Coldwater, Michigan pictorial city directory and year book, 1919, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Coldwater, Mich.] : W.C. Bailey
Number of Pages: 196


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'ATER, MICHIGAN


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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY


225 3 1833 01716 3491 E


Gc 977.402 C67co 1919


BRANC


COLDWATER, MICHIGAN


PICTORIAL CITY DIRECTORY


IGE


MRS. W. E. HODGMAN, Prop'r - LEV E. UNAVEJ, mgr.


ABSTRACTERS OF TITLES


Is Your Title Good ? Get a Perfect Abstract


INSURANCE ARD CONVEYANCING ACTS AS ADMINISTRATOR AND GUARDIAN IN PROBATE COURT PROCEEDINGS. BONDS GIVEN


7 West Chicago St. - Coldwater, Michigan


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COLDWATER, MICHIGAN


Pictorial City Directory Year Book an


JANUARY, 1919


W. C. BAILEY, PUBLISHER


CITY LIMITS


29 Ball Planing Mill


30 Coldwater Packing Co.


3 Third Ward School-Longfellow


31 Champion Brass Works 32 Pratt Manufacturing Co.


4 Fourth Ward School-Franklin 5 Baptist Church


33 Branch Manufacturing Co.


BRANCH


AvL


6 Episcopal Church


7 Methodist Church


35 Calkins Cooperage Works


2ND WARD.


CITY LIMITS


OAK GROVE CEMETERY.


PO Box 2270 900 Webster Street Allen County Public Library


SOUTH LAKE


COLDWATER BRANCH C2, MICH. 1916


RACE


ST


4


CHICAGO


AVE


S.RAIL ROAD


CLARA


L


CONOVER S'


PRESTON ST


HOOKER


sr


RIVER ST.


SHERMAN S'


CRIPPLY


TIDBITS


BLXNIL.TT


SOUTH


-


LAWTON AVE


SPRAGUE


1ªT WARD.


CITY LIMITS


.


4


JACKSON


CLAY


32


PERMINS


ELM


5


31


S .- MONROL -.


DIVISION


WASHINGTON


SY


MAP OF THE CITY OF


WALNUT


PECKHAM


9. HUDSON


ST


ST


- - WARD- -- LINE --


ST


JT


-F


PEARL


LINCOLN


-


EAST


ST


LILLY ST.


S.FREMONT ST


1


.


-


--


N.


19


ST


57


Z


42


PARK ST


COLOWATER


RIVER


---


ST


S.HANCHETT!


ST WARD LINE!


14


W-


-


DAUGHERTY


SPRAGUE


MICHICAN


WEST


- -


-


- -


N. MONROE


PARK PLACE


Sr


29


18 ca


HANCHETT


- WA


ILL


ST


ST


ST


CO


N.


JEFFERSON


CUTTER


AVE


N.


PIERSON


TAYLOR


2


79


W.


CHICAGO .


HARRISON


MILL 37


ST. -


ST


CHURCH


S. POLK


PEARL


--


1


HUDSON


ST


ST


FREMONT


ORCHARD ST


ST


WILLIAMS SF


- GRAND


PIERCE


37


CHARLES


ST


ST


SMITH


ST


MUNSON. ST


WRITTEN AV.


ST


ST


28 Hellenberg Turning Factory


GAREN


PELTON AVE


ALDEN


ST


26 Regal Engine Works


DETROIT AVL


ST


27 Wolverine Portland Cement Co


MARSHALL


MONTGOMERY ST


23 Michigan Inn


24 Depot and Freight House


25 Hoosier Shoe Factory


AVENUE


-WARD


HENRY


POLK


N. F CLAY


ST


LINE


MORSE


LINE


HATCH AVE


ST


LIBERTY ST


HERBERT


21 Hotel Mac


41 State Public School 42 Masonic Temple 43 Bon Ami Club


ABBOTT AVE


44 Elks' Temple


45 Postoffice


ST


SECLY


ST


18 Armory Hall


19 Southern Michigan Hotel


ELIZABETE


PARKHURST AVE.


