USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume One > Part 22
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The first land agent, and real estate office, of which we have record, was that in Erie, of Thomas Rees, who came on to Erie County in 1794, surveying lands for the Pennsylvania Population Company. But the next year, when safety had been assured, he returned to Presque Isle in the early spring, in the capacity of Deputy Surveyor for the state under ap- pointment of May 16, 1792, with full power "to execute all warrants and surveys", and also as the General Agent for the Pennsylvania Population
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Company. He promptly set up his tent near the mouth of Mill Creek on the beach, and commenced the duties of his two offices. In the spring of 1796 he resigned both positions, and was succeeded as Deputy Surveyor by John Cochran, and as agent for the company by Judah Colt. On March 31, 1797, he was commissioned a Justice of the Peace "for the township of Mead, in the county of Allegheny", said township then composed of the territory later making up the counties of Crawford and Erie.
From this it will be observed, that Thomas Rees was the first "Real- tor" to do business in this county, and his tent on the beach of the bay was the first real estate office to be opened in it. To him also belongs the further distinction of having been the first Justice of the Peace in this county, a position which he held and executed with ability and credit to himself.
As stated under the title of The Triangle, numerous acts of assem- bly, led up to the final laying out of the town of Erie. When it finally came to be surveyed, it was laid out into squares, with its streets running through its territory at right angles with each other; those laid out east . and west being practically parallel with the course of the south shore of the lake; and those running across them, at right angles to that course.
The town was laid out in three sections: State Street being the center of the first section, Liberty Street the center of the second section, while the third section extended from Cranberry Street west to West Street.
The streets east of State Street were named for nationalities, except Parade Street, which took its name from the old Parade Ground which was located at its northern extremity; those west of State Street were named for various trees. The east and west streets were numbered consecutively, the northern one being First, then Second and so forth to the south bound- ary of the town at Twelfth Street. Parade Street, Liberty Street and State Street are each 100 feet in width; the others are mostly 60 feet in width. The squares were 20 rods from street to street, excepting those on either side of State, and Liberty, which were half width. Parade Street was kept upon the site of the "Old French Road" with but little deviation. But attention must be directed to the old map made by John Adlum in July, 1798, which shows the "Road to Le Boeuf" as located wholly west of Mill Creek.
Shortly after Gen. Irvine and Ellicott arrived under the escort of militia commanded by Capt. John Grubb, Col. Seth Reed, wife Hannah, and sons Manning and Charles John, arrived in a sail boat from Buffalo,
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
owned and sailed by James Talmadge. Arriving in the evening of June 30, or July 1st, 1795, and not being familiar with conditions in the port, they dropped anchor by the peninsula, landed upon it, and encamped there for the night, believing that to be a safer place from Indian attack than the mainland. Here during the night, their fires betrayed them to the militia and others at the fort; and believing them to be Indians, a considerable excitement was created, until, in the morning, a deputation of brave men crossed the bay to the peninsula, and keeping well out of sight, shortly discovered a white family anxiously scanning the opposite shore and try- ing to discover whether it were wise to attempt to land there or not. They were shortly escorted to the mainland, and there Col. Seth Reed was as- sisted in constructing a shelter for his family. Later he erected a rude log structure of one-story which he covered with bark, and upon which he placed the sign "Presque Isle Hotel". This building was very near the mouth of the creek, and was the first house erected in Erie under Amer- ican dominion. It is believed that Hannah Reed, wife of Col. Seth Reed, was the first white woman to locate in Erie, and in all probability, in Erie County.
It is to be observed, however, that early in June, and prior to the arrival of Col. Reed, Captain John Grubb had come to the town, and that he remained as a resident, citizen, and large land-owner. He is perhaps qualified to be called "The First American" to settle at Erie.
Two other sons of Col. Reed, Rufus S. and George W., came to Erie in September, 1795, and became permanent settlers. At the same time came also Mrs. Thomas Rees and Mrs. J. Fairbanks.
