USA > New York > Chautauqua County > History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people, Volume I > Part 85
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Beginning with its meeting of April 11, 1017, the re- organized Chapter began holding frequent meetings through its executive committee and arrangements were at once undertaken to institute a working program. At a meeting of the committee, May 8. 1917, it was decided to request the Atlantic Division of the Red Cross to divide Chautauqua county so that the jurisdiction of the original Chautauqua County Chapter should coincide practically with the First Assembly District. This di- vision of jurisdiction was later effected.
At a meeting of the executive committee, May 9, 1917, the Young Women's Christian Association offered rooms in the Association building for Red Cross headquarters. The tender was accepted and headquarters and work- rooms were established in the building of the Associa- tion at the corner of North Main and Fourth streets.
To secure additional members, in May, 1917, an enrol- ment headquarters was opened in a' tent on the lawn of the First Presbyterian Church on West Third street. A very large number of members was secured by the workers at the tent.
On May 18, 1917, the executive committee requested the Women's Patriotic League to act as the Civilian Relief Committee of the Chapter, Red Cross funds to be supplied as necessity arose. The league, under the chairmanship of Mrs. Clare A. Pickard, carried on the civilian relief work until the Home Service Section was organized at a later date.
At a meeting of the executive committee, May 9, 1917, was created a board of control, to consist of the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, and the chairmen of the various committees of the chapter. The Board continued to transact most of the actual business for the Chapter until the annual meeting of the year 1918, when its duties were taken over by the administra- tive committee.
There not being sufficient funds to meet the production capacity of the Chapter workers, the executive commit- tee on October 20, 1917, authorized the raising of the local Red Cross Patriotic Fund. H. H. Roberts was placed in charge of the campaign for raising the fund, and created an organization of about thirty-five cam- paign workers. On November 22 Mr. Roberts reported that the total amount pledged up to that date, to be paid within the succeeding twelve months, was $31,260. This fund was used entirely for the purchase of raw supplies for the local workrooms.
On November 22, 1917, the executive committee re- ceived a tender from the Jamestown Board of Com- merce offering, free of charge, the facilities of the Board's quarters in the Wellman Building. This ten- der included the services of the secretary of the Board of Commerce and the office force. This offer was accepted, and C. W. Herrick, chairman of the ways and means committee, was authorized to undertake fitting up the new quarters for Red Cross purposes. Under Mr. Herrick's supervision the work was ex- pedited, various partitions and equipment were erected, and the Chapter moved its headquarters from the Young Women's Christian Association to the Board of Com- merce hall immediately after the Ist of January, 1918.
Early in 1918 it was deemed advisable to place the workrooms under the charge of a paid full-time super- visor, and on January 3, 1918, Mrs. Ethel W. Curtis was employed as superintendent of the workrooms, a posi- tion which she filled until her resignation, September 5, 1918.
Henry H. Roberts was appointed chairman of the Second Red Cross War Fund campaign. Owing to serious illness, he was unable to act, and Fletcher Good- will accepted the chairmanship and conducted the cam- paign in May, 1918. Noonday luncheons for the or- ganization workers were held daily throughout the week of the campaign, which resulted in more than doubling the city's quota of $50,000. The total amount subscribed was $120,000.
In June. 1918, a campaign for Red Cross nurses was conducted by a committee consisting of Mrs. George L. Maltby, chairman ; Miss Julia E. Anderson, and Wil- liam S. Bailey. The Chapter's quota was fifteen nurses but more than double that number was eventually se- cured.
It becoming necessary to secure permanent quarters for the Home Service Section, arrangements were made in August, 1918, by which a suite of offices was secured in the Wellman Building.
On August 1, 1918, the Board of Control decided to
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ask E. Snell Hall to take the position of permanent chairman of the Home Service Section, with Miss Amy Pryor Tapping as executive secretary. Mr. Hall and Miss Tapping acceded to the board's request and the Home Service Section was thus permanently organized and installed in adequate offices. On October 3, 1918, the Board of Control accepted from the Central Labor Council the sum of $768.90, proceeds from the Council's Labor Day parade which was given under the authoriza- tion of the Chapter. The secretary of the Chapter was directed to convey to the Central Labor Council the Chapter's commendation of the object lesson in prac- tical patriotism which the laboring men of Jamestown gave in behalf of the Red Cross.
