USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1900-1902 > Part 61
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20,000 00 Temporary.
Nov. 1, 1900. Nov. 1, 1901.
Nov. 1, 1898. Nov. 1, 1901.
Nov. 8, 1900. Nov. 8, 1901.
20,000 00 Temporary.
20,000 00 Temporary.
3,000 00 Armory.
500 00 Park.
1,000 00 Fire station.
1,000 00 High school.
Dec. 1, 1897. Dec. 1, 1901.
500 00 Map, etc.
Dec. 6, 1900. Dec. 6, 1901.
15,000 00 Fall appropriations.
$125,000 00
5,000 00 Lincoln school.
1,000 00 Sewerage. 500 00 North school.
Nov. 28,1900. Nov. 28, 1901. Aug. 1, 1894. Dec. 1, 1901.
June 1, 1900. Dec. 1, 1901.
June 1, 1900. Dec. 1, 1901.
June 1, 1900. Dec. 1, 1901.
$500 00 Temporary.
$233,500 00
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CLOSING REMARKS.
During the year 1902 the following amounts should enter the tax levy from votes already passed :
Appropriations made at November meeting,
$8,185 00
Municipal light plant,
3,000 00 .
Lincoln school house,
8,000 00
Warren school house,
2,000 00
Greenwood school house,
1,000 00
North school house,
500 00
Junction school house,
1,500 00
High school house, .
1,000 00
Fire station,
1,000 00
Cemetery,
500 00
Almshouse,
500 00
Map and survey,
500 00
Park (Hart's Hill), .
500 00
Sewerage,
1,000 00
$29,185 00
A further sum will be required for interest, but an unexpended balance the present year of $2609.42 will be carried over and will assist to that extent. An appropriation of $18,500 additional will probably cover the requirements of another year, which sum I recommend.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS J. SKINNER,
Treasurer.
Wakefield, Feb. 10, 1902.
.
.
209
Fish Committee -- 26th Annual Report.
SAMUEL PARKER, Chairman. WILL HARRINGTON WILEY, JACOB C. HARTSHORNE, Sect'y.
"No life so happy and so pleasant as the life of a well-governed angler."
IZAAK WALTON.
A noble army of statesmen, judges, clergymen, lawyers and doctors, and thousands of the rank and file of the fishing frater- nity, as well, have said Amen to this most peaceful sentiment, whether they have fished for sport or for a livelihood. Some one else has said that "what is required, more than patience, to make a good fisherman, is an utter disregard of the truth." He must have been a pessimist of the first water, and doubtless looked upon fishing as a mere waste of time, and upon fishermen at large as a shiftless, lazy set.
In contra-distinction to this libelous view, Ex-President Cleve- land, himself an ardent angler, in an article recently published
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in the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post, entitled "A De- fense of Fishermen," has aroused in the breast of all generous anglers a feeling of kinship; and of "profound pity for those benighted, money-getting people who have no better conception of the uses and beneficent effects of this rational diversion."
Mr. Cleveland is "hail fellow well met" with all who love to fish "because they court the healthful, invigorating exertion it invites, and because its indulgence brings them in close contact and communion with Nature's best and most elevating manifes- tations." He also thinks that "no fisherman who, with rod in hand, sits in a boat or on a bank all day can be called lazy- provided he attends to his fishing and is physically and mentally alert in his occupation."
These balmy days I sail for sport The Quannapowitt sea, Viewing old Reading on the port, Fair Wakefield on the lee.
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The Island Grove in sunset light Looms beautiful and fair ; The fire pines rear their stems of might, Like turrets in the air.
Blow on free breeze, and bend the mast ; Fill strong the snowy sail; The rudder-bands are sure and fast, We court the northern gale.
Bear up, strong keel! the eagle's wing Flashes through glittering spray ; The golden stars in beauty swing Above the watery way. J. H. C.
THE WATERS.