20 Arlington Hotel


. - . WARD - LINE - -


CLARKE AVE


10 Wesleyan Church


38 Coombs A Mill


11 Lutheran Church


39 Coombs B Mill 40


12 Free Methodist Church


Milk Condensary


COOMBS AVE.


13 Court House


14 City Hall


15 Public Library 16 Municipal Light and Water Plant


3" WARD.


STATE


STAL


. CITY LIMITS


1 Central School-Lincoln 2 Second Ward School-Washington


NORTH LAKE.


8 Presbyterian Church 9 Catholic Church


36 Chandler Box Factory 37 Titus Iron Foundry


17 Opera House


22 Hotel Comfort


WARNE A AVZ


ST


ST WATERMAN AVE


ROSE 5+


-. E.


CHICAGO - - ST


ST


JEFFERSON


ST


30


· DIVISION


SHERIDAN S


SOUTH


VAY


2// CEMENT . FACTORY


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BRANCH


COUNTY


BURLINGTON


STEKONSHA


M.C. RY. B.C. D


EPH


UNION CITY


PROPOSED


HOG


Quaker Lake


ER


R


GIRARD,


SOUTH O BUTLER


SHERWOOD


UNION


GIRARD


BUTLER


OLON


SHERWOOD


Morrison'S Lake


Miller's Lake


ELECTRIC RY.


ST. JOSEPH COUNTY


MATTESON


O


MATTESON


Cook's Lake


COLDWATER


QUINCY


Matteson Lako.


RY.


Marble Lako


M.S.


L.S. 8


cary Lake


O LOCKWOOD!


Lake of! the woods .


Middle Lake Bartholomew Lake .


BRONSON


BETHEL


OVID®


ALGANSEE


RIVER


BETHEL O


Long Lake Crystal Beach


ALE GANSEE


Cold water Lake . Sans Souci


GILEAD


Crooked Lako O


CALIFORNIA


Long Lake


0 NOBLE


Gilead LaKO


KINDERHOOK silver Lake


Fish Lake


Pheasants Lake


NOBLE


KINDER HOOK


RAY L.S.E.M.S


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INDIANA


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HILLSDALE


COUNTY


SW LEÉK


1


Mud Lake


QUINCY


OLDS BATAVIA


COLDWATER


BATAVIA


HERRICKVILLE O


JOS


T


Sherwood Lake.


MICH. CENTRAL RY.


CREEK


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8


COLDWATER IN HISTORY


UST WHO were the earliest inhabitants of this locality no one assumes to say, although there appears to be evidence that the Mound Builders, perhaps descendants of the Aztecs, preceded the "noble red man." Be that as it may, it seems certain that the fierce and warlike Pottowattomie Indians were, as early as 1721, undis- puted lords of the St. Joseph Valley, which included Branch County and . Coldwater Prairie.


Previous to that, Fr. Marquette, the zealous French priest, had discov- ered the mouth of the St. Joseph River, in 1673; and in 1679 LaSalle built a fort there-only 75 miles from Coldwater, as the crow flies.


Until 1763 France held nominal rule over all the region from Quebec to New Orleans; but in that year, when a treaty of peace terminated a war be- tween that country and England, the latter was given Canada and Michigan. It was in this year that the Pottowattomies massacred the garrison at St. Joseph.


At the close of the Revolutionary war England yielded Michigan to the United States, and in 1787 it became part of the Northwest Territory, which extended from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence and from the Mississippi to Pennsylvania.


In 1796 the British surrendered Detroit and other posts to the United States, and Gov. St. Clair proclaimed the County of Wayne, which extended from the Cuyahoga River in Ohio to the Mississippi and northwest to Lake Superior, including of course the present County of Branch (then called the Township of Green) and the entire St. Joseph Valley. In 1800 this locality became a part of Indiana, but in 1805 the Territory of Michigan was formed, with Gen. Wm. Hull as governor.


In 1812 England again came into control of Michigan and secured the help of the Pottowattomies, who massacred the garrison at Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) and killed every American possible, helped by Tecumseh and his Shawnee braves, but at the close of the war the British of course abdicated.


