USA > New York > Kings County > Williamsburgh > A history of the town of Bushwick, Kings county, N.Y. and of the town, village and city of Williamsburgh, Kings county, N.Y > Part 7
USA > New York > Kings County > Bushwick > A history of the town of Bushwick, Kings county, N.Y. and of the town, village and city of Williamsburgh, Kings county, N.Y > Part 7
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A company purchased several farms and combined them in a map of 939 lots of land in W., the title being vested for convenience of sale and the execution of deeds in one William P. Powers, a handsome, amiable and honest young man, who was law-clerk in the office of John 1. Graham, in New York. Powers also held title to one hundred and ninety-seven lots located between 9th street and Lorimer street, and South 3d street and North 2d street, and lying on both sides of Union avenne; also, he held title to the Abraham Meserole farm, west of Graham Ave.
The greatest rivals of Powers' associates were one John S. Mckibben and Thomas Nicholls, and, associated with them as banker and friend, one George D. Strong. Nearly all the land south of the Meserole farm, held by Powers as above, to the Brooklyn line and the cross-roads,
was purchased by Mckibben, Nichols and Strong, and mapped into city lots, both upland and swamp. The only portion of what was made the third district of Williamsburgh, remaining to the original owners, was the part of the Meserole farm lying between Graham avenue and Bushwick avenue, the John Skillman farm, near North 2d street, to the northerly village line and to the meadows, and from Union avenue to near Leonard street-the land formerly of John Conselyea, deceased, afterward owned by Andrew J. Conselyea, as to part, and Mrs. D. W. Townsend and Mrs. Schenck as to other portions, and John Devoe as to land on the southerly side of North 2d street, from Lorimer street to Bushwick avenue. But all these several farms and lands were mapped as city property by their old farm- owners and put on the market in competition with the land-jobbers' stock-in-trade. The village had already assumed jurisdiction, under an act extending its limits, passed in 1835, and laid out the streets as they are now recognized.
Such are the matter-of-fact details of the growth of the paper suburbs of our growing town. Its springs of life were hid away in the speculating haunts of New York city in dingy upper rooms of 142 Fulton street and No. 5 Nassau street, where often at mid-day and at early night-fall gathered those who thought there was something more than Kidd's money hid away in the meadows and uplands of the old town of Bush- wick.
At public and private sale large numbers of lots were disposed of, moneys were paid for margins and mort- gages were taken back for part of the purchase money to twice the intrinsic value of the property. All went merrily, the land-jobbers were reputed to have become wealthy, and their customers saw fortunes in their investments. And the pasture-lands and fields which then made up nine-tenths of the territory of Williams- burgh were clothed in the hopeful imaginings of the holders of lots with all the incidents of a busy, bustling town.
During the year 1836, a company purchased the Con- selyea (formerly Daniel Bordet's) farm, together with an adjoining estate, traversed by the present Grand Street, laid it out (part of map of 939 lots), and erected thereon fourteen elegant first-class dwellings, designed to be the pattern houses of a new and model city. The advance in real estate and population was nnprece- dented-lithographed property-maps set forth in glow- ing colors the unrivalled opportunities and advantages for profitable investments, which were eagerly caught up by the uninitiated, until by this time (1836) real estate in Williamsburgh actually exceeded its present valne.
The Period of Financial Collapse .- Finally the bubble burst, and in the crash which followed-known as the " General Commercial Crisis of 1837," Williams- burgh suffered deeply. A perfect business paralysis
29
FINANCIAL COLLAPSE-A NEW START-CIVIC ASPIRATIONS.
ensned, which seriously shattered the foundations of real and substantial property. Between cause and effect, intervening circumstances delayed the ultimate catastrophe to collateral investments; so that not until 1839 or '40 did Williamsburgh fully realize that the prestige of her second founders was lost. The fourteen model dwellings were followed by no similar erections; here and there a half-finished building, abandoned by its owner, suggested the vanity of all human hopes; the noise of the axe and the hammer was stilled through- ont the village. From 1840 to 1844, the Court of Chancery was fully busied in elearing away the rubbish of private bankruptcies from investments made in these lots, that they might stand discharged from judgments and liens in the hands of responsible capitalists, and in a condition for improvement.
