USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 26
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A view of the market house and lock-up was taken by Pho- tographer Wesley Green in 1865, when his rooms were on the third floor of the Dibert Bank building, and, as the scene shows, the camera was pointing downward, and some of the men, con- sequently, had their limbs cut off at the knees.
The second building was the burgess' office, council room, lock-up, and a prison for commonwealth prisoners pending a hearing, or for temporary quarters before starting overland to the county jail. The crowd around it was not an unusual occur- rence, as many noted and sensational prisoners have been con- fined therein.
The next building was the office of Dr. Thomas McClure, a dentist, with an open porch on the first floor, at the corner. The little log building with the two little peep holes for windows, was one of the old houses of Johnstown, and stood back from Locust street, as the fence indicates, and belonged to the log house fronting on Franklin street, the property of John Buck- walter. The next one was used by John Parke, a marble cutter. The residence of the Hon. George S. King was on the lot ad- joining it, to the left, but the artist failed to catch everything.
The church is the second one erected by the Methodist Epis-
279
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
copal congregation on this site, finished in 1854, by Emanuel Shaffer. The first one was built by Joseph Shaffer and George W. Easly in 1838, and was a one-story brick, about 50 by 70 feet. The interior was in one room, which was used for the delivery of sermons, Sunday-school, classroom and prayer meetings.
The second church was a two-story brick, with the main audience room on the second floor; it was torn down in 1866, when the Rev. Cornelius H. Jackson, late of Canton, Ohio, was the resident pastor. The third-the stone church-was built under his supervision, and was dedicated in the spring of 1870, when the Rev. A. H. Thomas was pastor.
The house on the corner opposite the church was the store and residence of the late John Brady. Thomas Quinn, the father of James Quinn, resided in a brick beyond, which is hidden by the foliage.
The house which stands in the roadway of Franklin street was the Simpson House, afterward known as the Mansion House. It stood on the northerly side of the Canal, but in 1868, when Franklin street was extended to Pearl street in the rear of the Mansion House property, it was moved up and back in line with Franklin and Broad streets.
The weigh scales were moved to Franklin street in 1855, and were placed close to the northerly side of the first telegraph pole. On account of the indistinctness of the picture, the scales do not show very well, but they were there. The platform can be noted, and the bulge on the pole, to the right of the gentle- man's head, is the upright which contained the balance bar and weights.
In the distance is Prospect borough, which had been incor- porated less than two years before-December 9, 1863-and was not very large.
The foliage on the easterly side of the street is a fair re- minder of all the streets in the residential portions of the city prior to the flood of 1889. One of the particularly beautiful spots was near the corner of Main and Walnut streets; for a square or more, on both streets, and on either side, the shade trees were as beautiful as any that ever grew. It was a bowery, not as the word is now used, but as it was in its primitive purity.
1900.
1890.
Population of Cambria county.
104,837
66,375
Adams township
3,613
1,037
Allegheny township
1,342
1,257
280
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Population-
1900.
1890.
Ashville borongh
393
289
Barnesboro borough Barr township
1.482
1,336
920
Blacklick township
1,622
624
Cambria township
1,160
1,069
Carroll township
2,284
1,226
Carrolltown borough
790
634
Chest township
674
508
Chest Springs borough
202
255
Clearfield township
1,135
1,205
Conemaugh township
778
764
Cresson township
1,572
.
Croyle township
2,185
1,874
Daisytown borough
435
Dale borough
1,503
.
Dean township
373
501
East Conemaugh borough.
2,175
1.158
East Taylor township
698
845
Ebensburg borough
1,574
1,202
East ward
528
West ward
1,046
Elder township
1,504
711
Ferndale borough
224
Franklin borough
961
662
Gallitzin borough
2,759
2,392
Gallitzin township
1.473
1,076
Hastings borough
1,621
1,070
Jackson township
2.006
987
Johnstown city
35,936
21.805
First ward
2,253
Second ward
1,118
Third ward
595
Fourth ward
1,115
Fifth ward
2,036
Sixth ward
2,635
Seventh ward
2,627
Eighth ward
960
Ninth ward
2,429
Tenth ward
1,692
Eleventh ward
1,127
Twelfth ward
1,420
Thirteenth ward
1,254
Fourteenth ward
1,726
Fifteenth ward
2,288
Sixteenth ward
3,011
Seventeenth ward
2,774
Eighteenth ward
1,111
Nineteenth ward
1,255
281
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Population-
1900. 1890.
