USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1878 > Part 1
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Ex Libris HENRY-SILLBALDWIN
Vestigio Nulla Retrosum PONTEN FECIT
RF
SPANDE
CANE
NN
REBVILT IN IODAYS OPENED JVLY 18,1921:A).
TWENTY- SITXH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
AUDITING COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEB. 28, 1878;
LYNN: JOHN MACFARLANE & CO., PRINTERS, NO. 55 MUNROE STREET. 1878.
TWENTY- SITXH ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
AUDITING COMMITTEE
OF THE
TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING FEB. 28, 1878.
LYNN: JOHN MACFARLANE & CO., PRINTERS, NO. 55 MUNROE STREET. 1878.
351 Sw 1878-87
Report of Auditing Committee.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF SWAMPSCOTT :
Your Committee, appointed to audit the town accounts for the year ending February 28, 1878, have attended to that duty, and herewith present their report, together with some suggestions for the consideration of the Town.
1st. We notice that it has been the custom, for several years, for the Overseers of the Poor to issue orders on the Treasurer for the money needed in that department, while our By-Laws (unless they have been altered) are to the effect that money shall be paid out of the treasury " only by order of the Select- men." We do not wish to be understood to reflect in any man- ner upon the present managers of that department, nor their predecessors, but simply recommend a return to the former and better way.
2d. It has been customary, for some years past, to pay to the Surveyor the whole sum of money appropriated for Highways, to be expended as he sees fit. This is one of the largest and most important departments, and we do not see why it should differ from the others, and would suggest that the bills for labor, teams, etc., be approved by the Surveyor, and sent to the Selectmen for an order for payment.
3d. We are of opinion that an improvement might be made in the purchase of fuel for the town. As at present conducted, each department buy what they want, as low as possible. Could not a saving be made if the Selectmen be authorized to secure proposals for supplying all the fuel needed?
4
AUDITORS' REPORT.
4th. We think every Town Officer or Board of Officers should be instructed to bring all their books, bills, and accounts, and deposit them in the town safe, on the 28th of February of each year, for the benefit of the Auditing Committee, and leave them there until the Committee are through with them, as much of the time of the Committee in years past has been spent in repeated- ly sending for the accounts of different departments.
5th. The present code of By-Laws, which were adopted in 1852, when we first became a Town, fail to meet the require- ments of the town, and we recommend that they be revised, or a new code adopted.
6th. As only about a week intervenes between the closing of one year and the Town Meeting, a period much too short to pro- perly prepare and distribute our Reports, we are of the opinion that a change of Town Meeting to the third Saturday of March would enable the citizens to read and digest the Town Reports more fully, and would be found to be a change for the better.
7th. We notice that the Town of Nahant instruct their Audit- ing Committee, in connection with the Heads of Departments, to prepare a list of appropriations for the several departments, and print them in their Report for the consideration of the Town at their meeting ; a plan which might be adopted here with profit.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
FRED. O. ELLIS, Auditing CHIAS. A. HASKELL, 2D, Committee.
ASSESSORS' VALUATION OF THE TOWN, MAY 1, 1877.
Real Estate $2,041,935 00
Personal Property 340,323 00
Total .
$2,382,258 00
5
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Rate of taxation : $8.50 on $1,000
Number of polls 632
Total tax on polls . $1,264
Total tax for State, County, and Town purposes $21,513 48
Number of dwelling houses 488
" acres of land
1,547 1-8
" horses 185
66
"' COWS 97
66 " sheep 20
Births : males, 22 ; females, 22 ; . 44
Marriages . . 20
Deaths : males, 20 ; females, 20 ; .
40
Population, State Census of 1875,
males, 1036 ; females, 1092 ; 2128
6
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Statement of Town Debt.
C. F. Coffin, trustee $11,000 00
P. A. Chase,
5,000 00
Elizabeth Proctor 500 00
John N. Hooper .
874 80
Lynn Five Cents Savings Bank
2,500 00
Lynn Ins. for Savings
6,000 00
66 66
66 6 .