Our predecessors here, the Pottowattomies, lost heart after the death of Tecumseh in 1813, concluding that it was a hopeless task to attempt to stem the tide of the coming whites, and never again gave serious trouble, though their presence here retarded settlement and caused pioneers to hasten on to localities less populous with Indians.


A very old geography, published in 1814, in possession of the publisher of this Directory, gives the white population of the entire state of Michigan as 4,762 at that time, 105 years ago; it is now about three millions.


It was in 1821 that Chief Topinabee and his people sold to the whites what is now Branch County and a vast area besides, though they still continued to occupy it as before, on reservations, one of which was six miles square, called Mikkesawbee, in Coldwater and Quincy Townships. However, they roamed everywhere, to hunt and fish as they chose, in a veritable red man's paradise; the woods abounded in deer, wild turkeys, pigeons, squirrels and other game, while the lakes and streams swarmed with fish. The deed conveying this land to the government was signed by Topinabee, followed by Wawenickemack, Mayoncheemon, Atchwemuckquee, and many others.


The present city of Coldwater occupies part of what was then a beautiful prairie, some three miles long from east to west and a mile or so wide. It was dotted with oaks, with an occasional elm, while bordering it were mag- nificent forests of beech, maple, walnut, whitewood, elm, oak and other trees, interspersed with many streams and some sixty or more lakes, large and small, in what is now Branch County.


10


HISTORICAL


The following abstract of the noteworthy events of the past ninety-six years will be found valuable as a matter of reference:


1822-Joseph Godfrey established a trading post to barter with the Cold- water Prairie Indians. A little later one Marantette conducted another where Oak Grove Cemetery is now located.


1825-The government ordered a 100-foot highway made from Detroit to Chicago, but it proved far too expensive and was abandoned in favor of the old Indian trail through Coldwater (the present Chicago road), which explains the tortuous windings of that thoroughfare today, even though it has been considerably straightened during the ninety-three years that have passed.


1829-Branch County was laid out and so named by the Territorial Legis- lature; it was first attached to Lenawee County and later to St. Joseph. During this year A. F. Bolton bought a tract of land where Masonville was afterward located, east of the present cemetery bridge.


A POTTOWATTOMIE


1830-Hugh Campbell erected the first (log) house on the present site of the Masonic Temple. The county had 50 whites at this time. Stages began running between Detroit and Chicago, supplanting the horseback mail service. Entire county tax, $7.36.


1831-Allen Tibbits and Joseph Hanchett platted a village here, calling it Lyons; according to present streets it ran from Jefferson to Monroe and from Church to Washington. In July Mr. Tibbits preached the first sermon here. A. F. Bolton erected the first frame building in the county, a hotel at Mason- ville; landlord, Harvey Warner. Branch was made the county seat in place of Masonville, which held that honor a few weeks; Branch then had one log house. Coldwater postoffice was at Masonville.


1832-Chicago road built. Oriental Hotel erected by John Morse. Peter Martin built a sawmill at the junction of Division and Clay Streets. Cynthia Gloyd taught the first school, with nine pupils. Silas A. Holbrook established the first store. M. E. Church founded by Rev. E. H. Pilcher, circuit rider, with five members: Allen Tibbits and wife, Joseph Hanchett and wife, ard Amelia Harrison.


1833-The name of the town was changed to Coldwater, from the Indian "chuck-sey-ya-bish" or cold water. Branch County, as such, began its sep- arate existence, March 1: it had previously been attached to St. Joseph County. First sheriff, Wm. McCarty; clerk, Wales Adams; treasurer and register of deeds, Seth Dunham; probate judge, Peter Martin.


11


HISTORICAL


1834-The "old red schoolhouse" was erected at the corner of Pearl and Hudson Streets.


1835-The village of Masonville was platted on the east bank of the Cold- water River and aspired to be the county seat again. Here Roland Root and Wabskokee Marsh bartered with the Indians. Coldwater Baptist Church or- ganized with sixteen members.


1836-Methodists built a church.