Wakefield is blessed in having within its borders two beauti- ful lakes, each a source of Saugus river, Lake Quannapowitt and Crystal Lake, not far apart, easy of access, with the village centre lying between. Lake Quannapowitt is about one mile long, one-fourth to one-half mile wide, with a maximum depth of 16 feet, and an area of 264 acres. (Its surface, at high water, is about 93 feet above sea-level.) There are no contributary brooks or streams, worthy of the name, its water shed (for the most part) is distant and of slight elevation, and the lake is mainly fed by several active, sub-aqueous springs of considerable extent and volume. Their locations were plainly indicated, the present winter, when the water first froze over. The floor of the lake is practically level, covered with mud, except in some small areas, which sustains a rank and luxuriant vegetable growth at once the despair of the angler, but the umbrageous home and lurking place of innumerable food-fish.
"Water plants in ponds and rivers, alive or decayed, give life and sustenance, it is said, to swarms of microscopic carnivora which are eaten by the larvæ of insects, the perfected insects are eaten by fish, and fish are eaten by men. Thus we eat, in four courses, as it were, the product of water-plants, in a fish; while with the grass of the field there are but two removes, as in beef and mutton."
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LUCAS-
Mr. Catfish-You'd better look out.
Miss Perch-Why ?
Mr. Catfish-The town is about to appoint a new inspector of scales.
WAPPAHTUCK-SMITH'S POND-CRYSTAL LAKE.
Crystal Lake, in the southerly part of the town, is a natural reservoir, set amid scenery of greatest beauty and loveliness. Its altitude at high water is about 86 feet above sea-level, with an area of about 80 acres, including flowage. It is the source of our domestic water supply, being still under the con trol of the Wakefield Water Company.
THE FISH AND THE FISHER. He :.- "Now, then, if fish will only bite, We'll have some royal fun." She :- "And do fish bite ? The horrid things ! Indeed, I'll not catch one."
As we have said before now, old Quannapowitt is a splendid fish pond, and shows but few signs of Peter-ing out. It still
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affords a vast amount of healthful and uplifting pleasure to the canoeist, the yachtsman, the fisherman, and to the mere looker- on. The fish most numerous are pickerel and perch, of which large numbers have been brought to shore this season. Some very large red-perch were caught, and many pickerel weighing from two to four pounds each. The largest pickerel ever taken from this lake was captured some eight years ago, and weighed six and one-half pounds. It was a noble fish, and furnished food for thought for six stalwart fishermen who met at the home of its captor to devour it.
But this fish was a mere pigmy compared with a German carp caught about the last of May by Wesley Gleason of Reading, at the upper end of the lake, near Thos. Martin's wharf, with cod- hook and line, and vegetable bait. It was 37 inches long, 20 inches in girth, weighed more than twenty-five pounds, and was landed after a desperate struggle of three-quarters of an hour Not even Neptune, with his trident, riding in his chariot drawn by his horses over the waves of the sea, appeared more interest- ing or heroic than did this angler, holding on for dear life, and being towed about in his boat by the frantic rushes of this mammoth fish, in his desperate, but useless, struggle for liberty and life. It was with great difficulty that the fish was kept in the boat, when finally landed, and when brought to pan, proved good, both in quality and flavor. These fish are often seen in early spring, in the reeds and rushes, or jumping from wave to wave, at the head of the lake, near Rosson's boat house ; and it is at that season of the year that they give best fun for the fisher and food for the eater. "Can'st thou draw out leviathan with a hook ?" Yes! for others than Mr. Gleason have done it. Mr. Gleason also reports having seen small schools of carp, in shallow water, which he judged would weigh from 10 to 35 lbs. each. On one dark day in particular he saw 20 in 20 minutes below Martin's wharf. In early spring they go down the river to Cox's meadows where they may be seen sunning themselves in the warmer water, and it was here that Mr Arthur Philbrick speared with a pitchfork two which weighed 20 lbs. each. Mr. Frank H. Lactzsch and Mr. Jonathan McMaster each wrestled with some 20-pounders. Mr. Gleason also reports having caught as many
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as 8 bass in a week, weighing from 2 lbs. to 54 lbs. each, off Martin's shore, during the month of June. In July and August he took a large number of perch and pickerel; and one night he caught 37 horned pout, and 17 eels, the largest of which weighed more than 2 lbs. At another time he captured 12 horned pout of a total weight of 21} lbs.