In 1796, Col. Reed erected a large two-story log building on the south- west corner of Parade and Second Streets. This was occupied by his son, Rufus S. Reed, as a tavern and store until 1799, when it was destroyed by fire. It was re-built the following year by Rufus, where he carried on business for many years, accumulating a tidy fortune. His father, Col. Seth Reed, shortly after establishing his son in the tavern, took up his residence on his farm at the present village of Kearsarge, on Walnut Creek, where he had taken up a large acreage. But he did not long sur- vive, dying March 19, 1797, and his widow, Hannah, following him on Dec. 8, 1821. .
Upon offering the lots at Erie for sale at Carlisle, Aug. 3 and 4, 1796, some of the prices paid for them by the Harrisburg & Presque Isle Land Co. are of interest.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
In Lots.
No. 1403, on Seventh near State
$ 18.00
No. 1359, at the corner of German and Seventh 1
7.00
No. 3420, on Lake and corner of Liberty
106.00
No. 3277, at Second on the Road to the fort
I 260.00
No. 2838, on Third near the mouth of Cascade 1
21.00
No. 3292, corner German and Second
260.00
No. 1996, between German and Parade on Sixth 8.00 1
No. 2810, corner Liberty and Third
41.00
No. 2809, corner Liberty and Fourth
40.00
Out Lots.
Out Lots.
No. 277, sold for $ 38.00
No. 523, sold for
$ 57.00
No. 278, sold for 33.00
No. 565, sold for 69.00
No. 283, sold for 49.00 Lot No. 2045, sold for 152.00
No. 378, sold for 56.00 Lot No. 2046, sold for 21.00
No. 418, sold for
45.00
Lot No. 2047, sold for 70.00
No. 519, sold for 50.00
Lot No. 2048, sold for 112.00
The last four above being situated in the square bounded by State, Peach, North Park Row and Fifth Streets, and were sold at Carlisle in 1796. The Lot No. 2050, on which is now The Erie Club at the north- west corner of Peach and Sixth, brought the munificent sum of $34.00 at the Philadelphia sales in 1796, from Alexander Addison. The property where the Reed House now stands, and including that on which the old Ellsworth House used to be, being In Lots Nos. 2041, 2042, 2043 and 2044, was purchased on Sept. 1, 1801, for $54.00, $30.00, $10.00 and $21.00, respectively ; Thomas Forster buying the two corner lots, and David Mc- Nair the two middle ones.
Thomas Hamilton purchased the lot whereon the First Presbyterian Church now stands, on Aug. 3, 1801, for $30.00.
Joseph Kratz bought the lots Nos. 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1940, between State and Peach, Seventh and South Park Row, for $110.00 on Jan. 23, 1806, a price that the Erie Trust Company or the Park Presbyterian Church would not now consider for even a very small spot in the back of the lot. Andrew Willock bought the two lots, Nos. 1289 and 1290, on the east side of State Street between Eighth and Ninth Streets for $30.00 each. Joseph F. McCreary bought Lot No. 729 on the west side of State Street between Ninth and Tenth Streets for $20.00 on June 15, 1804, and (18)
t
1
1
1
,
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
the site of the old Erie Academy, where now stands the Second National Bank, Lots Nos. 735 and 736, brought $20.00 each on Aug. 15, 1805, Sam- uel McKelvey being the purchaser. John Gray bought Lot No. 753, the site of the present St. Peter's Cathedral, on June 27, 1815, for $20.00. Thomas Hughes was the purchaser on April 1, 1801, of Lot No. 1402, on the west side of State Street, between Seventh and Eighth, lately the site of Hall's Cigar Store, for $30.00. The site of the present Fisher Hotel, Lot No. 1936, brought $25.00 from Abraham Smith on March 23, 1802.
The site of the present Union Depot, Out Lot No. 375, was sold to David McNair on March 1, 1801, for $20.00.
From the sale in 1796 at the three places of auction, Philadelphia, Carlisle and Pittsburg, of 169 In Lots and 33 Out Lots, was realized in principal and interest, the sum of but $4,165.20.