4,500 00
John Smith . 300 00
P. A. Chase 5,000 00
Edward Knowles 250 00
Blaney & Phillips
1,000 00
Estate of Warren E. Small
500 00
Outstanding orders
169 15
$42,593 95
The balance of uncollected taxes is as follows :
William Seger (1874) . $ 548 82
6 6 " (1875) . 1,633 64
D. P. Stimpson (1873)
604 66
... (1876)
3,476 31
(1877) 5,227 61
Total Tax uncollected
$11,491 02
Due on State Aid
$ 628 00
Cash in Treasury . 2,605 91
Value of Public Property
36.200 00
$39,433 91
$50,924 93
5,000 00
7
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Receipts and Expenditures.
SELECTMEN'S DEPARTMENT.
Appropriation . $1,500 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Joseph Stanley, Chairman of Board of Select-
$200 00
George H. Hobby. Selectman 100 00
Elbridge Foster, 75 00
Benj. J. Lindsey, Town Clerk, 75 00
6: 60 recording births, marriages and
deaths . 31 25
D. P. Stimpson, Treasurer and Collector 325 00
D. H. Millett, Assessor . 90 00
George Towns, 35 00
George Smith, 35 00
J. A. Knowlton, 66 (1875) 25 00
Daniel Marshall, Fence Viewer 2 00
C. A. Haskell, 2d, Auditor 10 00
Fred O. Ellis, .6
. 10 00
A. J. Lee,
66 10 00
Bessom Steam Job Print, 650 Auditor's reports . 57 70
66 66 66 tax bills . 7 00
66 66 66 voting list . 8 00
66 posters, etc. . 4 75
Robert Wiley, distributing Town Reports 3 00
A. F. Bartlett, 3 00 ..
J. H. Crossman, returning deaths . 15 00
Bartlett Shaw, repairing Marshall street drain . 71 00
66 ('hild's 9 80
Amount carried forward,
$1,202 50
men
8
AUDITORS' BEPORT.
Amount brought forward, $1,202 50
Paid Rufus Kimball, printing 1 75
E. H. Wardwell, moving boat house 20 00
Chas. H. Flint, sewer pipes 16 90
Mass. State Sec'y, register of voters 80
T. O. Philbrick, drain pipe . 1 92
Jos. Stanley, fee to County Commissioners 2 00
W. Atkins, moving boat house and repairs . 30 00
Isaac K. Harris, plan and survey Stacey's Brook 50 00 Tax, to town of Marblehead . 6 34
Eben Holt, stock and labor . 2 50
Expenses of petition to County Commissioners concerning new road to Marblehead . 15 99
Mark Proctor, for land 15 00
Leonard Blanchard, Life Boat house rent 20 00
Thomas Bergen, labor 3 00
D. P. Stimpson, administering oaths, postage, etc. 6 09
Benj. J. Lindsey, express, postage, etc. 7 17
D. Holman Millett, preparing Register of Voters
15 00
D. Roberts, Hay Scale land rent 4 00
John Chapman, stock and labor on signs 5 00
stock and labor 16 17
66 gate at Gravel Pit 5 00
$1,447 13
SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.
Appropriation . . $7,000 00
Received from School Fund 190 57
$7,190 57
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Mrs. L. M. Means, services, teacher $665 70
Miss Mary Landen,
665 70
Mrs. M. E. Larkin
449 92
Miss Kate Commerford. .. ..
449 92
Amount carried forward,
$2,231 24
9
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Amount brought forward,
$2,231 24
Paid Miss Sarah Palmer, ..
449 92
.. C. F. Mott,
66
449 92
.. A. M. Mott,
436 78
Alva Goudey, . .
66
428 48
" C. M. Colcord,
66
399 92
Hattie Thing, ..
228 54
" E. J. Hadley,
192 82
" C. L. Bancroft, . 6
51 41
6 M. E. Seger, ..
13 14
S. E. Eastman, services, Committee
75 00
R. B. Jordan.
60 00
Mrs. L. Hayford,
'60 00
A. F. Nesbitt,
Truant Officer 45 00
E. S. Martin, .. Janitor, Grammar School 247 84
James Bryant,
Pine st. 100 00
Mrs. H. Coan, ..