He says further that Mr. Turner, of Melrose, landed a pickerel 2 feet and 1 inch long, which must have tipped his scales at 5 lbs. or less. A Boston angler caught in two days' fishing several bass weighing from 2 lbs. to 42 lbs. each, and filled up the chinks in his creel with 40 perch and 10 pickerel. Mr. Gleason reports having seen large schools of shiners which, of course, relieves our local charities from all anxiety and responsibility for the adult denizens of the lake regions. The carp belong to the family of suckers, are bottom feeders, and may be taken with rod and reel, a long, strong line, and a large hook baited with bits of vegetables, bread crusts or a mixture of dough and cotton- batting. Even a bunch of good fat worms or grubs will some- times prove a tempting lure.
That they find food in the lake in abundance, adapted to their voracious appetite, (they do not devour other fish), is manifested by their rapid growth, and the specimens of which we write probably were not the last nor the largest of the race to be found in these and adjacent waters. In Europe, in private ponds where they are artificially fed, they often grow to weigh from 30 lbs. to 60 lbs. each, and are especially prized by the people of Germany.
White perch are gamey, toothsome food-fish, and there is but one phrase which we can think of (a slang one, per- haps,) which best describes the worth and leading character- istic of the Quannapowitt perch: it is this, "They're out of sight." Not a baker's dozen have been caught since the 225 adult fish were planted in the lake more than four years ago.
We confidently believe, however, that "Tho' lost to sight, to memory dear," (they cost the town nothing), the Creator has preserved a remnant of the race, and that they will make them- selves known and felt in the not distant future. Black bass are rangers, and, like some hungry politicians, they have a strong
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pull, and will not be satisfied until, by hook or by crook, they are well fed and taken in out of the wet. The catch this season has been the largest in recent years, including many fat, lusty fellows, weighing from 2 lbs. to 5 lbs. each. Fred S. Harts- horne captured 15, averaging 3 lbs. each, nearly all of which, being uninjured, were returned to the water alive. E. K. Bowser, Dr. F. T. Woodbury and Wes. Gleason were also lucky.
The writer took 5 in September of a total weight of 16 lbs. Three of them were kept in captivity at Wiley's boat-house sev- eral weeks, attracting much attention, and late in the season were released. The fish and game commissioners of the state have planted 500,000 pike perch in Suntaug lake. They are a very gamey toothsome fish, and will give lots of fun to the angler when they reach their full growth of 2 lbs. or more. Our select- men have petitioned for a consignment of these fish for lake Quannapowitt, and it is hoped that certain obstacles in the way will be overcome, and these fish, or some other kind suitable for the waters, will be secured. Trout fry numbering 10,000 were planted in Saugus river at Montrose a year ago by Mr. Parker of the committee, and are thriving.
THE TIME AND THE LAW.
Fishing is lawful in lake Quannapowitt every day in the year except Sunday. Crystal lake has been closed to all boat-fishing by the owners of the water franchise. Black bass may be taken only from June 1 to Dec. 11, and at no time when less than 8 inches long, and in no other manner than with one naturally or artificially baited hook and line. Penalty : not less than $2 nor more than $20 for each offence.
Pickerel may be taken without restrictions as to time, but there is one condition as to method. Chapter 331, Acts of 1888, adopted by the town, allows but one hook and one line to each person, (man, woman or child), with no restrictions as to length, number or weight of fish taken. There is need of a general law on these points.
THE BAIT.
There are no contributary brooks or streams near by to go to for shiners, and the difficulty of dipping up bait from the lake often
216
consumes much Christian patience and nervous vitality, which ought to be applied to the business of angling, the time for which, in most cases, is all too short, even under the most favor- able conditions. Artificial flies and various kinds of trolling spoons may be used with success. Shrimp are an all-round good bait. A fat, yellow grasshopper, a cheerful cricket or two, a mixture of both, a bit of red flannel or a small, green frog, are often irresistible lures to the wary bass and the piratical pickerel.