1837-The village was incorporated; population of entire township, 900. Branch County had 4,016 people, about as many as the entire state 23 years earlier. `Francis Smith, Thos. Daugherty and Wm. B. Sprague erected a


COLDWATER IN 1830


This rude structure, built by Hugh Campbell on the old Indian trail about where the Masonic Temple now stands, was followed, a year or two later, by a similar one erected by Joseph Hanchett on what is now North Monroe Street, opposite the present City Directory office.


mill on the present site of the "A" mill; it was burned in 1858 and rebuilt in 1859. Dr. I. P. Alger at this time found 33 taverns between Quincy and Stur- gis, indicating the tremendous westward emigration through here at that time. A terrible year for malarial troubles: one historian declares that 32 out of 140 people of the little village died that fall. The cause was said to be the Clay Street milldam, built in 1832. A body of angry citizens destroyed it. July 18, Coldwater's first newspaper, the Observer, was issued. It became the News, then the Democrat, whose existence ended when as the outcome of a row among the owners the office was "pied." Presbyterian Church organized with sixteen members. Log court-house and jail (30 feet square) built at Branch, the county seat. Michigan was admitted to the Union as a state.


1838-Extremely hard times, caused by "wildcat" inflation. Bounty on wolves, $5 each.


12


HISTORICAL


1839-Schoolhouse erected at the corner of Pearl and Clay Streets. A county poor-farm was purchased at Branch; present county farm purchased April 1, 1861. Kakotomo murdered Sauauquett, the Pottowattomie chief.


1840-The last of the Pottowattomie Indians, except a few stragglers, were removed to the far west.


1841-Albert Chandler founded the Coldwater Sentinel. Total county vote, 1,015.


1842-March 1, Coldwater became the permanent county seat, supplanting the village of Branch and blasting Masonville's hopes. July 4, Grand double celebration, Sunday-school and "old way."


1844-Prof. Sweet organized Coldwater's first band. The Baptists built a church where the Old Bank building now stands; it is the present Gage building, 30-32 South Monroe Street. The Presbyterians also erected a house of worship, where the Farmers' Mutual building is now located; it was sold in 1868 to the Lutherans and moved to its present location on South Jefferson Street. Benjamin H. Parker of Batavia was killed by John White, who mis- took him for a deer, those animals, with wolves, bears, etc., being still plen- tiful.


1845-One Robinson was robbed of $1,500 in gold and silver in a Coldwater tavern.


1846-The first jail (in Coldwater) was erected. Spring election voted against liquor selling. Nov. 30, American Hotel burned. Henry Lambert, a machinist, fell heir to $670,000.


1847-The county voted to build a brick court-house; majority, 27, the same figure by which the proposition to build the present one was carried, 40 years later. In this year (1847) a Masonic lodge was established and the Coldwater Guards were organized with S. T. F. Bullard captain; also the Branch County Agricultural Society, with L. D. Crippen president, Wm. B. Sprague vice-president, F. V. Smith secretary, and Geo. A. Coe treasurer. The "old white schoolhouse" was erected on the present site of the Washing- ton school, also a steam flouring-mill on the corner of Jefferson and Pearl Streets.


1848-First brick court-house erected, also a $500 poorhouse. St. Mark's Episcopal Church founded.


1849-July 4, Large quantity of cloth stolen from E. Butterworth's fulling mill, near the river. Nov. 6, Telegraph line reached here. St. Charles' Cath- olic Church founded.


1850-June 10, County treasurer's office robbed of $1.400. Dec. 10, First railroad train reached here. Wesleyan Church established with six members.


1851-County's horse fame began with A. C. Fisk's purchase of Green Mountain Black Hawk for $1,500; later he sold Mambrino Chief for $12,000. March 1, Six stores, the Eagle Hotel and several other buildings burned; loss $15,000. Nov. 17, School commenced in the brick (or Third Ward) schoolhouse with L. R. Austin principal. Nov. 22, Eight stores and one dwelling burned; loss, $12,000. These two fires consumed half the business section. The town had 379 houses.


1852-Feb. 27, Lewis Rolland hung himself in jail. Oct. 7-8, First county fair held. Wesleyan Church erected.


1853-Dr. J. B. Gully opened a "water cure" sanitarium at the corner of West Chicago and Mill Streets.


1854-March 21, Another disastrous fire caused the Village Board to pro- hibit the erection of frame buildings from Clay Street to the parks. Oak Grove Cemetery was established.