Twentieth ward
1,701
Twenty-first ward
809
Lilly borough
1,276
915
Loretto borough
240
236
Lower Yoder township
2,194
4,290
Munster township
429
400
Patton borough
2,651
Portage borough
816
564
Portage township
3.018
1,246
Reade township
2,980
2,235
Richland township
1,378
920
Rosedale borough
386
Roxbury borough
808
Scalp Level borough
450
. ..
South Fork borough. First ward
2,635
1,295
Second ward
1,324
Spangler borough
1,616
...
Stonycreek township
1,275
1,788
Summerhill borough
591
Summerhill township
704
602
Susquehanna township
1,898
1,160
Tunnelhill borough
674
730
Upper Yoder township
943
1,325
Washington township
1,336
1,662
Westmont borough
499
West Taylor township
1,206
1,277
White township
760
690
Wilmore borough
264
350
THE POSTOFFICE AND POSTMASTERS, ETC.
Prior to the appointment of Mr. Beaty, the first postmas- ter, the people of this vicinity were served from the office at Stoyestown, and after the office was established in Johnstown, on July 1. 1811, mail was brought from that office two or three times a week by messenger service. In 1830 the mails were carried by stage, messengers and canal, followed later by the railroad.
The name of the office was Johnstown until February 23, 1831, when it was changed to Conemaugh, but on March 17, 1836, retook its old name. The first office was in Jolin Linton's log house on Main and Franklin streets, which was burned in 1867. While Shepley Priestly was postmaster and before 1832, the office was in his dwelling on the lot of the late P. C. Bol- singer, on Main street. It was in this building that a bread
.
1,311
282
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
basket placed on a table was used to hold the mail. In the absence of the postmaster the patrons were obliged to look over the entire mail and take such as belonged to them. In 1832 the office was moved to the Zimmerman building on Main street. In 1840, Mr. Renshaw changed it to the Exchange hotel building on the corner of Clinton and Locust streets. In 1841, Harrison appointed Geo. W. Kern who moved the office to the lot now occupied by P. S. Fisher, on Clinton street. Jordan Marbourg took it to what is now the Foster corner at Main and Bedford streets, and in 1849, George Saylor moved it to the Thomas Gore building on Main street, east of Franklin, where it remained until Mr. Boggs changed it to the Osborne build- ing on the corner of Franklin and Ebbert alley. There it re- mained until the administration of Evan Roberts who changed it to the Tribune building, where it stayed located until the term of Mr. Woodruff when it was taken back to Clinton street, in the Ruth block on the corner of Clinton and Locust. During Mr. Master's term it again found lodging on Franklin street in the Franklin building, on the corner of that street and Locust, where it is at present.
Two days after the flood of 1889, Postmaster Baumer se- cured the brick building on the northwest corner of Main and Adamı streets for the postoffice, and continued it there until the Tribune building had been repaired and arranged for the mails.
The first postage stamps used in the United States were issued in August, 1847, although they had been introduced in England in 1840. The government issued but two denominations -a five and a ten cent stamp; the former was characterized by a portrait of Franklin, in a bronze tint, and the latter by a profile of Washington, done in black. In 1851 these stamps were with- drawn, and eight new ones issued-of one, three, five, ten, twelve, twenty-four, thirty, and ninety cents value.
But postage stamps were not popular, and less than ten per cent. of all the letters mailed were sent without them-having the word "collect" written on the addressed side. This prac- tice continued until 1855, when prepayment was made obliga- tory.
Prior to this time letter sheets had taken the place of envelopes, which were not in general use. The letter proper was written on one side of the paper, which was folded and tucked in at the ends, then secured with wax. A common thimble very often served as a seal. although many persons had those
283
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
of elaborate and individual design. The address was written on the back of the sheet.