66 Beach st. 100 00
Thomas West. .. Grammar 36 25
Mrs. Casey, . . ..
Farm 6. 35 00
R. V. Bessom,
Essex st. 14 00
Mrs. Kane, cleaning Grammar School . 3 70
J. L. Hammett, books, stationery, school mdse . 62 01
N. C. Newhall, repairing and cleaning clocks . 3 25
W. B. Chase, books and supplies 21 50
T. O. Philbrick, stock, labor, and supplies 87 71
John Chapman, stock and labor 35 28
Gilbert Delano. 14 26
Choate & Rowe, coal (55 4-5 tons) 269 66
School Committee, coloring walls, Pine st. School 57 24
Miss E. J. Hadley, Phonic Chart 2 00
Bartlett Shaw, grading Grammar School yard .
46 36
Farm 66 17 87
G. H. Wadsworth, sundries for Grammar School 4 93
S. Armstrong, labor 3 00
Ivory Emmons, stock and labor, Essex st. School 23 75 66 Gram. & Beach “ 18 50
Jonathan Blaney, 44 cedar posts 15 40
Amount carried forward,
$6.341 78
.
66
10
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Amount brought forward.
$6,341 78
Paid D. P. Stimpson, services and stamps . 1 30
J. P. Small, stock and labor 14 64
George H. Holden, supplies
2 16
Hanford & Phillips, stock and labor, Gram'r Sch.
21 45
..
Beach 16 90
66 . 6 Pine st. ". 5 55
Charles Rowell,
. . 4 00
Philip Ashton, ink
3 92
George F. King, 12 reams paper
30 00
E. E. Boynton, school books .
2 34
Daniel Lombard, labor
2 00
Bessom Steam Job Print, 650 School Reports .
36 80
$6,482 74
HIGHWAYS.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation . . for water . 200 00
$3,000 00
$3,200 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Bartlett Shaw, teams and labor
$3,000 00
Samuel C. Pitman, labor on snow 44 21
City of Lynn, for water
173 01
$3,217 22
POOR DEPARTMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation . $800 00
Town of Weymouth, aid to W. Atwood 170 59
Aid rendered and reimbursed 97 25
Mrs. Twining's funeral expenses and part of house rent refunded 52 50
Town of Brewster aid rendered A. Maker 18 00
$1,138 34
11
AUDITORS' REPORT.
EXPENDITURES.
Paid groceries, rent, and medicine, to Mr. and Mrs. E.
Twining . $388 86
Taunton Lunatic Hospital. aid James Bishop . 206 94
Worcester " Margaret Welch . 197 42
Town of Marblehead, aid William Quiner . 169 54
Groceries, &c., to W. Atwood, (reimbursed as above, ) . 167 09
Town of Natick, aid to Henry Allen 106 65
Aid rendered and reimbursed as above 97 25
City of Boston. aid to Ellen Burrows
72 00
Z. Small, Overseer for 1877 .
34 00
J. A. Knowlton. Chm'n and Sec'y Overseers, 1877 30 00
Groceries to A. Maker, (reimbursed as above) . 18 00
Groceries to P. A. Martin . 14 46
Groceries and coal to Henry Durgin . 12 10
John Washburn, Overseer for 1877 . 10 00
Choate & Rowe, wood and coal to Mrs. D. Frazer 6 00
Groceries to Mrs. Jacob Phillips . 5 00
Groceries to James Stone . 3 72
Blank book, stationery, and stamps . 3 18
City of Lynn, aid to Mrs. Caroline Pierce . 1 00
$1,543 21
TOWN LIBRARY.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation $100 00
Dog tax . 219 40
Received for books loaned 402 45
$721 85
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Estes & Lauriat, books $189 40
A. H. Roffe & Co., papers and magazines 75 00
A. Williams & Co., books 20 95
Daniel Appleton & Co., Art Journal . 8 00
Amount carried forward,
$293 35
12
AUDITORS' REPORT.