The history of the auxiliaries of Chautauqua County Chapter of the American Red Cross is a remarkable tribute to the sympathy and energy of the people of the county.
It was about April, 1917, that interest in Red Cross matters showed some activity. The Chapter was simply the barest skeleton organization, and when a new secre- tary was elected with the idea of thoroughly developing Red Cross work, it had fewer than two hundred mem- bers in the Chapter. From this starting point to the close of the last membership roll call, with a record of almost six thousand members in the auxiliaries alone, the history has been one continuous advance in a cam- paign of splendid achievement. The secretary conceived the idea that interest in the Red Cross could best be aroused by an appeal first to the churches and the fra- ternal organizations. In rural communities meetings for organization were held, and soon the whole territory of the Chapter was covered. The auxiliaries were stimulated to increased activity by publishing in the Jamestown papers about twice a month their standing in membership and contributions, and this led to much good-natured emulation, as first one auxiliary and then another would head the list.
Following is the list of the original officers and the date of admission of the auxiliaries of Chautauqua County Chapter :
Unitarian Church, Jamestown, May 18, 1917. Chair- man, Mrs. Lucy R. Taylor; secretary, Rhoda F. Root; treasurer, Lucia C. Botsford.
Presbyterian Church, Jamestown, May 18, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. Jerome B. Fisher, Jr .; secretary, Mrs. William H. Fletcher; treasurer, Mrs. Arthur Swan.
Eagles, Jamestown, May 18, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. H. A. Hotchkiss; secretary, Mrs. Earl R. Anderson; treasurer, O. N. Rushworth.
Bemus Point, Bemus Point, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Dr. J. H. Kellogg; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Anna W. Cheney.
First Baptist Church, Jamestown, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. A. F. Purkiss; secretary, Mrs. O. F. Laegeler; treasurer, Miss Susan Berry.
Lakewood, Lakewood, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. W. R. Foster; secretary, Mrs. Richard Vipan; treas- urer, Miss Catherine Verner.
First Methodist Church, Jamestown, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. Eugene Clark; secretary, Mrs. James Iverson; treasurer, Mrs. Nathan Crary.
Clymer, Clymer, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. Fran- ces Jaquins; secretary, Mrs. Ida Johnson; treasurer, Miss Ruth Neckers.
Women's Relief Corps, Jamestown, May 24, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. James Malier; secretary, Mrs. James A. Brown; treasurer, Mrs. Charles Horton.
Cherry Creek, Cherry Creek, June 7, 1917. Chairman, Charles H. Hunt; secretary, Julia A. Morian; treas- urer, Nora B. Lake.
Falconer Branch, Falconer, June 7, 1917. Chairman, Dr. E. W. Storms; secretary, C. R. Crosby ; treasurer, Mrs. Laura Davis.
Frewsburg, Frewsburg, June 7, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. Fred Myers; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Allce R. Baldwin.
First Congregational Church, Jamestown, June 7, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. David W. Schenck; secretary, Mrs. Belle C. Wilcox; treasurer, Mrs. G. E. Knapp.
Conewango Valley, Conewango Valley, June 27, 1917. Chairman, Edwin A. Bagg; secretary, Mrs. C. H. White; treasurer, Lillian A. Hopkins.
Samuel M. Porter Camp, Jamestown, June 27, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. W. Cozzens; secretary, Mrs. Emily Sprague; treasurer, Mrs. Bertha Johnson.
Maple Springs, Maple Springs, June 27, 1917. Chair- man, Mrs. John Prather; secretary, Emma Johnson; treasurer, Mrs. C. O. Bosworth.
Mt. Sinai, O. E. S., Jamestown, June 27, 1917. Chair- man, Mrs. R. C Fess; secretary, Mrs. V. A. Hatch; treasurer, Mrs. Georgiana Conner.