Until 1845 a letter meant a single sheet. If two sheets or a clipping were enclosed, the rates were doubled. The postage on second class matter was regulated by the size of the paper, magazine or periodical; if it contained nineteen hundred square inches or less, the rate was one cent; if over that and sent from the office of publication it was two and a half cents.
In 1838 the cost of an ordinary letter between Cambria county and Baltimore was eighteen and three-fourths cents. In 1847 the rate for a single letter to be carried under three hundred miles, and not exceeding half an ounce in weight, was five cents; the same weight for a distance over three hundred miles was ten cents. To send one from New York to California cost forty cents, and from New York to Great Britain, twenty- four cents. The postage on a single letter was subsequently re- duced to three cents between any points in the United States, and later it was still further reduced to two cents for each half ounce.
The following are the names of the postmasters of this city with the dates of their appointments :
John Beaty, July 1, 1811; John Linton, July 17, 1811; Shepley Priestly, October 18, 1818; Shepley Priestly, February 23, 1831; Shepley Priestly, March 17, 1836; Samuel J. Renshaw, July 29, 1840: Jolm K. Shryock, February 23, 1841; George W. Kern, June 4, 1841: Jordan Marbourg, June 13, 1845; George Saylor, April 21, 1849; Ephraim Buck, May 5, 1853; Henry A. Boggs, February 16, 1859; Isaac E. Chandler, April 8, 1861; Evan Roberts, May 27, 1865; George Geddis, June 7, 1870; George T. Swank. June 2, 1874; Herman Baumer, July 26, 1886; James E. Ogle, July 29. 1890; Lucian D. Woodruff, January 14, 1895 ; Samuel Masters, May 26, 1899; Levi J. Foust, December 7,1904.
JOHNSTOWN IN 1856.
One of the brilliant young men of Johnstown was Andrew Jackson Hite, a gentleman and a first-class printer and writer. He started a job office in a building where the Citizens' National Bank is now situated, and, as he said, not having much to do, he published a paper-back book of fifty-eight pages under the title of "The Hand Book of Johnstown for 1856, containing a short sketch of its history, together with a general business
284
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
summary." The advertisements and the history alternated, page by page. In referring to "The Present" he said :
"Johnstown -familiarly,-it includes the Bor- ough of Johnstown-embracing as well as the town proper, the villages of Kernville, Sharpsburg, and Hornerstown; the Borough of Conemaugh-embracing the borough proper, The Island, and Goose Island; Cambria City, the Iron Works, Rheys- town, Prospect, & C., with a united population of over six thou- sand.
"The business of Johnstown is embraced in fifteen Dry Goods Stores, about thirty grocery and provision stores, four drug medicine and book stores, three clothing, two watch and jewelry, two fancy and millinery, two variety, one hat and cap, one hardware, one fur store, one eating house, four oyster saloons, one wholesale liquor, one brewery, one billiard room, one ten pin, one wall paper, one shoe findings, four paint shops, fourteen shoemakers', one tallow chandler, fifteen plasterers, four tailors, eight or ten carpenter shops, four cabinet, four barber shops, three tanneries, two newspapers, one job office, one daguerrean gallery, one stoneware manufactory, one mar- ble shop, three wagon shops, one carriage manufactory, three sadler shops, twelve butchers, one cigar manufactory, six black- smiths, eight or ten bricklayers, seven lawyers, two dentists, one banking house and twelve teachers."
The business men, their occupations and places of its trans- action were as follows:
Charles Ambrose, barber and hairdresser ; Main street, four doors from the Mansion House.
John F. Barnes, lawyer; office on Franklin street, two doors from the corner of Main.
Bell, Smith & Co., banking house. The partners were S. H. Smith and Daniel J. Morrell of Johnstown, J. M. Bell of Holli- daysburg, R. B. Johnston. William Jack and William M. Lloyd of the same place, Charles S. Wood and Richard D. Wood of Philadelphia. (The bank occupied the site of the Citizen's Na- tional Bank.)
John Benton, carpenter and builder, Morris street, Kern- ville.
Casper Burgraff, grocer and confectioner, Clinton street, between Main and Locust.
Daniel Burk, dry goods, clothing and groceries, corner of Clinton and Locust streets.
