, 1912, with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, all held by local .men; president, Dr. Z. U. Loop; cashier, H. Z. Carey; deposits amount to seventy thousand dollars.
Great interest is taken in education and the town and Jackson town- ship conduct a joint graded commissioned high school, which is noticed elsewhere. The present school board is composed of F. H. Thomas, presi- dent; W. S. Sines, treasurer, and Dr. J. F. Cornell, secretary.
Galveston has a magnificent high school building, erected in 1910 at a cost of twenty-seven thousand dollars; four beautiful brick churches of elegant design; also electric lights, waterworks, improved streets and sidewalks; and above all, a saloonless town, makes Galveston an ideal place to live and bring up a family of children free from the blighting influence of the saloon, yet surrounded by all the luxuries of a city except that which is degrading. Galveston remonstrated the saloons out of existence in 1908, since which time each remonstrance circulated has been renewed by increased majorities, showing its citizens are pro- gressing.
POSTOFFICE
The Galveston postoffice was raised to a third-class or presidential office in October, 1911. The postal receipts for the last fiscal year were two thousand three hundred dollars. Three rural mail routes, Nos. 13, 14 and 15, established in 1903, distribute daily mail to the farmers in all the surrounding country, something that the pioneers of seventy-five years ago never dreamed of. The present efficient postmaster is Frank R. Morrison.
TELEPHONE
In 1903 the Home Telephone Company of Logansport established a telephone exchange in Galveston which is connected with the Logans- port exchange, so that patrons either in Galveston or the farmers in the surrounding country can communicate not only with each other but also with any subscriber of the Logansport exchange.
The telephone and the automobile have annihilated time and space. These modern conveniences with free rural mail delivery have put the farmer in touch with the outside world in salient contrast with the monthly mails over mud roads of seventy-five years ago.
LODGES AND SOCIETIES
Masonic .- Galveston Lodge No. 244, F. & A. M., dates its history from November 6, 1857, when a dispensation was granted authorizing
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the members in that vicinity to work as a lodge. A charter was granted May 25, 1859, and the first officers were: James D. Loder, W. M .; Alexander Murphy, S. W., and Dr. T. Baldwin, J. W. Bro. Murphy was the leader in the lodge for sixteen years. He was born in 1822 and died in 1886. The lodge owns and controls the hall in which they meet. The present officers are: C. N. Hyatt, W. M .; Frank Coulter, S. W .; Carl Logan, J. W .; N. W. Graves, treasurer, and C. E. Faucett, secretary. The lodge is prosperous and has a membership of ninety.
Order of Eastern Star, Galveston Chapter No. 245, was organized some years ago.
ODD FELLOWS
Galveston Lodge No. 225, I. O. O. F., was organized July 8, 1861, with the following charter members: G. W. Harness, T. F. Marshall, S. B. Sprinkle, J. Martin, George W. Guinn, C. Griffith, D. A. Gass- away, Francis Long, I. W. Chapin.
The first officers were: G. W. Guinn, N. G .; J. W. Morgan, V. G .; T. F. Marshall, secretary.
The lodge owns its hall, having built the third story over F. H. Thomas' store and occupied it until 1909, when they sold it and built their present hall, being the third story over the T. J. Johnson building, at a cost of two thousand three hundred dollars.
Present officers are: Hugh H. Klepfer, N. G .; A. G. Roller, V. G .; A. L. Robertson, recording secretary; John Bitler, financial secretary ; J. A. McClain, treasurer.
Daughters of Rebekah, Galveston Lodge No. 610, was organized several years ago.
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IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN
Godfrey Tribe No. 239 was organized June 28, 1898, with twenty- three charter members.
The first officers were: J. S. Smith, sachem; E. T. Ballard, senior sagamore; P. H. Copeland, junior sagamore; T. R. Morrison, chief of records.
The lodge erected a hall at an outlay of fifteen hundred dollars. The present membership is seventy-eight, officered as follows: Thomas John- son, sachem; Truman Armstrong, senior sagamore; Walter Gabriel, junior sagamore; D. L. Klepfer, chief of records.
Degree of Pocahontas, Saco Council No. 113, was organized a few years ago."
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
Amity Lodge No. 362 was organized a number of years ago. They own their hall and are in a prosperous condition, as is also Union Banner Temple No. 185, of Pythian Sisters.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
Daniel Pratt Post No. 50, G. A. R., was organized March 23, 1882, by Conrad J. Stanley, of Kokomo, with the following charter members: James M. Bell, Henry M. Garritt, George W. Oden, Josiah M. Waddell, John W. McClammer, George W. Weaver, Simmons Ramsey, Dr. H. C. Gemmill, S. B. Wallace, Reed Shewman, William Murphy, A. Merrell, G. W. Stevens, G. W. Emery, A. H. Thomas, J. H. Bigger, J. H. Phil- lopy, David Culver, B. L. King, S. W. Hart, J. Shewman, H. W. Marsh, P. W. Wagoner, H. B. Rule, M. Conk, William R. Davis.