A New Start .- But, healthful legislation, and in- creasing facilities of access, gradually restored business to its wonted channels; so rapid was the progress of the village that in less than ten years, its population had doubled, and its ultimate position as a city became a fixed fact in the public mind. For, during the period (1835-1844) where political and financial history had been so unhappy, social, religions and educational ad- vantages had rapidly increased and helped to lighten the general gloom. In 1837, the Episcopal Church was organized in the city; in 1838, the Williamsburgh Ly- ceum was established; in 1839, the Baptist denomina- tion gained a foothold. In 1840, the opening of the Houston Street ferry opened a convenient transit to residents employed in the great manufactories along the eastern water front of New York City; the village press was augmented by the advent of the Williams- burgh Democrat; and the first omnibus line was estab- lished. The village census gave a population of 5,094. In 1841, the Roman Catholic denomination established itself in the Dutch village neighborhood; and the Odd Fellows organized a branch. In 1842, the First Pres- byterian, and in 1843 the First Congregational Church was commenced; while during 1843-'44 the place be- came a favorite resort of the "Millerite," or Second Advent craze .In 1844, an amended village charter was adopted, under which three trustees and one collector were chosen for each district. From this point, up to 1850, the social, educational and literary interests of the village assumed more definite proportions and vigor; while the number of church organizations was rapidly increased in each of the denominations; and the Wil- liamsburgh Bible Society was formed. In 1848-'49, ap- peared the first Village Directory, published (as also the year following) by Henry Payson; and continued 1850-'5, up to - by Samuel and T. V. Reynolds; the increase of population from 1845-1850 being 19,448. The year 1851 saw the establishment of the Williams- burgh Savings Bank; the Williamsburgh Dispensary; the Division Avenue Ferry, and three new churches.
Civic Aspirations .- Williamsburgh now aspired to
be a city. Several motives conspired to this result. The village government had often exercised doubtful powers, in matters of public improvement. Its several charters, subjected, as they were by the courts, to the strietest construction, were found to allow of too little discretionary power, to be always available in emergen- cies which were constantly arising. Again, the village trustees being mostly men of limited business experi- ence, could not readily work up to a technical and strictly constructed law. It is due, however, to the old village trustees, to say that their carelessness, as to the provisions of the charter, oftener arose from an over- ambition to serve the public in its needed improve- ments of the village, than from any corrupt motives of personal profit. And, not infrequently, they found themselves, as a Board, involved in litigations initiated by the very persons who had petitioned for improve- ments, and whose property was benefited thereby, per- haps to even double the assessments charged to it for the expenses. An unwise fostering of the fire-department, for the sake of its political influence, also gave undue influence to the rowdy element of the population, which soon showed itself in an increased turbulence of the town-meetings, at which alone legal taxes could be or- dered. This, with the impossibility of getting, in the town-meeting, a fair expression of the real public voice -since the meetings could be so " packed " as to leave nine-tenths of the village voters out on the sidewalk- led to legislation for the establishment of a Board of Finance, which should determine the amounts to be raised for specifie objects and provide for their inser- tion in the tax levy.
The City Charter .- Such a Board was created March 1, 1849, by act of Legislature, and consisted of the President and Trustees of the village, with the Town Supervisor and nine other men especially elected for the purpose. But this did not suffice; and finally, the required city charter, drawn by S. M. Meeker, Esq., Village Counsellor, received the sanetion of the Legisla- ture, April 7, 1851 ; the election for city officers was held in November following, and the charter went into effect January 1, 1852.
Street Nomenclature of the Village of Wil- liamsburgh .- The names of public streets frequently express fragments of local history. Some are only to be interpreted by traditions. Men who lay the fonn- dations of a city, or map the locations so to be occupied, are apt to respect a scripture example, in calling their cities " by their own names "-or, by the names of favo- rites and friends. Bushwick had no very conspicuous men ; so, when it became the site of a future town, no local denizen had sufficient sympathy with the matter to wish to couple his name with what seemed so absurd a project. Thus, in old Williamsburgh no streets pre- serve the memory of the Titus, the Miller, the Meserole, the Devoe, the Berry families; nor, even that of its founders, Morrell or Woodhull.
30
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURGII.