Amount brought forward. $293 35
Paid Procter Brothers, Cape Ann Advertiser 2 50
C. L. Dodge, book . 2 00
D. P. Stimpson, magazine . 3 33
H. N. Hastings, Enterprise 1 00
J. W. Reeves, book . 2 00
Stimpson & Co., paper 14 18
Thomas B. Breare, binding . 38 35
A. F. Nesbitt, care Reading Room 17 00
M. Nesbitt, 66 20 75
Curtis Merritt, Librarian 175 00
66 sundries . 2 70
George Till, Assistant Librarian 50 00
$622 16
TOWN HALL.
RECEIPTS
Received for rent of Hall . $213 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid William A. Francis, supplies . $24 45
Hanford & Phillips, stock and labor 10 30
John Chapman, 66 2 75
G. H. Wadsworth, supplies 3 53
Josiah C. Bray, labor
2 00
Charles Rowell, .. and stock on cellar 2 50
Joseph Holmes,
1 00
A. E. Mudge, 1 50
Choate & Rowe, coal and wood . 25 00
George H. Holden, supplies . 10 07
A. F. Nesbitt, care of Hall . 4 40
Moses Nesbitt, “ ". 45 83
66 cleaning and painting 14 00
$147 33
CEMETERY.
RECEIPTS.
Appropriation
$100 00
Received from sale of lots . 55 00
$155 00
13
AUDITORS' REPORT.
EXPENDITURES.
Paid John Chapman, stock and labor $7 50
R. V. Bessom, labor 70 00
S. T. Beers. 16 62
R. Harris, teaming 10 50
J. S. Brown, labor 1 85
G. H. Wadsworth, shovel 1 00
P. Farrell, labor 1 75
S. H. Shaw, labor 7 50
Joseph Stanley, services as Superintendent . 25 00
$141 72
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Appropriation
$150 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid J. C. Bray, services as police . $163 50
notifying dog owners 15 00
F. A. Tweed, services as police 30 00
J. B. Hawes, team . 3 00
Jas. Wheeler, services as Constable 29 50
Moses Nesbit Police 11 00
$252 00
STREET LAMPS.
Appropriation
$150 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Walworth Mfg Co., 84 gals naptha 16 80
Alvah Walker & Co., 2 bbls oil . 13 93
T. O. Philbrick, supplies 6 24
Jos. Stanley, faucet 75
G. W. Stone, glazing
8 00
Geo. W. Harris, care of lamps 7 28
Edward Marsh, 66 82 50
$135 50
14
AUDITORS' REPORT.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
RECEIPTS.
Rent of Engine House IIall . $5 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid John Chapman, stock and labor $12 55
Joshua P. Small, paint 1 70
Moses Nesbit, labor 1 00
Robert Harris, moving engine 2 00
A. F. Nesbit, labor 1 68
A. F. Bartlett, “ 1 25
A. Holbrook, repairs on engine . 36 00
$56 18
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. EXPENDITURES.
Paid R. B. Jordan, services Board of Health .
15 00
W. C. Stone, 66
" (3 years) 15 00
B. M. Green,
(1877) . 20 00
W. B. Chase, 66 66
(1876) . 16 00
B. M. Green, 66 7 00 .
$73 00
STATE AID.
RECEIPTS.
Received from State .
$726 00
EXPENDITURES.
Paid Joseph W. Glass $72 00
William Widger 48 00
Patrick Milan 48 00
A. M. Chute . 48 00
William H. Johnson 48 00
Charles H. Fairbanks
48 00
James Umber 52 00
Edward Winslow 48 00
John C. Stimpson 120 00
Horace W. Wardwell 66 00
John Holden . 30 00
$628 00
15
AUDITORS' REPORT.
RECAPITULATION.
Appropriations and Receipts.
Expenditures
Selectmen's Department
. $1,500 00
$1,447 13
School
66
7,190 57
6,482 74
Highway
3,200 00
3,217 22
Overseers
1,138 34
1,543 21
Town Library .
721 85
622 16
Town Hall
213 00
147 33
Cemetry
155 00
141 72
Police Department
150 00
252 00
Fire ٠٩
5 00
56 18
Lamp
150 00
135 50
Health
73 00
State Aid .