1855-Southern Michigan Hotel built-"finest in Michigan."


1856-Aug. 26, First fire company organized, with Clinton B. Fisk as fore- man. "Excelsior" hand engine put into use.


13


HISTORICAL


1857-Corner-stone of the old Episcopal Church laid; completed in 1862; rebuilt and enlarged in 1866.


1859-June 7, The Catholic Church was blown up with gunpowder.


1860-Present Catholic Church erected (remodeled later). Sept. 8, Capt. "Jack" Wilson, aged 38, went down in Lake Michigan with his ship, the Lady Elgin, and 300 passengers; his body was recovered and now lies in Oak Grove Cemetery.


1861-Feb. 28, Coldwater became an incorporated city. Fort Sumter was fired upon April 11, and on the 29th Capt. Ebenezer Butterworth and 145 of his Zouave Cadets left for war; the Coldwater Light Artillery (afterward called Loomis' Battery) left April 30 with six brass cannon and 120 men, only 49 of whom returned three years later. May 1, Many Coldwater men enlisted


THE OLD COURT-HOUSE


Erected in 1848, it was replaced, exactly forty years later, by the present modern structure


in the First Michigan Infantry. Capt. Ebenezer Butterworth was wounded, July 21, at Bull Run and died in a Rebel hospital Aug. 17. St. Paul's Lu- theran Church organized. Old Central schoolhouse erected.


1861-5-Many Coldwater men (and boys) leaving from time to time to serve in the Federal ranks: according to the records the number from Branch County reached over 2.700, of whom about 500 were from this city; over 3,000 horses were bought here for use in the Federal service.


1863-Sept. 19, Capt. George W. VanPelt was killed at the battle of Chick- amauga.


1864-Jan. 1, The famous "cold New Years;" mercury stood 32º below zero. Apri 20, L. D. Crippen died. April 22, F. V. Smith and William G. Moore founded the Union Sentinel. May 15, Col. H. C. Gilbert mortally wounded and 120 of his regiment lost in three charges at the battle of Resaca. On Lincoln's call for 500,000 more soldiers, Coldwater paid $300 bounty, the state $100 and the government $300 to each man. Sept. 19, The Coldwater female seminary was opened. Spiritualist Church built; now the Elks' Temple.


14


HISTORICAL


1865-Jan. 9, Five business buildings burned. Feb. 3, Mrs. Thos. Swaffield suicided. March 12, Several more stores burned; loss, $12,000. S. M. Seely made $1,500,000 in oil speculation. May 24, County jail burned. July 1, Cold- water National Bank opened and Coldwater became a money order postoffice. July 4, Grand celebration and soldiers' welcome home.


1866-January 4, Dr. Henry B. Stillman died, aged 52. February, People in the northern part of the city driven to second story of their homes by flood. March, Dr. A. D. Angel bought Hope Chapel (the Spiritualist Church) for $8,000 to convert it into a hospital. Aug. 23, Present Baptist Church dedicated. Severe drought: two months without rain. Oct. 16, Squirrel hunt held: 23 hunters brought in 723 squirrels, Jerry Hall killing 72. Nov. 3, Geo. O. Brown and Mrs. Eben O. Leach were both murdered near the corner of East Chicago and Daugherty Streets by the latter's husband, who was later sent to Jackson prison for life.


1867-Jan. 3, German Benevolent Society founded. May 5, First Y. M. C. A. organized. June 5, Stevens' wheelbarrow factory burned; loss, $10,000. A hundred new buildings were erected, and the city "almost" got a street railway. Fourth Ward school building erected. Sept. 5, The oil mill com- menced business, using flax. Dec. 24, Geo. Kappler's brewery burned with $7,000 loss; also Quigley's livery barn, loss $8,000.


1868-May 30, Memorial Day first observed; J. H. McGowan, orator.


1869-Jan. 26, Present Methodist Church dedicated. March 26, Gen. Davis Smith died, aged 69. June 21, City bought 95 acres, including present "new" cemetery, for $6,500. Oct. 12, Present Presbyterian Church dedicated. Oct. 20, Lieut. Gov. Coe and James B. Crippen died. Dec. 13, Ladies' Library Association formed, forerunner of the present free public library.