Of course, no gilt-edged fish menu is ever complete without a dish of large, red, wriggling earthworms. Bait carried in a bottle should be carefully eschewed; but a tight boat, strong tackle (the best one can afford), tempting lures, a fine day and a school of hungry fish, are indispensable requisites for the best sport and for the capture of the biggest fish. "More to be desired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold;" and many an angler, otherwise honest, has been glad to part with a goodly share of his hoarded wealth to establish a sportsman's reputation and a visible standing in the ranks of skilful anglers. More than one case of lager, bottles of ginger ale and raspberry shrub, etc., used to scent the bait, have been sent to the bottom and lost, having slipped their cable.
Every local fisherman has his favorite spots to fish in, but the stranger in a strange water is often the lucky one who carries off the prize for the largest fish and the longest string. "Doubtful things are sometimes uncertain," and the puny intellect of man is not resourceful enough to induce a fish to take the bait when he doesn't want it. The only thing to do in such a case is to throw rocks, as anglers sometimes do in the Provinces, or make a commotion in the water, send the fish a-flying, and so remind them of the duty and the privilege of the hour. The wisest and simplest thing to do in such a case is to "pull for the shore," and try the fish again some other day, or row around for exercise. Winter fishing has no attraction now, and up to date but few have tried it.
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SOME FISH LORE.
"Wind from the north
Sends the fish forth. Wind from the south Blows bait in mouth. Wind from the east Fish bite the least. Wind from the west Fish bite the best."
You take it or leave it; so do the fish.
RE-STOCKING.
At the request of your committee the selectmen of the town petitioned the State Board of Fish and Game Commissioners for a consignment of food fish suitable for the waters of lake Quannapowitt.
We hope to get some pike perch, a western fish, lusty, gamey, toothsome and clean. Possibly some two-year-old rainbow trout may be used as an experiment. They are said to thrive in shallower, warmer water than the true Salmo Fontanalis, and are well able to escape from most of their enemies natural to the waters of our eastern lakes. If the fish are secured and planted, the commissioners will again put restriction in force, but only as to winter fishing, and for a term of three years as authorized under Chapter 208 of the Public Statutes of 1897. This was done here four years ago when similar action was taken.
We believe it would be wise to restrict also the time for fish- ing to 3 days in each week, and the total weight of fish to be taken in any one day to 10 lbs. for each angler. The commis- sioners have replied to the petition of the selectmen saying, sub- stantially, that, as the lake has already been stocked by them they are compelled by law to decline to re-stock it again, and that they have no further control of fishing in either of our lakes. Inasmuch as the first planting of white perch four years ago has proved an almost utter failure, it seems to your commit- tee that the commissioners might properly and legally do it over again with some other kind of food fish; and we confidently believe that the fish may eventually be secured.
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The commissioners stocked about thirty ponds last year under this statute, planting in them some 2,620,000 fish, which, as every fisherman will understand, is a remarkable record in the annals of fish culture by the State. Hon. E. A. Brackett, now passed 83 years of age, has been a member of the commission for more than 30 years, and is still interested and happy in the hatching of trout fry, surrounded by his Mongolian pheasants and Belgian hares, at his home in Winchester. Mr. Delano is from the Cape region, and is actively engaged at the central office in the State House. Capt. Joseph W. Collins is chairman. He is widely known as a successful expert fish culturist, and was given charge of the United States fish exhibit at the International Exhibition in Norway a few years since.
SUNDAY FISHING.
An erroneous impression prevails that there is no prohibit on of Sunday fishing. Such is not the fact. Chap. 98, Sect. 11 of the Public Statutes provides that "Whoever attempts to take or catch any fish on the Lord's day, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding ten dollars."
This Sunday law has neither been abrogated nor repealed by any act of legislature or court, or decree of commissioners; and all Sunday fishermen are now liable to the pains and penalties of this law at the hands of any person inclined to make complaint.