William Burns, plasterer and stoker, Market street, op- posite the Union schoolhouse.
Elijah Butler, butcher, at stall No. 1, Market house, Pub- lic Square.
W. H. Canan & Co., The Yellow Warehouse, near the head
285
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
of Canal Basin. Wholesale and retail dealers in flour, bacon, fish, dry goods. boots, shoes, salt, lumber and groceries. The partners were William II., Robert II., and S. Dean Canan.
Levi B. Cohick, justice of the peace, Main street, nearly op- posite the Cambria House (now the Merchants' Hotel).
Moses Cohn, ready-made clothing, Suppes New building, Clinton street.
John Conrad, lawyer, office on Clinton street, three doors east of McMillan's hotel.
John Dibert, Main street, four doors east of the Mansion House; dry goods, hardware, groceries, glass and nails.
Samuel Donglass, druggist and justice of the peace, corner Main and Franklin, opposite the Public Square.
William Dysart, painter and glazier, Main street, three doors above the Mansion House.
George Engelbach, Exchange Hotel, corner of Clinton and Locust streets.
Jacob Fend, grocer and confectioner, ice cream and ice, Main street, opposite the Cambria House.
John Flanagan, manufacturer of saddles and harness, va- lises, etc., Clinton street, two doors north of Good & Persh- ing's store.
Adam Fockler, grocer and confectioner, Main street, two doors from Clinton, north side.
Frankel & Hart, clothing, corner Railroad and Clinton streets.
Jacob Fronheiser, dry goods, groceries, hardware, boots, shoes, and building material, Railroad street, three doors from Clinton street.
Geis & Murphy, dry goods, groceries, hardware, queens- ware, hats, boots, etc., Fronheisers' building, Railroad street, two doors from Clinton street. The partners were John Geis and John J. Murphy.
G. O. Gibbons, furniture and cabinet ware, Arcade build- ing, fronting the mouth of Canal street.
Good & Pershing, wholesale and retail dealers in dry goods, groceries, hardware, hats, boots, shoes, oil and lumber. Clin- ton street, opposite the mouth of Railroad street. The part- ners were Samuel Good and C. L. Pershing.
S. L. Gorgas & Co., dry goods, groceries, hardware, hats, bonnets, boots and shoes, and drugs and oils. The partners were Samuel L. Gorgas and George W. Kern, on corner of Canal and Clinton street.
Gregg & Bolsinger, drugs, books and stationery, Clinton street, three doors from Main.
Thomas S. Gregory, house, sign and ornamental painter, Franklin street, nearly opposite the residence of D. M. Hay.
Hart & Bro., wholesale and retail grocers, Main street,
286
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
opposite the Cambria House. The senior member was Cyrus Hart.
Frank W. Hay, wholesale or retail manufacturer tin, copper and sheet iron ware, stoves, etc., Canal street, one door below the collector's office.
Michael Hay, physician and surgeon, Franklin street, three doors from the Lutheran Church.
Haynes & Young, manufacturers light carriages, and coach makers, Water street, Kernville, immediately west of Stony Creek bridge. The partners were John Wesley Haynes and A. S. H. Young.
Heslops' wall paper, painting and glazing, Main street. The partners were James Heslop and Gale Heslop.
George Hinish, proprietor of the Mansion House, south cor- ner of Clinton and Franklin streets. (This is evidently an er- ror, as the Mansion house was on the southeast corner of Main and Franklin.)
Hite & Kooken, carpenters and builders, Market street, west of Main. The firm was John Hite and Jesse Kooken.
Casper Hoerle's, furniture ware rooms and undertaker, Main street, above Bedford.
Holmes & Young, watchmakers and jewelers, Main street. The members of this firm were Joseph G. Holmes and James Young.
A. J. Hite's job printing establishment, after the first of April next will be found in the building two doors below the Mansion House. on Main street.
S. Kimmell, surgeon dentist, Clinton street, one door south of the Exchange Hotel.
John M. King, millinery goods, dress goods, etc. A ladies' store. Main street, one door above the Cambria House (near the Merchants' Hotel).
Charles Koehler, physician and surgeon, Locust street, two doors from the Exchange Hotel.