D. A. R., Jamestown, June 27, 1917. Chairman, Miss S. Flora Broadhead; secretary, Mrs. D. E. Russell; treasurer, Mrs. S. Winsor Baker.
Kennedy, Kennedy, June 29, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. Gertrude Bush; secretary, O. M. Grubb; treasurer, Mrs. I. B. Kimball.
Villenova, Villenova, July 13, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. Dime Crowell; secretary, C. H. Mansfield; treasurer, Mrs. Esther Mansfield.
Dewittville, Dewittville, July 13, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. P. E. Smith; secretary, Mrs. G. F. Leet; treasurer, Rev. P. E. Smith.
Ellington, Ellington, July 13, 1917. Chairman, Rev. Arthur Stockbridge; secretary, Mrs. Mae Anderson; treasurer, Rev. R. H. Ellinghouse.
Conewango, Conewango, August 29, 1917. Chairman, Irvin Pool; secretary, Florence L. Phillips; treasurer, Charles C. Mason.
Lutheran Immanuel Church, Jamestown. August 29, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. J. Ernest Johnson; secretary, Mrs. Fred Turner; treasurer, Mrs. Richard Berggren.
Graduate Nurses, Jamestown, August 29, 1917. Chair- man, Mrs. Jessie Fizzell; secretary, Mrs. C. Q. Cratty; treasurer, Martha Berry.
Sinclairville, Sinclairville, August 29, 1917. Chair- man, John C. Buchanan; secretary, Martha I. Trussler; treasurer, Mrs. Lelia Putnam.
International Sunshine Society, Jamestown, August 29, 1917. Chairman, Estelle V. Swanson; secretary, Jessie I. Haigh; treasurer, Ella C. Haigh.
West Side, Jamestown, October 8, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. John Lay; secretary, Mrs. Joseph Woosley; treas- urer, Mrs. C. J. Baker.
Camp Street, Jamestown, October 8, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. W. H. Hunt; secretary, Mrs. C. Campo; treasurer, Mrs. A. W. Holm.
Panama, Panama, October 8, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. Etta White; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Margaret Appleby.
Dahlstrom Metallic Door Company, Jamestown, No- vember 15, 1917. Chairman, Miss Florence L. Johnson; secretary, Miss Frances Johnson; treasurer, Miss Helen E. Johnson.
Women's Patriotic League, Jamestown, November 15, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. A. Pickard; secretary, Miss Helen Endress; treasurer, Miss Ruth Skinner.
Busti, Busti, November 22, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. F. P. Simmons; secretary, Georgia L. Hasson; treasurer, Mrs. A. J. Bennett.
Holy Trinity Church, Jamestown, November 26, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. William Stamm; secretary, Miss Anna K. Peterson; treasurer, Mrs. Joel Turnell.
First Swedish Mission Church, Jamestown, December 6, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. John Lindbeck; secretary, Ruby E. Hendrickson; treasurer, Florence O. Bernhard.
Celoron, Celoron, December 13, 1917. Chairman, Miss Theresa Stevens; secretary, Miss Leah Squires; treas- urer, Mrs. Maude Gill.
Norden Club, Jamestown, December 20. 1917. Chair- man, Mrs. E. L. Johnson; secretary, Mrs. Eric Carl- son; treasurer, Mrs. G. C. Freeburg.
Ashville, Ashville, December 20, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. William Greene; secretary, Mrs. W. A. Bly; treas- urer, Mrs. Charles Davis.
Gerry, Gerry, December 20, 1917. Chairman, Charles Smith; secretary, Mrs. M. J. Wilson; treasurer, L. L. Dobbins.
Women's Surgical Dressings, Jamestown, December 20, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. Q. Cratty; secretary, Mrs. Crawford Bargar; treasurer, Miss Addie Williams.
First Lutheran Church, Jamestown, December 20, 1917. Chairman, Mrs. C. L. Eckman; secretary, Mrs. David Lincoln; treasurer, Mrs. Hilda J. Eckman.