Mr. Dunham sought, indeed, to apply his name to the present Grand street; or, at least, to sixty feet wide of the southern portion of it. But the widened street, as a centre line of departure in the designation of all the streets, took the more significant name of Grand street. And Woodhull street, in designating the streets by numbers, was succeeded by "North Second" street. All the regular streets of the village were designated by numbers, except Grand street and the lane known as Water street; a portion of the old road along the East River shore; and a street laid out on the Commission- ers' map as "River street," whose site was over the waters of the East River and has been closed.
In the designation of the streets First street ran along the East River, Second street was parallel or nearly parallel to it, and so the streets were numbered as we went east from the East River up to Twelfth street. And north from Grand street the first street having the same general directions was North First street. The old Jamaica turnpike, from the old Ferry ont, was North Second, and so on to North Thirteenth street, at or along Bushwick creek. Then, south of Grand street and running in the same general direc- tion, though not exactly parallel, South First street to South Eleventh street, at the old Brooklyn line. In this use of numerals there was a certain degree of con- venience ; but strangers are often confused by con- founding First street with North First, or South First, etc.
But it is in the present Fifteenth and Sixteenth wards, that we find the streets designated by historical names. Lorimer commemorates the middle name of John and James Lorimer Graham, two famous land- jobbers there in '36. Even street was named after Daniel Ewen, city surveyor, residing in New York, who surveyed both the old and new village. Graham avenue still flatters the above named Grahams. Smith street commemorated Morgan L. Smith, and Bushwick avenue was the boundary between Williamsburgh and Bushwick. N. Second street was extended on the map of the new village to Bushwick. Powers street, in the present Fifteenth ward, was named after William P. Powers, a clerk in the office of John L. Graham, who was made nominal proprietor of 939 lots for the con- venience of their sale and conveyance to purchasers; also of several other parcels of land. He appears on the record as the greatest land-jobber of the period. While, however, profits belonged to others, the respon- sibilities and losses were sometimes fathered on him. But he has always borne the character of an upright, honest and cultured gentleman. Ainslie street was named after James Ainslie, Esq., who for many years administered local justice in Williamsburgh. Denoe street represented the Devoes, who owned a block or two of land adjoining North Second street on the South side, and whose home was in Bushwick- and not Frederick Devoe, whose farm was on the East
River shore. Going north of North Second street, or the old Jamaica Turnpike, the first street parallel to it is Conselyea street, whose eastern portion runs through the farm late of Andrew J. Conselyea, and about an acre of land of William J. Conselyea his brother; hence the name ; Skillman street, now Skillman avenue to distinguish it from Skillman street in old Brooklyn, derived its name from John Skillman, Senior, who lived and died on the same farm, at or near the pres- ent residence of Charles M. Church, son-in-law to John Skillman. Juekson street was probably named from Daniel Jackson, who, in connection with Gra- ham and Reuben Withers, had some landed interests in Williamsburgh. Withers street was named after Reuben Withers, late proprietor of the Houston street Ferry. Frost street was named from Edmund Frost, who was associated with Handy, Sinclair and Butler in a tract of land in the Fourteenth Ward. Richardson street was named for Lemuel Richardson, whose worthy name is elsewhere mentioned as one of the pioneers in building up Williamsburgh. Sanford street (chang- ed to Buyurd) was in honor of Edward Sanford, a distinguished lawyer associated with John L. Graham in many real-estate transactions. His name had been applied to a street in the Seventh Ward, Brooklyn : hence the change. The substituted name was pro- bably taken from the name of a street in the city of New York.
Going sonth from Grand street Remsen street was named after Abraham A. Remsen, who owned land at its junction with Union Avenue. There is another Remsen street near the City Hall, old Brooklyn, and the name of the E. D. street was changed to Maujer street in respect to Daniel Maujer, Esq., who, about the time, represented the Fifteenth Ward as Alder- man.
Nicholas Wyckoff, the late worthy President of the First National Bank, has his name perpetuated, in Wyckoff street. Stagy street, with its homely name, has doubtless out-lived its patron, who is probably known to but few, if any, of the existing citizens. Scholes street represents the family of James Scholes, dec., late of what is now the 19th Ward. Meserole avenue was named from the Abraham Meserole through whose farm it ran; and not from Abraham Meserole, husband of Maria Miller of the present Thirteenth Ward. Johnson street, or avenue, commemorates the memory of the late General Jeremiah Johnson. Boerum street was named from old Jacob Boerum, who had a farm of 58 acres within the limits of the present Sixteenth Ward, Brook- lyn. This farm was the subject of the great Cleveland law snit.