Further sales and prices may be obtained from the "Book of Original Sales of In- and Out-Lots at Erie", which is on file in the Recorder's Office at the Court House.
The first sale recorded by Judah Colt in his book was to Timothy Tuttle, Sept. 1, 1797, of 200 acres in Tract 399 of the 17th Allotment, for which he was to pay the sum of $88.78. The next one was to the same party, on the same date, for 200 acres in Tract No. 398 for the sum of $116.59. John Morris was the third buyer of a farm of 200 acres in Tract No. 397 for $100.00. The fifteenth purchaser from Judah Colt was Captain John Grubb, of 400 acres of Tract No. 337, for the sum of $320.00 on June 1, 1796. W. & E. Foot were next for 116 acres of Tract No. 341 for $52.04 on Dec. 16, 1811; while the next one was Robinson & Dumars for 150 acres of Tract No. 342 for $80.69, on April 8, 1809. These items are given as in the order found in his book of sales, not in the order of their dates.
From the report of Judah Colt to Mr. Robert Bowen, dated Erie, Jan. 4, 1814, we take the following extract: "It will not, I fear, be in my power for some time to come, to furnish you with a statement of your Lands remaining unsold-as I hastely informed you the 1st Inst. that we were expecting to be visited very shortly by the enemy and that I had packed up my papers to be sent away for safe keeping-the enemy did not however advance westward but a few miles from Buffalo except some scouting parties, but it is nevertheless fully believed that when the Ice becomes sufficiently strong to venture on the Lake they will visit us in sleighs-it is all important for them to distroy the fleet in the harbour
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
of Presque-Isle, if it is practicable they will do it, & also burn the Town. The Militia who have been ordered out for our defence are now coming in, & expect our little village will be over run with them during the winter -& if they are not kept under better dissapline, than Militia generally are there will be little to choose between them, & being visited by the enemy."
On Jan. 27, 1815, he writes Mr. Robert Bowne again . "I re- ceived a letter from Hall of Litchfield bearing date the 10th of Oct. last agreeing to purchase the Tract in the name of E Hayard at the price proposed & to move on the insuing spring I consider he will be an acquisi- tion to the country & hope he will not fail of coming.
"The land in that allt. however will sell without much delay, it will nevertheless be a work of time to sell all your lands in small parcels to scattering adventurers in pursuit of lands,-we continue to have a few disaffected people in the Country who make it a business to discourage strangers from purchasing-whenever the present proprietors of land in this Quarter become desirous to sell, I am persuaded it will be for their interest to take their lands to market, Sell them in small or larger sections at such prices as will make it an object to monied men to purchase-I have no doubt but this can be done it is the plan which Mr. Sacket and his associate agents have adopted to make sale of Messrs. Griffeth & Wallace land and they have succeeded. . . . The bills most common in circula- tion with us are on Banks in the state of Maryland, District of Columbia, on the several Banks in the State of Ohio & Treasury notes brought and sent here to pay of the demands of the army and navy stationed in this quarter-specie & eastern bill have disappeared."
His letter to Mr. Bowne dated Jan. 6, 1817, shows that there is still a disposition to antagonize settlers, and to construe the land laws in vari- ous ways, for he says "The Lowries brought several ejectments at our last September term against settlers on the Lands of yours, Mr. Hannah & G. & Wallace. I employed Messrs. Thomas H. Sill & Patrick Farrely as counsel, who petitioned to have yourself Mrs. M. & G. & W. substituted as defendants, which petition was granted & the cause were removed into the Circuit Court of the U. States in consequence of which the suits were all withdrawn previous to our last December James & Andrew Lowry brought five other ejectments-four of which were against settlers on lands of your 9th Allotment, and one against a settler in the same Quarter on lands of G & Wallace. The same measures were
.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
taken as in the former suit, & the causes were again removed to the Cir- cuit Court. as the Counsel for the Lands were not present when the peti- tion for removal was granted-no measures was taken to have the causes discontinued, as a matter of course I had to enter into Bonds of 500 Dol. in each suit that the causes should be entered for Trial in the Circuit Court of U. S."