Young Ladies' Missionary Society, Jamestown, Jan- uary 17. 1918. Chairman, Mrs. Felix V. Hanson; sec- retary, Miss Florence Johnson; treasurer, Miss Minnie Johnson.
Sons of Veterans, Jamestown, February 16, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. Nellie E. Stone; secretary, Mrs. Edith Cowan; treasurer, Mrs. Gertrude Emory.
St. Luke's Church, Jamestown, February 27, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. Reginald N. Wilcox; secretary, Miss Ju- lia Bloom; treasurer, Miss Helen Endress.
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY CHAPTER, AMERICAN RED CROSS
Y. W. C. A., Jamestown, February 27, 1918. Chair- man, Mrs. E. P. Merrill; secretary, Frances Norton; treasurer, Essel Hegburg.
Lakewood Road, Jamestown, April 4, 1918. Chair- man, Mrs. E. M. Scofield; secretary, Mrs. Oliver Ellison; treasurer, Mrs. Floyd Wilson.
Grace United Brethren Church, Jamestown, April 4, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. N. J. Macintyre; secretary, Miss Florence Laird; treasurer, Mrs. Vern Dewey.
Union Auxiliary, South Stockton, May 2, 1918. Chair- man, G. L. Laurance; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. D. A. Snyder.
Ivory, Ivory, May 29, 1918. Chairman, A. J. Stanton; secretary, Mrs. Erma Warn; treasurer, Mrs. Edith Grout.
Kiantone, Kiantone, July 17, 1918. Chairman, J. M. Hall; secretary, Abner Hagburg; treasurer, Mrs. G. C. Kidder.
Niobe, Niobe, July 17, 1918. Chairman, Ivan Allen; secretary, Myron Ireland; treasurer, Frank Bates.
Mayville, Mayville, July 17, 1918. Chairman, Newton Lincoln; secretary, Mrs. Rata Cornell; treasurer, Mrs. Culley.
Fluvanna, Fluvanna, July 17, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. Hetty Sherwin; secretary, Mrs. Chettie Hale; treasurer, Mrs. Alta Cederquist.
New Century Art Club, Jamestown, July 17, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. Charles M. Dow; secretary, Mrs. Sid- ney Clarke; treasurer, Miss Bertha Skiff.
Danish Congregational Church, Jamestown, July 20, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. H. Martens; secretary, Mrs. Ruth Kofod; treasurer, Mrs. Leonard Chindgren.
Zion Mission Church, Jamestown, October 25, 1918. Chairman, Mrs. P. A. Johnson; secretary, Mrs. Hen- ning Olson; treasurer, Jennie Swanson.
The Junior Red Cross of the Chautauqua County Chapter was organized in November, 1917, Miss Net- tie J. Armstrong being appointed chairman of the Chapter School Committee by the executive committee of the Chapter. The rural and village were organized by the district superintendents, interested Senior Red Cross members, and by chairman of the Junior Red Cross, Miss Nettie J. Armstrong.
On April 10, 1919, Chautauqua County Chapter had a total membership of 20,078, of which number 5,464 were rural members, belonging to twenty-four rural auxili- aries. The other 14,614 were members of the thirty-one city auxiliaries or members at large. There were also 53 magazine members and three contributing members.
The first membership campaign was conducted in May, 1917, under the direction of William S. Bailey. A gen- eral canvass of the city was made by a group of well- known women, each of whom became responsible for calling at every home within one of the thirty-one mail delivery routes. The campaign resulted in securing ap- proximately 1900 members.
The membership campaign for the year 1917-18 was placed under the direction of H. H. Roberts, in De- cember, 1917. Mr. Roberts created a membership cam- paign organization with fourteen district managers and secured a place for his campaign headquarters in the Samuels Hotel lobby through the generosity of George F. Hurlburt. On January 3, 1918, Mr. Roberts reported a total membership of approximately 6,000 as a result of the campaign.