John Kooken, carpenter, builder and pump maker, Main street, two doors from Presbyterian church. "Chain pumps always on hand and put in wells to order."
Baltzer Kohler, groceries and provisions, Main street, Ger- man cigars, and liquors by the quart.
Abram Kopelin, lawyer, Clinton street, one door west of Fronheisers' hall.
Henry Kratzer & Son, drugs and family groceries, corner of Main and Clinton. (The son was John Kratzer.)
W. C. Lewis, Variety Store, Clinton street, near the canal basin.
Valentine Louther, boot and shoe manufactory, Clinton street, two doors east of Main street.
Elisha M. Luckett, millinery goods, dress goods and dress
287
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
making, Main street, west side, between Franklin and Bedford streets.
Louis Luckhardt, watchmaker and jeweler, Main street, be- low the Cambria House.
Samuel B. McCormick, lawyer and county superintendent of schools.
Marbourg & Co., dry goods, groceries, hardware, etc., east corner of Main and Clinton streets. (They were Alexander Frederick and Jordan Marbourg.)
Andrew Moses, merchant tailor, Main street, next to the postoffice.
William Murray, lawyer. (A son of Judge John Murray.)
John Parke, manufacturer of monuments, etc., Franklin street, between Locust and Canal streets.
Pershing & Linton, lawyers, Clinton street, opposite the Arcade. (They were C. L. Pershing and John P. Linton.)
Lewis Plitt, hardware and cutlery, iron, steel, etc., Clinton street. three doors west of Locust.
James Potts, lawyer, Clinton street, two doors from Main.
Pringle. Rose & Edson, iron and brass founders, machin- ists and car builders. (It was the Johnstown foundry, situated on the Island, now occupied by Gautier works. It would be about opposite to Hudson street. The firm were John P. Prin- gle, Wesley J. Rose and Walter L. Edson.)
Riley & Kennedy, boots, shoes and gaiters, Locust street, between Clinton and Franklin. south side. (The members of the firm were Cyrus Riley and Alexander Kennedy.)
John S. Rose, family groceries and produce, Franklin street, near the Stony creek bridge.
Rutledge & Co., wholesale and retail groceries, Canal street. (They were Irvin Rutledge and William F. Boyers.)
James Shannon, justice of the peace, office on "the Island," six doors east of the waste weir bridge, Conemaugh borough.
George Shaffer, carpenter and builder, Napoleon street, Kernville.
Cambria House, proprietors, Samuel Shaffer and A. J. Snyder, Main street, north side. A line of hacks runs to Cumber- land, via Stovestown, Somerset, Berlin, Wellersburg, etc., start- ing from this house at 5 A. M. and arriving at 7 P. M. every day.
George Spangler, butcher; every market morning. Wednes- day and Saturday, at stall No. 6.
J. Swank & Co .. stoneware, Market street. (They were Josiah and Jacob Swank.)
J. W. Thompson, hats, furs and straw goods, Clinton street, between Main and Locust streets.
Jacob Treftz, butcher, at stall No. 4, every market morn- ing.
Walters & Wehn. wholesale and retail dealers in dry goods,
288
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
groceries, hardware, boots, shoes, drugs, lumber and shingles. (They were Henry Walters and John W. Wehn.)
Henry Yeagley, physician and surgeon, corner of Main and Bedford streets.
Emanuel Young, butcher, at stall No. 3 every market morn- ing.
Charles Zimmerman, grocer and confectioner, Main street, four doors below the Cambria House : also agent for C. B. Rich- ard's Foreign Express, drafts, money, etc.
Mr. Hite mentions the fact that there were two newspapers in this town but as only one saw fit to patronize him the follow- ing notice is given :
SUPPORT YOUR OWN.
Cambria Tribune, an American Newspaper, is published every Wednesday, on the second floor of the "Tribune Build- ing." Main street, opposite the postoffice. Terms of subscrip- tion, $1.50 per annum, in advance; $1.75, if paid within six months; $2.00. if not.
As the Tribune has a much larger circulation in Johns- town and immediate vicinity, than any other paper, it is there- fore the best advertising medium for Johnstown business men and others.