726 00
628 00
State Tax
2,510 72
2,145 00
County .
2,014 17
2,126 85
Interest
3,000 00
3,139 36
Corporation Tax
1,305 54
Balance Corporation Tax. 1876
52 62
6.
1877
64 33
National Bank
1,576 96
$25,674 10
$22,157 40
SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY.
Town House and lot .
$10,000 00
Grammar School House and lot
8,000 00
Beach ٠،
. 6 66 4,000 00
Pine street
7,000 00
Essex street ··
2,500 00
Farm
.6 66
2,500 00
Engine House. Engine and Hose 1,200 00
Gravel Pits
1,000 00
-$36,200 00
16
COLLECTORS' REPORT.
Town of Swampscott in account with D. P. Stimpson, Collector, 1877. Dr.
To amount taxes collected,
1877, 1876
$15,683 20
6.
. .
. .
1873 .
114 70
66 abated.
1877
75 40
. 6
1876
281 97
66
..
1873
200 20
.6
.. discounted, 1877 .
561 58
..
interest collected,
1877 .
7 86
1876 .
216 79
taxes uncollected,
1877 .
5,185 30
66
66
1876
3,476 31
..
66
1873
604 66
1877.
Cr.
By amount taxes committed, 1877, . $21,505 48
balance
1876 .
7,359 45
1873 919 56
interest collected
-$30,009 14
D. P. STIMPSON, Collector.
Town of Swampscott in account with William Seger, Collector. 1877. Dr.
To amount collected, 1875 .
$981 78
66 66 1874 661 63
66
abated, 1875 14 75
uncollected, 1875 .
1,633 64
66
1874 .
548 82
interest collected, 1875 .
148 49
.6 66
1874 .
142 60
$4,131 71
1877.
Cr.
$2,630 17
By balance committed, 1875
1874
1,210 45
interest collected
291 09
$4,131 71 WM. SEGER, Collector.
Swampscott. February 28, 1878.
$30,009 14
224 65
-
3,601 17
66
17
TREASURER'S REPORT.
Town of Swampscott in account with D. P. Stimpson, Treasurer.
Dr.
To cash paid Selectmen's orders, 1877 . $12,387 78
Overseers' 66 1877
1,577 12
Selectmen's
1876 331 95
Overseers'
1876 38 52
State tax
2,145 00
County tax
2,126 85
State aid
628 00
National City Bank of Lynn, tempo-
2,000 00
Elizabeth Proctor, p't pay't note 100 00
Prov. Inst. for Savings, note .
4,500 00
National City Bank, temp. loan
4,000 00
Henry Martin, note .
1,000 00
interest on notes . 3,139 36
Cash in treasury, February 28, 1878
2,605 94
Cr.
By balance cash in treasury March 1, 1877
Cash State Treas., bal. corp. tax, 1876
52 62
66 in't on State tax .
10 72
..
Nat'l Bank tax
1,576 96
School Fund . 190 57
66
State aid
726 00
66 bal. corp'n tax, 1877
64 33
County Treasury dog tax .
219 40
int. on county tax
14 17
Joseph Stanley, rent of Town Hall
139 50
rent of engine hall
5 00
cemetery lots
55 00
. . naphtha bbl
10 00
A. F. Nesbitt, rent of Town Hall
23 50
S. O. Ingalls, rent of Town Hall
50 00
C. V. Merritt, Town Library
402 45
From notes given
13,000 00
Overseers of Poor
338 34
William Seger, taxes
1,934 50
D. P. Stimpson, taxes
19,399 07
66
interest on taxes 224 65
$41,080 52
D. P. STIMPSON, Treasurer.
.
corp'n tax .
1,305 54
rary loan
4,500 00
$41,080 52
$1,338 20
Surveyor's Report.
The Surveyor respectfully submits a synopsis of the expendi- tures of his Department.
The number of days' labor in gravel pits and on
the streets and sidewalks was 642 at $1.75 . . $1,123 50
Number of horses and carts with drivers was 412 at $3.50 . 1,442 00
Running snow plow and shoveling snow
91 77
Personal services 100 days at $2.50 250 00
Supplies for Highway Dept.