The Christmas Roll Call membership campaign of 1918 was conducted u. der the leadership of Nathan M. Willson. The Samuels ex-bar was secured for Roll Call headquarters through the generosity of George F. Hurlburt, and a canvassing force was organized cover- ing every block in the city, utilizing the records and personnel of the Jamestown War Council. G. R. Broad- berry was in charge of the roll call throughout the auxiliaries. The roll call resulted in securing a total membership of 16.414 for Chautauqua County Chapter.
The Chapter has five life members, as follows: Mrs. Frank W. Cadwell. Miss Bertha Preston, Miss Anna L. Crissey, Miss Mary Crissey, and one name unrecorded. The financial record, April 6, 1917-May 1, 1919, is as
follows: Receipts-Membership fees, $28,870.00; con- tributions, $66,651.34; patriotic fund, 30,721.45; war funds, $98,653.35; total, $224,896.14. Disbursements- Production supplies, $79.403.36; Chapter expenses, $14 .- 507.22; paid to National Red Cross, $116,499.29; bal- ance on hand, $14.486.27 ; total, $224,896.14.
The following record covers the output of supplies produced by Chautauqua County Chapter, its auxiliaries and branches, and shipped to the Atlantic Division be- tween April 6, 1917, and April 16, 1919: Hospital gar- ments, 16.555; hospital linen, 18,501 ; refugee garments, 8,536; knitted articles, 24,236; surgical dressings, 94,323; Christmas comfort kits, 1,234; total, 163.385.
For the shipment of this large quantity of Red Cross supplies 251 shipping boxes were made by the boys of the Jamestown Grammar School under the supervision of the Director of the Vocational Department of the Jamestown High School.
In accordance with instructions from the Atlantic Division, made-up supplies and raw materials on hand at the close of the war were later distributed to various institutions and organizations as follows: Jones Gen- eral Hospital, Jamestown ; Fire Department; Parochial School; Daughters of Isabella; Jamestown Public Schools; Creche Day Nursery: Warner Home; Wo- men's Christian Association; Hospital and Jamestown Visiting Nurse Association.
In October, 1917, the local Chapter received from the Atlantic Division a request to provide five emergency cot outfits for use in base hospitals in the various cantonments. Compliance with the request was author- ized by the Chapter, October 15. 1917, the collection of the equipment being supervised by Miss Gertrude E. Clement, Mrs. H. W. Bloomquist, W. S. Bailey. The Chantanqua School of Nursing provided a room in its building for storing and assembling the equipment, the bedding and clothing were provided by the local work- rooms, and the cots themselves and equipment of utensils were purchased by the Chapter. Cloth for the fifteen blankets required was generously donated by the Acme Worsted Mills, the blankets being made in the Chapter workrooms.
The complete equipment comprised the following: 20 sheets, 5 rubber sheets, 5 hot-water bottles with covers, 15 wool blankets, 10 pairs pajamas, 20 towels, 10 pillows, Io pillow cases, 10 hospital bed shirts, 10 wash cloths, 10 pairs cotton socks, 5 bedpans, 5 urinals, 5 folding can- vas cots, toilet paper, 5 pairs slippers. The five emer- gency cots and complete equipment were shipped to the Atlantic Division by express November 27, 1917.
To the thousands of Red Cross workers who by their heroic service on battlefield and battleship, in dugout, trench and hospital, in ministration to the wounded and dying, have won the honor and love of millions, too much praise cannot be given. But as all know, the ministrations of the Red Cross within the lines of battle and throughout the war stricken countries of Europe have not comprised all its activities. The gathering and distributing of food and clothing for millions of starving and shivering refugees and the preparation of tons of hospital supplies has gone on uninterruptedly throughout the years.
But there is still another department of Red Cross work-that carried on under the title of Civilian Relief or Home Service, which as it shuns publicity is the least known of all. In fact nearly all of its activities are of a confidential nature, its underlying purpose to act the part of friendly adviser and helper to the fam- ilies of the men who left business or school and home and all that was dear to answer their country's call.