First officers: David Culver, commander; Simmons Ramsey, vice
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commander; Reed Shewman, junior vice commander; A. B. Rule, chap- lain; H. C. Gemmill, surgeon; James Bell, quartermaster.
Present commander, A. C. Garrett. The old soldiers are rapidly dropping from the ranks and only twenty comrades are left to guard the post.
Many years ago this post erected a hall and at that time was the only G. A. R. post in the state to own their hall.
THE THALIAN CORNET BAND
This was a creditable musical band consisting of twelve members, organized in April, 1876, with W. E. Baldwin as leader. For many years this band, with occasional changes, was a favorite in all the sur- rounding towns, but finally disbanded.
Galveston City Band was organized in the fall of 1912. It is com- posed of nearly twenty members, and under the leadership of L. O. Goodrich is making rapid progress and will soon be equal to or superior to the old Thalian band.
LINCOLN
The town of Lincoln is situated in the north central part of Jackson township on the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Indiana Union Traction Company's trolley line, running from Logansport to Indianapolis. It was laid out by Andrew Howard and Williamson Wright in May, 1852, before the railroad was built through the town, although the survey had been made. The town was named for Theodore Lincoln, who was a surveyor and laid out the town near the center of section 17. Several additions have since been made to the original plat. Soon after the town was laid out, or probably before, Williamson Wright built a large sawmill and did an extensive business, as this was a heavily timbered country, and there has always been a sawmill at the place until in re- cent years it has been abandoned on account of scarcity of timber. Mahlon Bell was about the last to operate the sawmill.
The first store was built by Williamson Wright and operated by Abner Flint. John Ingram, James Baker, Howard Shanks and Mahlon Bell were early storekeepers.
The first physician to locate here was Dr. H. C. Lester. He after- wards moved to Logansport, became afflicted mentally and died in Long- cliff asylum, July 16, 1898.
P. Peters was the first carpenter, and A. B. Rule the first black- smith in the town.
The present businesses of the town consists of two general stores conducted by W. A. Devinney and Devinney & Fitzer; hardware and implement store by O. M. Shirley ; grain elevator by Watkins & Cripe. The latter firm also handle coal, live stock, etc .; one blacksmith shop by James Cassingham; two barber shops by Willard Gore and Winfield Elkins.
Dr. D. C. Barnett looks after the health of the town. A fine brick school building containing two rooms furnish ample educational advan- tages, and a handsome new Methodist church where regular services are held supply spiritual food, and rich, well improved farm lands that sur- round the town provide abundant material food, with much to spare, which is shipped out to the general market by A. P. Watkins & Co.
A postoffice was established at Lincoln in March, 1856, soon after the railroad was completed, and J. N. Ingram was the first postmaster. The present postmistress is Mrs. Cora Burks. One rural mail route,
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No. 15, established in 1903, runs out from Lincoln, which is a great convenience to the surrounding farmers. The present population is reported to be about two hundred.
INCIDENTS, FATALITIES, ETC.
Jacob Myers, in 1843, became lost in the forest while out hunting, and was frozen to death a mile or two west of Galveston. (See cemetery notes.)
NOVEL SUICIDE
About forty years ago a highly respected family by the name of Kirkpatrick lived south of Galveston. Mr. Kirkpatrick was a justice of the peace. Mrs. Kirkpatrick, in a temporary mental depression, threw her body head-first into a rain barrel.
KILLING OF BROWN
On May 11, 1908, Robert M. Catterman shot and killed James T. Brown on the latter's farm north of Galveston two miles. Cotterman was a tenant and a dispute arose between tenant and landlord about the vacation of the farm, and Brown attacked Cotterman with' a club, when he shot Brown with a shotgun, killing him instantly. Cotterman was tried for murder in the circuit court, but was acquitted.
PIONEER HARDSHIPS
In 1844, when Jackson township was a veritable howling wilderness, Mrs. T. J. Edwards was left alone one night in their cabin home just south of Deer Creek and miles away from any other habitation. She was in a delicate condition and the howling of wolves around the cabin all night so frightened her that she miscarried and died from the effects. There were no roads or bridges in the township at this time and her parents rode thirty-five miles on horseback to attend the funeral. They ferried the bodies across Deer creek in a canoe, and these were the first burials in the Patterson cemetery. Mrs. Edwards was a sister to Joseph and Samuel Gray, and the husband, T. J. Edwards, is still living in Wisconsin in advanced years (1908).