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MISUNDERSTANDING EXPLAINED.
The fish and game commissioners thought it incumbent upon themselves and their deputies to enforce the above section of the Sunday laws and as a consequence, the law has been as vigorously enforced as any fish and game law on the statute books, until it was considered necessary to take other action.
"Recent rulings of the lower courts, backed by a decision of the attorney general, establishes beyond question the fact that the statute prohibiting Sunday fishing "is not a 'law relating to inland fisheries,'" and that the enforcement of this act (P. S., Chap. 98, Sect. 11) is no more their duty than the enforcement of an- other section of the same act found in P. S., Chap. 98, Sect. 10 : ‘Whoever on the Lord's day discharges any firearms for sport . shall be punished by fine not exceeding $10.'" A later statute (Chap. 116, Acts of 1899) gives the commission full authority to prevent hunting on the Lord's day, and this will be enforced, but this law gives no power to the board so far as Sunday fishing is concerned. Nevertheless it may become the imperative duty of present and future local fish committees to warn all Sunday fishermen of their peril, in the interest of need- ful protection and preservation of our invaluable privilege, if for no stronger moral reasons.
Respectfully submitted, for the committee,
J. C. HARTSHORNE, Secretary. Wakefield, Feb. 1, 1902.
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ENGINEERS' REPORT.
1
TO THE HONORABLE BOARD OF SELECTMEN :-
Gentlemen : The annual report of the board of fire en- gineers is herewith presented, giving the details of the work of the department, records of fires that have occurred during the year ending January 31, 1902.
APPARATUS AND MEN.
Steamer Lucius Beebe, engineer, E. I. Purrington ; as- sistant engineer, A. D. Jenkins.
Steamer Hose Company, captain, F. F. Anderson ; lieu- tenant, J. P. Keefe ; driver, William Tyzzer, eight men.
Hook and Ladder Truck, captain, H. W. Stoddard ; lieu- tenant, A. W. Smith; driver, G. W. Hutchinson, and twelve men.
J. H. Carter Hose Company, captain, Thos. Mc Mahan ; lieutenant, Henry Fay, and eight men.
Volunteer Hose Company, captain, A. D. Cate ; lieuten- ant, C. H. Pope, eight men.
Hose 3 Greenwood, captain, T. F. Ringer ; lieutenants, Chas. Classen and Geo. E. Branch, and seven men.
Hose 4 Montrose, captain, Wm. Buxton ; lieutenant, Wm. Moses, volunteer members. Montrose is a volunteer hose company, serving without pay, and have during the past year rendered valuable service. There is also a jumper at the poor farm, that is manned by residents when needed.
FIRES.
Our record of fires for the past year has been one of suc- cess. Owing to the efficiency of the department in respond- ing, small fires have been the result-our losses have been
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small and will compare favorably with any town of our size. We have had several still and telephone alarms, which the permanent drivers have responded to, saving a general alarm. The department has responded to thirty-six alarms during the year.
Saturday, March 2, box 15, 10.40 p. m. Rattan fac- tory, Franklin street ; Wm. Ricker estate. Value of build- ings and contents $1,800. Loss, $1,800. Insurance, $1,000. Cause, unknown.
Sunday, March 3, 10.01 a. m. Telephone call, re-kind- ling of Franklin street fire.
Friday, March 5, box 8, 8.35 p. m. Melvin street ; hay stock.
Wednesday, April 10, still alarm. Crescent house, Water street. Value of building and contents, $12,500. Insurance on same, $9,500. Loss, $157.00. Cause, lighted lamp.
Thursday, April 18, box 25, 8.10 p. m. Prospect street. Hopkins and Greenough estate. Value of buildings and contents, $1,600. Loss on same, $700. No insurance. Cause, chicken brooder.
Tuesday, May 7, box 9, 10.25 a. m. Brush Fire, E. Belle- vue park.
Tuesday, May 21, still alarm. Dr. Kilgore's house ; Greenwood hose responded.