Just what this has meant, only one who has seen the
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CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
anxious faces and heard the stories of sordid, pathetic, and courageous human lives can realize. In many cases dependent wives and mothers had little, often almost no experience in the simplest of business affairs. With slight warning, little ability, and almost no opportunity to learn, they were compelled to act the part of head of the house.
The first chairman of the Home Service Section of Chautauqua County Chapter was Mrs. Rachel Giles Pickard, who had been previously engaged in home relief work, as carried on by the Patriotic League, an organization which was financed by public subscription, for the purpose of aiding the families of men serving on the Mexican border. She began her work under the auspices of the Red Cross in April, 1917, and concluded it in March, 1918. She was deeply interested in these activities and gave herself whole-heartedly, even at considerable personal sacrifice, to the relief of distress, which even in those early days of the Section was brought frequently to her door. In March, 1918, Mrs. Pickard was succeeded by G. R. Broadberry, who con- sented to take charge of the work temporarily until a permanent chairman could be found. From September 9 to February 14, 1919, the work was carried on by a force of eight people, all but one of whom were volun- teers, but in February the services of Miss Leora Field, a trained social worker, were secured.
The cooperation of physicians, teachers, attorneys and many others enabled the Section to operate much more efficiently and to make the office the clearing house of all the auxiliaries of Chautauqua County Chapter, re- quiring correspondence with the numerous government bureaus in Washington and the Atlantic Division in New York. Although the amount of money the Home Service disbursed in loans and grants was small, $1,112.33, (of which $233.55 was repaid within a year) no deserv- ing request was refused. The great work of the Home Service was advisory and in performing the more diffi- cult task of fostering a spirit of self-reliance and thrift.
A local emergency met in a characteristic manner was the influenza epidemic which began in Jamestown about October 7, 1918. On the 9th of October, Chairman Endress appointed a Red Cross committee which con- sisted of Colonel Endress as chairman, with Dr. Jane Greeley, Dr. Eliza F. Cottis, E. Snell Hall, W. S. Bailey, and Mrs. C. Q. Cratty as members. The committee met at once and reviewed the situation. The greatest need seemed to be in private homes where all the family were ill, or where the housewife was ill and there were little children or infants. There were practically no graduate nurses available, and only hospital facilities for pneumonia cases, the very severe influenza cases, and those who were in boarding or rooming houses and in the poorest tenements. The problem was to care for patients in their own homes. It was decided to engage Miss Marie Morgan, who already conducted a graduate nurse registry, to register both the cases needing help and all who were willing to render assistance, and then to make daily appeals through the local press as the situation demanded. The work was carried on in close association with the Board of Health, the Visiting Nurse Association, the City Hospital, and the Thrift Kitchen, all of which agencies ultimately devoted their entire forces to influenza work for about six weeks and did much work over a period of several additional weeks.
Food and supplies were provided for the first few days by Miss Morgan from supplies solicited by her. The need became so great that the Thrift Kitchen, organized under the Food Administration, took over the entire food problem, obtained the funds, prepared the
food, and delivered anywhere in the city upon request. The Red Cross workrooms supplied the pneumonia jackets and influenza masks, and other agencies fur- nished the rest of the supplies needed. Some of the sick were so ill as to require one person constantly in the house. In most homes a helper did the necessary work, attending to the patient and the little children of the family, sent in an order to the Thrift Kitchen for the kind and quantity of food needed, and then went to another home. The doctors reported all cases of need of care or food or both to the Board of Health, where both the Board of Health and the Visiting Nurse Asso- ciation were working. From there the calls went to Miss Morgan and to the Thrift Kitchen. The Motor Corps under the direction of Miss Mary Bemus had cars at the City Hall practically all the time for im- mediate use, and no one can estimate the lives saved by this efficient teamwork.
Besides the people who worked in the homes, as more and more of the graduate nurses became ill it was neces- sary to put a number of the girls who had had home nursing courses in the hospital to work. These girls volunteered, and worked ten to fifteen hours a day or night among the very sick patients, giving a very en- thusiastic and capable service which will always be a pleasant remembrance to their patients and those who worked with them.
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