Mrs. Nellie Turnpaugh, daughter of Caleb Sprinkle, near Lincoln, in a despondent mental state, threw herself and two small boys from the in- terurban bridge across Deer creek into the creek, April 28, 1913, and she and one boy were drowned. The other escaped by wading ashore.
REFERENCE BIOGRAPHIES.
The biographies of the following residents, many of whom are dead, have been published in Helm's History in 1886, and will not be repro- duced here, as they can be found by reference to that work:
William Armstrong, dead; Dr. T. Baldwin, 1820, died 1901; Dr. John S. Beal, 1828, dead; James Bell, 1827, died 1895; Mahlon Bell, 1849, living; John Campbell, 1821, dead; Isaac V. Canine, 1822; William P. Chick, 1825; Michael Couch, 1837, living; Freeman Daggett, 1827, died 1909; George W. Davis, 1832, died 1910; David Davisson, 1835, living; Charles Davisson, 1857, living ; Joseph G. Dehaven, 1854, dead; Jacob H. Eisenbrey, 1820, dead; George W. Emery, 1842; David T. Fickle, 1819, died 1894; Hezekiah Frush, 1815, dead; Joshua Garrett, 1809, dead; Jacob S. Garritson, 1825, dead; Walter M. Graham, 1826,
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dead; Joseph Graves, 1800, died 1883; John J. Graves, 1832, dead; Newberry W. Graves, 1830, living; Rufus C. Griffith, 1854, living; Rev. Allen Hill, 1831, dead; Simeon A. House, 1843, dead; Barnabas S. King, 1832, dead; Dr. S. F. Landry, 1834, died 1890; James A. Lewis, 1820, dead; Geo. W. Logan, 1827, dead; Dr. J. C. Loop, 1825, died 1900; Dr. Z. U. Loop, 1851, living; Hiram Latt, 1820, dead; Jas. S. Mc Williams, 1844, dead; John W. Morgan, 1820, dead; George W. Oden, 1843, living; Simmons Ramsey, 1836, dead ; Morton E. Ray, 1863, living; J. A. Roda- baugh, 1850, living; James M. Rank, 1836, living; Samuel T. Rank, 1844, living; Caleb H. Sprinkle, 1846, living; William F. Stanley, 1849, living; Henry Stauffer, 1799, dead; John W. Stauffer, 1829; Hewitt L. Thomas, 1805, died 1896; M. H. Thomas, 1826, died 1898; Alvin H. Thomas, 1846, dead; Frank H. Thomas, 1853, living; Charles F. Thomas, 1856, living; Daniel W. Thomas, 1856, living; John Turley, 1832, died 1912; Elisha Van Buskirk, 1817, dead; Samuel B. Wallace, 1836, living;
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FIVE OCTOGENARIANS 1. Samuel Kepner. 2. Geo. W. Harness. 3. Elias Young. 4. John W. Stouffer. 5. Andrew B. Rule.
John L. Wampler, 1811, dead; A. P. Watkins, 1856, living; George W. Williams, 1839, dead; Dr. John B. Wills, 1853, dead; H. A. Wooley, 1829, dead; Mrs. Elizabeth A. Yakey, 1804, dead.
Vearey Jump, son of Vearey and Nancy (Briton) Jump, was born in the state of Delaware in 1812 and settled near Lincoln in Jackson township in 1843, when there was not a dozen houses in the township, and those were made of round logs. He was a man of energy and was always on the "jump," and no man in the township did more to clear the forest and develop the township and change a dense forest into fertile fields than Mr. Jump. He lived to a ripe old age, and while he was a modest man and never pushed himself forward, yet he exerted a quiet and lasting influence in the community where he lived for over sixty years. He died in 1903 at the age of ninety-one. He was married in Hamilton county, Indiana, in 1839, and had four children, only two of whom are living, William Jump, born in 1843, and now living on a farm near Lincoln, and Annie (Jump) Smith, residing in Galveston.
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Elias Young is the oldest resident now living in Jackson township, being in his ninety-sixth year. He is a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born November 12, 1817, came to Cass county in 1850, settled at Circleville, Tipton township, and in 1850 moved to Galveston. He was a tanner and shoemaker until age compelled his retirement, and he is now cared for in the Odd Fellows' home at Greensburg, Indiana. He was twice married and has one son, Francis M. Young, living at Bunker Hill, and Edward, residing in Galveston, and a daughter, Ida Young, of Kokomo, Indiana.
Mr. Young is a remarkably well preserved man of his age and can remember the entire history and development of Jackson township from a wilderness with wild animals the only occupants, through the various stages of development up to its present high state of cultivation. Mr. Young believes in the ultimate triumph of good over evil and that all will be saved.