1870-Feb. 8, Cigarmakers' Union organized. April 5, Government sent $3,320.73 here to be given members of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry for helping capture Jeff Davis. June 21, Wm. Morseman and Horatio Larrabee killed by the cars. July 3. Kennedy's brewery burned; loss $6,000. Sept. 12, Marshall & Coldwater Railroad Company organized. Oct. 8, Lewis art gallery opened.


1871-Feb. 7, Work commenced on Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad. March 28, Brown's Savings Bank closed with heavy loss to depositors. April 1, County voted not to build a new jail. July 11, Contract let for building of Marshall & Coldwater Railroad. Aug., Coldwater Light Guard organized with Geo. H. Turner captain. Aug. 10, Two incendiary fires burned S. M. Seely's barn, N. Rosenbaum's clothing store and Tripp's photo- graph gallery; loss, $38,000. Oct., Isaac Alden's flouring mill burned.


1872-Aug. 26, Homer Wright killed by falling from a locomotive. Sept. 1, City bought its first steam fire engine. Sept. 4, Gen. C. O. Loomis died; the remains were burned a few days later in a railroad car. Oct. 3, Sherman House burned. Nov. 30, Mansfield road practically ready for the rails; Marshall & Coldwater Railroad partly graded.


1873-Jan. 29. Mercury 31° below zero. June 20, John Smith shot Deputy Sheriff Jason Culp, almost fatally. Aug. 1, Mrs. Stephen Adamzak burned to death while kindling a fire with oil. Aug. 20, Wm. A. Jackson's handle factory burned; loss, $5,000. Mansfield Railroad pronounced dead; cost the county $200,000. Artemas Allen died, aged 73. Dec. 22, Wesley Sherman was drowned at the Narrows.


1874-April 1, Stevens' wheelbarrow factory burned again: loss $12,000. April 8, State Public School opened. April 18, Boiler in Stevens' reopened factory exploded, killing Isaac Stevens and John Hudson. Nov. 3, County voted to build new jail. Nov. 4, Incendiary fire burned $6,000 worth of head- ing at Calkins' factory, then just established.


1875-March 18, State School hospital burned.


1876-Jan., Union revival services, conducted by Revs. Jones, Cogshall and Lowry, resulted in 162 professed conversions. June 25, Lieut. Henry Harrington was killed in the Custer massacre. July 23, English sparrows introduced by Capt. Mansfield and Geo. Firth. Aug. 1, Nine Coldwater peo- ple, participants in a Baptist Sunday-school picnic, were drowned in Baw Beese Lake; the lost were G. A. Taylor, Mrs. John Moser, Mrs. Thornton


15


HISTORICAL


and daughter Cora, Mary and Libbie Cunningham, Randall Blackman, Alice Hayes, Mary Keeley; the saved, G. N. Ingram, wife and daughter Carrie, G. B. Phinney, Mrs J. Alger, Ella Cunningham, Clifford VanEvery. Aug. 19, Bowen & McGowan's bank failed: liabilities, $90,000: assets, $31,000.


1877-Jan. 23, Stephen C. Rose died, aged 60. March 10, Fire at present site of Osborn's gallery burned the "old white schoolhouse" and other struct- ures; loss, $5,000. June 11, C. A. Woodward & Co. 's dry goods store burned; loss, $11,500. Sept. 12, Mrs. Margaret Bair killed by the cars. Sept. 27, John Chandler died, aged 60.


1878 -- March 21, Coldwater Grange organized with H. B. George master and J. G. Parkhurst lecturer. April 30, Eli Gilmore caught in the act of set- ting fire to C. W. Johnson's cooper shop-the fifth and last of his jobs; sen- tenced to prison for ten years. June 7, Butter sold at 4 to 6 cents. June 29,


OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH, LATER ARMORY HALL


This building, the Episcopalians' house of worship for many years, afterward the home of Company A for some time, was destroyed by incendiaries in 1881, furnishing the "Armory Hall firebug case," most famous trial in county court annals




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