On Jan. 18, 1819, he writes his principals, Messrs. Robert H. & J. L. Bowne, amongst other things, ". . I cannot see any way that the set- tlers are to raise money to pay for their Lands at present & you will have to exercise patience until a turn of times for the better, before you can calculate on receiving much money from this Quarter.
Mr. Colt's Record Book of Sales from which the foregoing are taken, shows an interesting draft of the lands and tracts in and about the present Boro of North East, as well as those tracts about Walnut Creek where Kearsarge now stands, showing the lands of C. J. Reed (Charles John Reed) to occupy practically all of the territory within the village of Kear- sarge, and R. S. Reed's lands being the Tract No. 345 immediately adjoin- ing No. 346 of C. J. Reed. Under the name of David McNair is shown Tracts Nos. 347, 348 and 349; while Tracts Nos. 344, 343, 342, part of 341, 373, are shown as owned by Thomas Miller, "Bow Bladen", James Dumars, Jonas Parker, Oliver Dunn, respectively. Immediately to the north of Messrs. C. J. Reed, R. S. Reed, Miller, Bladen and Parker is noted the 400-acre tract owned by John Grubb as in Tract No. 337.
After the coming in of these first settlers, Messrs. Reed, Talmage, Grubb, Rees, and others, came those of the following names: Capt. Daniel Dobbins in 1796; William Wallace in 1798; Jonas Duncan and John Teel in 1799. Mr. Duncan was among the very first carpenters to arrive, and Mr. Teel, his apprentice, made up the force of carpenters and joiners here for some time. After these it is believed that the following, amongst others no doubt, came into the growing town between 1799 and 1815:
Col. Thomas Forster, John Gillespie, Thomas Hughes, Isaac Austin, Robert Brotherton, Robert Brown, Jonathan Baird, George Buehler, Wil- liam Bell, Richard Clemment, Judah Colt, David Cook, Hugh Cunningham, Willard Cotton, Robert L. Curtis, Marmaduke Curtis, Rufus Clough, John Dickson, James Duncan, Ezekiel Dunning, Amos Fisk, John Gray, George Gossett, Peter Grawotz, Peter S. V. Hamot, Basil Hoskinson, Samuel & Robert Hays, John Hay, Robert Irwin, Collender Irvine, Robert Knox, General John Kelso, Joseph Kratz, Captain William Lee, George Landon,
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
William Lamberton, George Leninger, Thomas Laird, John Lewis, Thomas Large, Robert Large, John E. Lapsley, William Lattimore, Barnabes Mc- Cue, Archibald McSparren, John McDonald, George Moore, David McNair, John Miller, James McConkey, Captain John Richards, Holmes Reed, B. Rice, Rev. Robert Reid, Mary O'Neill, Mrs. Silverthorn, George Schantz, James Sydnor, Jonathan Stratton, Thomas Stewart, Thomas H. Sill, Jacob Spong, Giles Sanford, W. W. Reed, Thomas Wilson, John Wilson, Stephen Woolverton, Thomas Wilkins, James Wilson, John Woodside, John C. Wal- lace, who became permanent settlers, and whose families in most cases either came with them, or came shortly afterwards. Some of these names are still well known to the people of this generation as pioneers at Erie who accomplished great things for the new town; while others are better known through what their descendants have accomplished in later years. We must not forget, too, that there must have been others who came during that period, and who built themselves homes as well as places of honor and trust in their communities, but whose names have not so well endured as some of these others who have managed to express their lives in terms of publicity and endurance.