Daniel Terflinger was a pioneer of Jackson township and early in 1848 made an original entry of the southeast quarter of section 28, town- ship 28, just north of Galveston. This was virgin forest untouched by the hand of man. He came to Fort Wayne, and down the "raging canal" to Logansport, and walked through to his forest home. He carried his rifle, which defended him against wild animals and afforded a means of securing game, his principal sustenance. The deadly ma- laria claimed this sturdy settler in 1851, but his widow survived and and lived to be eighty-eight years old. They were the parents of three sons and eight daughters, only four of whom are now living. One son, Benjamin F., was a member of the Seventy-third Indiana Regiment and died in the service of his country. The second son, Jonah V., was a Union soldier in the Twenty-fifth Ohio Regiment, and at the close of the war settled down on the original homestead, but his occupation was teacher and minister. He was married to Miss Laura Beckett in 1873, and they have two children, Fannie (deceased) and Dr. Fred W. Ter- flinger, now superintendent of Longcliff Insane Asylum.
Daniel Terflinger, grandfather of Dr. F. W. Terflinger, was of Ger- man descent. His father served in the Revolutionary war under General Greene and died in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1860 at the advanced age of one hundred and four years. In religious matters the Terflinger family were divided between the United Brethren and the Methodists. The original tract of land entered by Mr. Terflinger, Sr., has never changed hands, but is still owned by descendants of the original pur- chaser.
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CHAPTER XLIX
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP
BOUNDARIES-CREEKS-FIRST SETTLERS-ORGANIZATION-FIRST BIRTHS ..
-FIRST DEATH-MILLS AND INDUSTRIES-CHURCHES-CEMETERIES- SCHOOLS - TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES - VILLAGES - GEORGETOWN - LAKE CICOTT-CURVETON-NORTH LEXINGTON-PHYSICIANS-ROADS AND IMPROVEMENTS-MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS-BIOGRAPHIES
Jefferson township was named after our third president and lies in the western part of the county and embraces the greater part of con- gressional township 27 north, range 1 west. It is bounded on the north by Boone township, on the east by Noble, on the west by White county and on the south by Carroll county and the Wabash river. Crooked creek is the most important watercourse, and is a stream of considerable size. It receives its name from the tortuous course in which it flows: arising in the northeast corner, flows westward, southwest, southeast, south and again southwest, emptying into the Wabash river a mile below Georgetown. It has numerous tributaries, affording ample drainage. This stream furnished abundant water power in the early settlement of the country and was an important factor in inducing immigration to this part of the county. The southern part of Jefferson is charac- terized by a broken surface and in some places along the Wabash may be seen precipitous limestone bluffs of romantic boldness. The country adjacent to Crooked creek and its tributaries is also hilly and broken, while the north and west parts of the township are comparatively level and in some places flat and marshy, although the extensive system of drainage in recent years has reclaimed the swamps and converted them into the most fertile and productive farm lands, whilst the sand hills in the northwest section produce a superior quality of certain vegeta- bles. The soil is not naturally as strong and fertile as some other town- ships, but with drainage and careful cultivation produces abundant crops of all agricultural products adapted to this climate, and an average with the other sections of the county. Lake Cicott, the only lake in the county, is located in sections 20 and 21, Jefferson township. This is a beautiful sheet of water covering an area of about one hundred acres. The waters of the lake are of crystal purity, and it is surrounded on three sides by beautiful wooded hills, making it one of the most romantic and loveliest pieces of nature's handiwork in Cass county.
FIRST SETTLEMENT
Jefferson township, lying on the Wabash river and easy of access by boat or pirogue, which was the only means of reaching the wilderness of Cass county, unless by foot over Indian trails, was early settled. George Cicott was the first white man to set foot within the present boundaries of this township. He was a French-Canadian who for many
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years lived and traded with the Pottawattomie Indians and married an Indian wife.
The Indians looked upon him as one of their number and he was, so far as the rights and privileges of the tribe were concerned. By the treaty of 1826 a reservation of over one thousand acres in the southern part of the township was ceded to him, as were also other tracts of land, includ- ing the present site of Logansport. From the sale of these lands he accumulated quite a fortune. Immediately after the cession of these lands in 1826, or possibly 1827, Mr. Cicott settled on his reservation at what was afterwards known as Georgetown, and opened a trading post and dealt almost exclusively with the Indians, as there were at that time no white settlers in the township. He erected the first mill in the town- ship in 1829 near the present site of Georgetown, and used the water from Crooked creek as a motive power to run the mill. This was a saw and grist mill and was at first operated for the benefit of the Indians, but the white settlers, who soon began to find their way to the wilds of Jefferson, highly prized the products of this mill both for its lumber and meal which it turned out. There is some doubt whether or not this mill was the first one built in Cass county, and the writer is not prepared to say, although General Tipton's mill on Eel river in Logansport is supposed to antedate Cicott's mill at Georgetown. Mr. Cicott died about 1833.
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