Me Kibben street was named after John S. Mckibben, who caused a map of a part of the Jacob Boerum farm, as the land of Mckibben and Nichols, to be made and filed. Siegel street, which (on changing the name of duplicate streets in Williamsburgh by the Common
31
STREET NOMENCLATURE.
Council of Brooklyn) superseded Marshall street, was in honor of General Siegel of the late war.
Moore street was named for the late Thomas C. Moore, a manufacturer of wire sieves and netting, who owned lands in that neighborhood. Varette street was named from Lewis F. Varette, a land speculator, who operated on the sale of village lots there and else- where.
Cooke street was probably named from an old resi- dent near the Cross-Roads. Debevoise street (covering a part of the old Brooklyn and Newtown turnpike, by the Cross-Roads) was named from Charles Debevoise, who lived on Flushing avenue, near the western terminus of this street.
The custom of perpetuating the names of the oldest inhabitants by those of streets is more marked in the old City of Brooklyn than in Williamsburgh. In the latter place many whose names are thus perpetuated were really residents of the City of New York, and only interested in Williamsburgh, as speculators.
Trustees of the Village of Williamsburgh .- 1827. Noah Waterbury, Pres ; Abraham Meserole, Sec .; Peter C. Cornell ; Thos. T. Morrell (son of Thos. and bro. of John M.); John Miller (had a small farm of about 11 acres, below South 2d and South 4th, from the East River to near 10th street, and a large family) ; Lewis Sanford, Treas .; J. Brush, Coll'r; Daniel S. Griswold, Vill. Counsel; David Dunham, Clerk.
1828. James M. Halsey, Pres .; John Henry (rope- maker, and owner of lands between 2d and 4th streets); John Luther; James Ainslie (for many years Justice of Peace); Samuel D. Mills (milkman); J. Brush, Collector; W. C. Townsend, Clerk ; Abraham Meserole, Treus.
1829. Same board-except John Morrell (with his brother, Thomas T., real-estate dealer; also grocery busi- ness, conspicuous in early village affairs; was father of Francis V. and Thos. I., who carried on, for many years, the builders' hardware business, being prede- cessors of existing firm of C. H. Tiebout & Sons), vice Ainslie, and John Devoe (son of Frederick D., whose farm was between South 4th and South 6th streets, East River and 7th street), vice Sam. E. Mills; John Devoe; P. C. Cornell, Clerk; Riley Clark, Treus.
1830. Edmund Frost, Pres. (lumber dealer, and inter- ested in lots in N. W. part of village, in company with Butler O'Handy & Sinclair); Lemuel Richardson (gro- cer; afterwards manufacturer of locks and builders' hardware, corner Houston and Norfolk streets, New York, of which the business of II. C. Richardson, decd., 59 Grand st., was a branch. Was a careful bus- iness man, of excellent judgment, and sterling qualities; was about the only citizen who survived the land-job- bing speculators of the village, without becoming bank- rupt, which gave him a high position in the com- munity); John Eddy; Jacob Berry (owner of Berry farm, father of Abraham J. B., the first Mayor of the subsequent city of W .- of Richard B.,
cashier of Tradesmen's Bk., N. Y.,-of Evander B. and of a dan. who m. Geo. Bell, of N. Y.); James Ainslie; Peter Way, Clerk; John Luther, Treas .; P. P. Schenck, Coll'r.
1831. Edmund Frost, Pres .; Lemuel Richardson ; Sam. D. Mills; and James Ainslie; Geo. W. Pittman (cordage mf'r); Chas. H. Davis, Clerk ; John Luther, Treus .; P. P. Schenck, Coll.
1832. James M. Halsey, Pres .; John Luther; John Henry; John Morrell; Richard Churchward; Jacob Berry, Treas .; P. P. Schenck, Clerk; W. J. Fish, Clerk, part of year.