$2,907 27
92 73
$3,000 00
Number loads gravel hauled on streets and sidewalks 2,437 Number loads taken from gutters 350
BARTLETT SHAW, Surveyor.
Swampscott Town Library.
LIBRARIAN'S ANNUAL STATEMENT.
Number of books in Library March 1, 1878 2,981
Number of books added during year . 161
DONATIONS.
W. R. Lawrence, . 1 vol.
City of Lynn, . . 1
U. S. Government, . 5 66
HI. N. Hastings & Sons, 1
Number of days open to public 63
Number of books delivered 6,610
Cash received as fees $402 45
CURTIS MERRITT, Librarian.
Swampscott, March 1, 1878.
Selectmen's Report.
We beg leave to submit the following report of our doings for the last year.
STACY'S BROOK.
In compliance with a vote of the Town, the County Commis- sioners were petitioned by the Selectmen to see what action they would take to adjust the difficulty in regard to Stacy's Brook. Notice was given by the Commissioners to the City of Lynn and the Town of Swampscott that they would hold a meeting in the Town Hall, in Swampscott, on July the 2nd. At that meeting the Mayor of Lynn and Hon. T. B. Newhall appeared for the City. After talking the matter over, examination of the brook was made by the Commissioners and the authorities of Lynn. Here the Commissioners ordered a survey to be made of that part of the brook from New Ocean street to the sea. Then they say, we will leave your petition on file, then if Lynn and Swamp- scott cannot agree, the matter can be brought up again anytime. Mr. I. K. Harris of Lynn was employed to make the survey and estimate of cost. After this plan was ready Lynn was notified, and a special committee was appointed by the City Government. Notice was given by this committee that they would meet with the Selectmen of Swampscott, on Wednesday, August the 22nd, at the outlet of the brook.
The survey of the Brook as made by Mr. Harris was now ready for consideration. The subject was carefully looked over from New Ocean street bridge to the sea. Some explanations of of cause and effect were given by Mr. Thomas Hadley in regard to the overflow of those low lands by the waters of Stacy's Brook. The next thing we hear from this committee of Lynn, is through the newspapers that they had investigated the matter and ascertained that the city had no responsibility in the matter, and therefore should incur no expense. The estimated cost by the plan of Mr. Harris is about twelve hundred dollars. In consideration of the large outlay of money and the lateness of
20
SELECTMEN'S REPORT.
the season it was thought best by the Selectmen to lay the mat- ter over for further action by the town.
HIGHWAYS.
The gravel in the pit in the western part of the Town is about all used up, and it will be essential for the Town to secure an- other pit for the coming year, in order that we may not come short of gravel for the roads in the western and middle part of the Town. The stone wall on the southwest side of Highland street is in rather a bad condition and will need repairing next year. A complaint was made by Dr. Lodge to the Selectmen on account of a large hole dug out by the side of his land by some former Surveyor, which he asks the Town to fill up. By the ef- ficient and judicious management of our new Surveyor, the roads, streets and sidewalks have been kept in excellent repair the past year. In accordance with a vote of the Town, the obstructions to the Highways on Kings Beach have been removed.
POLICE.
The preservation of good order and quiet, especially through the Summer months, is very important to our community.
It was thought best by the Selectmen to employ a special police, and Mr. J. C Bray was employed, and proved to be a very efficient officer. It will be necessary to appropriate a larger sum of money for the department in order to employ a special police during the Summer.
FIRE.
This department was found to be in rather a bad condition, the engine was not in good working order, and there is about three hundred feet of hose fit for use, which is a small supply. It was thought best by the Selectmen to have things fixed up a little. The engine was overhauled by Mr. Holbrook of Lynn, and put in good repair. New doors have been made for the front part of the Engine House, which was very much needed.
All of which is respectfully submitted by
JOSEPH STANLEY, Selectmen E. G. FOSTER, of
GEO. H. HOBBY, S Swampscott.
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SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1996 00132 2983
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