Thursday, June 21, box 6, 1.50 p. m. Brush fire, Mon- trose avenue.
Monday, July 1, box 8, 2.55 p. m. Unoccupied dwell- ing, corner Melvin and Nahant streets; owned by J. M. Cate. Value of building, $400. Loss, $150. Insurance, $300.
July 4, box 32, 12.40 a. m. Unoccupied house, back of rattan factory ; owned by Wakefield estate. Value of build- ings, $2,000. Loss on same, $100. Insurance, $2,000. Cause, incendiary.
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Thursday, July 4, box 12, 12.59 a. m. False alarm. Thursday, July 4, box 14, 1.30 a. m. False alarm.
Thursday, July 4, box 32, 1.35 a. m. house back of rat- tan factory ; owned by Wakefield estate. Value of build- ing, $1,900. Insurance, $2,000. Total loss. Cause, in- cendiary.
Thursday, July 4, box 7, 1.40 a. m. False alarm.
Thursday, July 4, box 7, 1.50 a. m. False alarm. Thursday, July 4, box 15, 2.50 a. m. False alarm. Thursday, July 4, box 54, 3.05 a. m. False alarm.
Thursday, July 4, box 12, 5.15 a. m. False alarm.
Thursday, July 4, still alarm, 12.40 p. m. Rekindling of ruins of house back of Rattan Factory.
Friday, July 5, box 16, 1.24 p. m. Barn on Oak street owned by Mrs. Kiander, value of building and contents $2,500 ; Loss on same $2,500. Insurance $1,000. Cause incendiary.
Sunday, July 7, box 32, 10.45 p. m. Rekindling of ruins back of Rattan Factory.
Saturday, July 27, 1.10 a m. Still alarm. Rekindling of ruins.
Saturday, July 27, 1.45 p. m. Still alarm. Rekindling of ruins.
Friday, August 16, box 28, 4.50 a. m. Stable on Elm street owned by Mrs. Emma Osgood. Value of building and contents $3,900. Loss on same $2,050. Insurance $3,300. Cause unknown.
Saturday, Aug. 31, box 7, 10.15. Barn on Nahant street owned by A. W. Russell. Value of buildings and contents $700. Loss on same $650. Insurance on build- ing $300. Cause incendiary.
Monday, Sept. 23, box 36, 6.15 p. m. House on Park street owned by Mrs. James Garrity. Value of buildings and contents $3,600. Loss $70.00. Insurance on building $2,500.
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Saturday, Sept. 28, 11.15 p. m. Still alarm. Oak street, rear of school house. Loss $25.00. No insurance. Cause incendiary. Greenwood hose responded.
Friday, Oct. 11, 11.55 a. m. Still alarm. Awning on fire, Volunteer hose responded.
Sunday, Nov. 10, 6.30 p. m. Still alarm. Brush fire.
Monday, Nov. 25, box 58, 12.30 a. m. Barn on Salem street, owned by C. A. Walker. Loss and value of build- ing unknown. Insurance unknown.
Monday, Nov, 25, box 54, 2.30 p. m. Rekindling of barn fire.
Tuesday, Nov. 26, box 16, 7.15 p. m. Barn on Oak street, owned by Ida D. Fell. Value of building and con- tents $2,700. Cause dropping of lantern. Loss on same $2,200. Insurance $2,700.
Sunday, Dec 1, box 23, 12.15 a. m. Store on Albion street, owned by C. F. Woodward. Loss small.
Saturday, Dec. 28, box 26, 12.55 a. m. Fire in Stone- ham.
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 9.15 a. m. Still alarm. Chimney fire on Highland street.
IMPROVEMENTS.
There has been added to the department one supply wagon built by J. B. McLain, of North Reading. This wagon is built for one horse or two. It will be used for exercise wagon and for the general teaming of the depart- ment.
The street watering cart has been painted and varnished and the dump cart will also be painted before it is put on the road this spring. All the old hose has been tested and repaired, new couplings put on when needed. This work is done by the permanent drivers and is a big saving to the town.
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