1833. Edmund Frost, Pres .; Lemuel Richardson; Jas. Ainslie; John Morrell; Win. Leayeraft ( son of Rich. L. of N. Y .; father of Wm. II. L., and Mrs. Demas Strong; was a J. of P., and had an office with Justice Leonard T. Coles, in old Trustees Hall, Ist St.) ; John L. Gra- hamn, Vill. Counsel (figured largely in land-jobbing, became bankrupt 1837-40); Jacob Berry, Treus .; P. P. Schenck, Clerk.
1834. Edmund Frost, Pres. ; Lemuel Richardson; Wm. Leaycraft; John Luther; John Eddy; P. P. Schenck, Clerk; J. L. Graham, Counsel; Lewis Sanford, Coll.
1835. (Most of the 15th and 16th Wards, of present City of B., added to the village; number of Trustees increased to nine).
1836. Wm. Leaycraft, Pres .; Daniel Wood (carpenter and wood-turner); Edwin Ferry (grocer); Jas. Guild (hotel-keeper, cor. No. 6th and Ist sts., and was a noted miniature painter); Robert B. Dikeman (rope-maker, and brother of late Hon. John Dikeman); James Ains- lie; Henry Cooke; T. B. Clarke (segar mfr. ); Rich. Leaycraft, Treus .; Alanson Ackerly, Coll.
1837. Edmund Frost, Pres. ; John Morrell; John Skill- man (owner of a large farm in present 15th Ward; was father-in-law of Chas. M. Church, Esq., who resides at old Skillman homestead, cor. Lorimer and No. 2d sts .; also had sons John and Joseph S., still living); Abm. Meserole; John Snyder (undertaker in 15th Ward); Lemuel Richardson; Henry Cooke: Hiram Ross; Wm. Leaycraft; P. P. Schenck; Joseph Conselyea, Treus. ; Alanson Ackerly, Coll .; Ed. Sanford, Counsel.
1838. Edmund Frost, Prest .; John Skillman; John C. Minturn (distiller); Henry Cooke; John Wright i father of Mrs. Grahams Polly; a coppersmith in Cherry st., N. Y.); John Snyder; David Garrett (ropemaker and prominent in fire department ); Wm. Wheaton (wheel- wright); P. P. Schenck, Clerk; C. L. Cooke; Judge Jos. Conselyea, Treus .; Alanson Akerly, Coll. (restaurant, foot of Grand st., until very lately); Edward Sanford, Counsel (lost with the S. S. Arctic).
1839. John C. Minturn,* Pres .; John Skillman ;* C. L. Cooke;t David Garrett; Henry Meiggs (of So. Ameri- can R. R. fame);} John Cook (an Englishman, lawyer); Thos. J. Fenwick* (bookbinder, partner with one Fiori); Jas. D. Sparkman} (cork mfr., in Co. with Jas. L. Truslow; made a fortune; was at one time a
32
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURGH.
supervisor; became Pres. of Mfrs. Nat. Bank, which he caused to be rem. to the building of Brown Bros. & Co., Wall st., N. Y .: but complications in some new bus. ended in his bankruptcy, impair- ing, for a time, the standing of the Bank, which, by returning to W., with capital made good by stockholders, lias since been prosperous. Mr. S. afterward became Pres. of Fireman's Fund Ins. Co., and d. a few yrs. since at Bordentown, N. J., at the old Joseph Bona- parte mansion). Eusebius Hopkins ;* Wm. Frisby; J. J. Bennett ;*¿ Jacob Backns;} Alanson Ackerly;} Samuel Coxt (flour and feed, cor. 4th and So. Ist sts .; a careful bus. man); William Goldert (builder); Henry l'ayson, Clerk; John Titus, Treas. : Hiram Ross, Coll.
1840 .- Henry Meiggs, President ; William Lake, (dock builder and contractor); Wm. Golder ;* D. W. Van Cott* (milkman); Iliram Ross ; And. J. Consel- yea* (owned a forty-five acre farm in present Fifteenth Ward, partitioned 1853 among his heirs); Edward Neville* (kept K. Co. Hotel, corner of First and South Seventh streets-now occupied by W. City Fire Insur- ance Co.); John Titus* (merchant tailor, First, near Grand street); L. D. Cuddy ; | John Skillman ; John Cook ; | Eusebius Hopkins ; Col. Wm. Conselyea, Jr., Treasurer; Henry Payson, Clerk ; Alex. S. Tuttle, Collector (livery stable). 544 names on poll list this year.