We must not forget to note some of the early marine pioneers at Erie, to whose enterprise and vision the possibilities of our harbor appealed from the first. For it seems that Captain William Lee must have owned the first vessel which operated along the south shore of Lake Erie. He then lived at Chippewa, and made trips only when there were enough passengers "able and willing to man his boat", for he had no crew but himself. In this boat, the name of which has not been preserved for us, Colonel Seth Reed and family sailed for Erie, and Captain Lee later joined Rufus S. Reed in building the good ship "Good Intent" of thirty tons at the mouth of Millcreek, in 1799, which was, so far as we can ascertain, the second ship of any size built at Erie, the first one being the thirty-six ton sloop "Washington", built by Eliphalet Beebe at the mouth of the Four-mile Creek, and launched in September, 1798. It was built for the use of the Pennsylvania Population Company, and claimed this as its home port until November, 1801, when it was sold to Joshua Fairbanks, of Queenston, payment being made in land and salt. This sloop was taken over the ancient Niagara Portage to Lake Ontario, and on her first trip on Lake Ontario was lost.
Eliphalet Beebe built the "Harlequin" in 1800, but she was lost the same year, with all on board.
278
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
The 100-ton schooner "Mary" was built in 1805 by Thomas Wilson at Erie, and after owning her for three years, he sold a half interest in her to George Buehler and James Rough, and the other half interest to Porter, Barton & Co., she being sailed by Captain James Rough until the United States bought her during the war.
The 20-ton sloop "Erie Packet" was built in 1796 at Fort Erie by Captain William Lee, and brought to Erie for the trade out of this port.
A merchant sloop, the "Detroit", was at Detroit when General Wayne took that place, and was purchased by the government. She was a vessel of 50 tons, and was used to convey General Wayne to Erie from Detroit in his last illness. She was later wrecked near Erie.
Another vessel which played a part in the experiences of Erie men, was a schooner of 90 tons named the "Charlotte", which R. S. Reed and Daniel Dobbins bought at Moy, Canada, in 1809. They changed her name to the "Salina", and Captain Dobbins sailed her until the War of 1812, when, being at Mackinaw when the place was captured by the British, Captain Dobbins, with his crew, and Messrs. Rufus S. Reed and W. W. Reed, were all made prisoners, and the vessel confiscated. This vessel was afterwards used by the British until she was frozen up in the ice, and, having drifted out into the lake in the ice banks, was discovered by citi- zens of Erie opposite the town, and about $2,000 worth of cargo being re- moved from her, she was burned. One of her cargoes brought down by this vessel from the northwest was furs of the value of $120,000 as appraised at Mackinaw. They were stowed in the hold, and also upon the deck.
The first steamboat launched at Erie was of 200 tons, on May 18, 1826. She was the "William Penn", of 95 feet keel, 25 feet beam, and 80 feet hold. She was built by the Erie and Chautauqua Steamboat Company.
The first steamboat to sail the waters of Lake Erie, was the "Walk- in-the-Water", launched at Black Rock on May 28, 1818, of 300 tons, and commanded by Captain Job Fish. The Niagara rapids being too swift for her power, she was towed up the river by ten yoke of oxen to a point where she could travel under her own power. She was designed and built by Noah Brown, the same builder who directed the work for Commodore Perry at Erie, and who was a most notable American ship-builder. This vessel was, of course, considered a veritable curiosity by Indians and whites alike, and during her construction, at her launching, and after
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
she was ready to sail, was visited by crowds of people, some of whom had traveled a considerable way for the purpose of gratifying their curiosity.
From the Detroit Gazette of that day we extract the following:
"The Walk-in-the-Water left Buffalo at one and a half p. m. and arrived at Dunkirk thirty-five minutes past six on the same day. On the following morning she arrived at Erie-Captain Fish having reduced
THE NIAGARA
her steam in order not to pass the place, where he took in a supply of wood." . "At half past seven p. m. she left Erie and arrived at Cleveland at eleven o'clock Tuesday; at twenty minutes past six p. m. she sailed, and reached Sandusky Bay at one o'clock on Wednesday; lay at anchor during the night, and then proceeded to Venice for wood; left Venice at three p. m., and arrived at the mouth of Detroit River, where she anchored during the night.
"The whole time of this first voyage from Buffalo to Detroit occupied forty-four hours and ten minutes-the wind ahead during the whole pas-
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
sage. Not the slightest accident happened during this voyage, and her machinery worked admirably.