Terms of advertising: 1 square of 15 lines, 3 insertions, $1.00; ditto, 3 months. $2.50: 2 squares, 1 month, $2; ditto, three months, $1.00. Longer advertisements in proportion.
JAMES M. SWANK, Editor & Publisher.
POSTOFFICE-EPHRAIM BUCK, POSTMASTER.
Eastern mail, daily --
Arrives. 11 A. M. 12:24 P. M.
Closes. 10 A. M. 8 P. M.
Western mail, daily-
11 A. M. 10 A. M.
12:24 P. M.
8 P. M.
Stoyestown, daily ---
Arrives.
Departs.
7:30 P. M.
5 A. M.
Somerset, tri-weekly, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday-
7:30 P. M.
5 A. M.
Berlin, weekly-
6 P. M. 5 A. M.
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD.
The car time was thus: Express trains, going east, 12:24 A. M .; going west, 10:30 A. M. Mail trains, Sunday excepted,
289
HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
east, 11 A. M .; west 8:40 P. M. Fast trains, Sunday excepted, east, 5:54 P. M .; west, 11 P. M.
The fares were: Conemaugh, 10 cents; Viaduct, 20; Sum- merhill, 30; Wilmore, 40; Portage, 45; Altoona, $1 .; Phila- delphia, $6.95; Conemaugh Furnace, 20 cents; Nineveh, 25; Florence, 35. Every fare was the multiple of five, that being the mode of fixing rates.
George W. Munson was the agent at Johnstown.
SNYDER & PICKING LINE OF HACKS.
Distance by Plank Road.
Miles.
Fare.
Johnstown to-
Davidsville
8
$ .50
Stovestown
19
1.25
Somerset
29
2.
Berlin
36
2.50
Sandpatch
44
3.
Wellersburg
4.
Cumberland
64
4.50
Line of hacks connect with this one at Stoyestown, and runs through Jennerville. Ligonier, and Laughlinstown, connecting with the Penna. R. R. at Latrobe.
On the back of the cover of the pamphlet the following er- rata appears :
"Rhey's Furnace, mentioned in the foregoing pages, makes about 250 tons of metal per month instead of 150. In speaking of the Union School, Mr. George Shaffer should have been men- tioned as the architect. Col. Emanuel Shaffer is the contractor for the new engine house. The Cambria Iron Works can turn out nearly 100 tons of railroad iron per day."
Vol. I-19
CHAPTER XIII.
LAND TITLES.
The subject of titles to land on the western hemisphere since its discovery has been an interesting one, especially at first between Spain and England, and latterly between the In- dians who were in possession and the sovereign of England. The royal charter of Charles II to William Penn, dated March 4, 1681, for the land in Pennsylvania, is a classic. The diction is attractive, and for expression of thought, gratitude, honor, power and good will it is graceful and refined. The King, in expressing his good will. continned: "and having regard to the memory and merits of his late father in divers services, and particularly to his conduct, courage and discretion under our dearest brother James, Duke of York, in that signal battle and victory fought and obtained against the Dutch fleet, commanded by the Herr Van Opdam, in the year 1665." The interest so continues. Elsewhere is noted the negotiations and treaties between Penn and the Indians.
Canoe Place, or Cherry Tree, is one of the earliest land- marks in the county, being included in the negotiations between Penn and Dongan, for the Susquehanna river lands, between 1682 and 1696, elsewhere noted. On November 5, 1768, by the treaty known as Fort Stanwix, in the State of New York, it was fixed as the boundary line of the Indian purchase of that date. On that occasion William Johnston, Richard Peters and James Tilghman, Commissioners for Pennsylvania, with rep- resentatives from New Jersey, met the chiefs of the Six Na- tions-the Mohawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Oneidas, Cayugas and Tuscaroras- with six thousand warriors looking on. At that time it was known as "Canoe Place" from the fact that it was the highest point to which in ordinary times an Indian could paddle his canoe up the river. It was at the junction of the Cush-Cushion creek and the west branch of the Susque- hanna river. It was also on the trail to Kittanning, or to the upper Allegheny river. The name of Cherry Tree was derived from a wild cherry tree which stood on the bank at the junction of the two streams, but which was washed away in 1838. It is
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