1841 .- John C. Minturn, President ; A. B. Van- Cott (jeweler); Jasper F. Cropsey (owned property in Grand, between Third and Fourth streets), refused to serve ; James Fiori (of Fenwick & F., bookbinders); L. D. Cuddy ; Wmn. Richardson (son of Simon R., partner of Wm. Wall, cordage manufacturer); Peter V. Remsen (son of Abraham A., lawyer for many years in Williamsburg, noted for the elegance of his chirography and the skill and exactness of the law papers which he prepared); George Doyle (builder); Richard Berry ; Henry Meiggs ; Edmund Frost ; Noah Waterbury ; Henry Payson, Clerk; W. Conselyea, Jr., Treasurer ; W. D. Lowerre, Collector.
1842 .- John C. Minturu, President ; L. D. Cuddy ; Lemuel Richardson ; P. V. Remsen ; James Noble (coal); Robert Seeley (restaurant, South side of Grand street, near Ferry); Daniel D. Winant (billiard-table manufacturer, New York, School Trustee in Williams- burg for two or three years ; after the consolidation a member for some years of Brooklyn Board of Educa- tion); Marvin W. Fox (from Bozrah, Connecticut, teacher); Nathaniel Willett (enterprising builder- erected present Calvary P. E. Church and City Armory, and mason work of Christ's Church, on Bed- ford avenue; at one time owned Union Hall, corner of Clymer street and Division avenue); James N. Engel,
Treasurer (distiller, foot South Second street, mainly of burning fluid and camphene); W. D. Lowerre, Col- lector. No Counsel elected 1841 or '42 : A. D. Soper acted. 670 names on poll list.
1843 .- John C. Minturn, President ; Lemuel Richard- son ; Peter V. Remsen ; M. W. Fox ; D. D. Winant ; Wm. Lake ; David Garrett ; Eusebius Hopkins ; W. D. Lowerre ; Henry Payson, Clerk ; Richard Berry, Treas .; Jeremiah Meserole, Collector (saloon N. E. cor. Gd & Ist sts).
1844 .- Noah Waterbury, Pres .: Robert Sealy ; Benj. N. Disbrow (wholesale liquor, N. Y.); John A. Burdett (had ppy. interests in Gd. st., cor. 10th- still lives at Newtown, L. I., a garden farmer); Timo. Coffin (a native of Block Island; as a shipmas- ter followed the seas for many years; at length, settled on shore and run a freight-line of sailing vessels to Philadelphia and Baltimore ; some financial reverses came to him towards the close of his life. He became pres. of the Board in 1845 ; coll. of taxes in 1852 under the new city government; was a man of amiable temper, polished manners, and a kindly benevolent spirit, and an honorable, upright and honest man); Isaac Sherwood (a leather merchant of New York); A. P. Cummings (one of the proprietors of the N. Y. Observer, which, by his economy of expenditures, he made a financial success. He res. at cor. of So. 9th and 4th streets, where he had 24 lots of land, which passed to the hands of a Dr. Wade. The house has given place to stores, fronting on 4th st., and the other lots are now occup. by the res. and garden of Jost Moller, Esq., the sugar refiner, and that of Hon. Sigismond Kaufman); B. S. K. Richardson, Treas .; Grahams Polley (an extensive distiller, cor. of No. 4th and Ist sts, began life as a carman; rose to in- dependence; took a great interest in popular educa- tion and in charity to the poor); Alfred Curtis (a book-keeper; eldest son of Lemuel R., a stage proprie- tor ; was at one time in bus. with his father. He ran a line of stages in New York up to about the time of his death, which was sold to give place to street rail- roads for enough to give his family a competence. He His served as village treasurer to acceptance. wid., a sister of Andrew B. Hodges, still lives. A dau. m. Gen. Jeremiah V. Meserole, and another is now the wid. of the late Dr. John A. Brady); W. S. Wiggins, Coll. (Shoemaker, Ewen st.); Paul J. Fish, Con'? (lawyer in W. several years; came here in 1836 or 7; devoted his chief attention to real estate; was for a time Master in Chancery ; shifted his residence from W. to Water- town, N. Y .; came back; then lived in Plainfield, N. J .; finally died poor).
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