"Nothing could exceed the surprise of the 'sons of the forest' on seeing the "Walk-in-the-Water move majestically and rapidly against the wind and current, without sails or oars. Above Malden they lined the shores and expressed their astonishment by repeated shouts of 'Taiyoh niche!' (An expression of surprise.)
"A report had circulated among them that a 'big canoe' would soon come from the 'noisy waters', which, by order of the 'great father' of the 'Chemo-Komods' (Long Knives or Yankees), would be drawn through the lakes and rivers by a sturgeon. Of the truth of the report they were perfectly satisfied."
While at Erie, this vessel was visited by practically all of the in- habitants, the day being voluntarily declared a holiday, and was one of the most notable occasions experienced by the youthful city. She unfor- tunately grounded in the bay for a short time between State Street and French Street. This vessel on Nov. 1, 1821, went ashore on the Buffalo beach with a loss of $10,000 to $12,000.
Our most cherished and notable vessel, is, of course, the sloop-of-war, Niagara, which was built in our harbor, with other vessels, at the mouth " of Cascade Run, on the beach where the Pittsburg Docks are now situ- ated. She was constructed, as were the others, after the plans and designs of Noah Brown, a notable master builder from New York, and under the eye of Commodore Perry himself. Our townsman, Captain Daniel Dobbins, was also active in the work. The near-by forests fur- nished the timbers for her building, and she, with the fleet were ready for sea in about seventy days from laying their keels. It was a most extraordinary undertaking, wonderfully contrived and ably carried out. She, with her sister hero-ships, sailed into the western waters of the lake at four o'clock on the morning of Aug. 12, 1813, and on Sept. 10, 1813, participated in one of the most pivotal marine engagements of history She with the other vessels of the fleet returned to her home-harbor on the afternoon of October 22, to find Commodore Perry already arrived in the morning on the Ariel. She has occupied Erie Harbor as her home berth ever since, and is today the beloved relic of activities which stirred the town of Erie, and enlivened the harbor front, in the days when serious dangers from the enemy menaced the little settlement. It is the cherished hope of many Erie County people that she will speedily
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
be placed in some safe and convenient quarters where she may remain for generations, a monument to the pioneer heroism of our fore-fathers, and an inspiration to the patriotism of generations yet to come. Her pres- ence here is an ocular reminder of what the good old manhood of former days stood for, and an incentive to rising generations to emulate their sturdy loyalty to law and order.
Next to the Niagara in veneration and sentiment amongst our citi- zens, is the old Steamer Michigan, later re-named the Wolverine, which is said to be the oldest iron vessel of the United States Navy. She was launched at Erie on Nov. 7, 1843, of 538 tons burthen, length over all 167 feet, extreme beam of 47 feet, depth of hold 14 feet, registered tonnage of 450, displacement of 685 tons, constructed at Pittsburg, transported in sections to Ceveland, shipped from there to Erie by steamer, and at Erie put together and launched as the first iron hull steamer ever floated on these lakes. Her size and armament, as well as the size of the crew, were regulated by treaty with Great Britain, which power was thereby authorized to place a similar vessel upon the lakes. Her crew has aver- aged 98 persons, including 11 officers. Erie has always been the recog- nized headquarters of this vessel. The Michigan, as we still like to call her, is a side-wheeler, and is built entirely of iron excepting her spar- deck, which is of three and a half-inch pine plank. She drew eight feet when under way on cruise duty, and was pierced for twelve 32-pounder guns, and had two 68-pounder Paixham guns, one on either of the fore- castle and the quarter-decks, mounted on pivots. Her two engines were designed by Charles M. Copeland, and were of the inclined low-pres- sure type of the combined power of one hundred and seventy horse power. Her contractors were Messrs. Stackhouse and Tomlinson, of Pittsburg, and the naval constructor was Samuel T. Hart. Her first officers were: William Inman, Commander; James McKinistry, First Lieutenant ; James McDougal, Second Lieutenant; Dr. P. Christie, Sur- geon; William A. Bloodgood, Purser; Andrew Hibbard, Chief Engineer. Her later commanders were Stephen Champlin, Oscar Bullis,
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