USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 48
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During the same year the following lines were purchased: The Empire Pipe Line, the Columbia Conduit Company, the American Transfer Com- pany, (in Mckean county, Pennsylvania, and Cattaraugus county, New York), the Olean Pipe Line, the Hunter & Cumings line, the Keystone Pipe Line, the Pacific Pipe Line, and the Relief Pipe Company, whereupon the capital stock was increased to five million dollars. The increased advan- tages for more perfect system and less expense in management enabled them at once to reduce the pipage rate from the former price of thirty cents and upward to the fixed rate of twenty cents per barrel from and to all points reached by their lines. The capacity of the lines, by the time the company was a year and a half old, was over one thousand five hundred miles of two-inch pipe, three hundred miles of three and four inch pipe, three hundred and fifty iron tanks capable of holding over five million two hun- dred thousand barrels of forty-two gallons each, of which one million eight hundred thousand barrels were owned by the company and the rest leased, and over eight hundred miles of telegraph wires connecting its sta- tions with each other and with the general offices at Oil City.
Its first general offices were in a building on the site of the Oil City Trust Company's bank. About 1870 they moved to the rooms at the head of Center street now occupied by the Green Line, and remained there until the present building, occupied by the Oil City Trust Company, was built, in 1873, when the upper floors became their apartments.
In the early part of 1878 the great opening in the Bradford district tried their power to increase their capacity to the utmost, and by April they had succeeded. By this time also they had already decided on the policy of not being dealers, but simply storers and transporters, and their success, with a stability equal to that of national banks, soon overcame all the objections that so often arise against public carriers, while their certificates assumed a negotiable value ever after unquestioned.
In 1880 the long distance lines were begun to the seaboard and else- where, so that every well in the oil region was soon connected by pipes with the holds of ocean steamships.
Up to April 1, 1884, the increase in long distance pipage, much of which had been secured by a corporation known as the National Transit Company, the need for greater charter advantages, the advisability of securing greater
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tank capacity for cases of over-production, and a more constant and uni- form shipment, all combined to make it advisible for the United Pipe Lines to be transferred to this company. This was done April 1, 1884; the offi- cers of the company were C. A. Griscom, Philadelphia, president; Benjamin Brewster, New York, vice president; D. O'Day, Buffalo, general manager; John Bushnell, New York, comptroller; G. W. Colton, New York, treasurer; H. M. Flagler, New York; J. A. Bostwick, New York; W. G. Warden, Phila- delphia; J. D. Potts, Philadelphia; B. Brewster, New York; J. D. Archbold, New York, and C. A. Griscom, Philadelphia, directors. Under this organi- zation the company was divided into the United Pipe Lines and Trunk Lines divisions, the former continuing to have general offices and immediate man- agement at Oil City as before. There has been little or no change in policy or management.
The departments here are in the following hands: J. B. Maitland, superintendent of tankage; J. S. Klein, superintendent of machinery depart- ment, described elsewhere; W. W. Splane, superintendent of telegraph; Al- bert Smedley, superintendent of construction; J. R. Campbell, treasurer; H. McSweeney, solicitor, and Glenn T. Braden, general superintendent. In each department are a large force of employes, that help to swell the popu- lation of the city. There are now operated from three to four thousand miles of pipe in Pennsylvania and New York.
The office rooms falling short of their necessities, the splendid new Transit building on the corner of Seneca and Center streets was begun in the spring of 1889. It is above the basement a four story structure of pressed brick, Medina sandstone, and terra cotta work, sixty by one hundred and twenty feet, with arched main entrance on Seneca street, opening into marble-tiled corridors. The architects were Curtis & Archer, of Fredonia, New York. The estimated cost is ninety-thousand dollars.
The Oil Exchange is the perfection of petroleum transfers which began with its sale as a crude medicine by the Indians and pioneers of Venango county. The real traffic began in August, 1859, by buying at the wells when the price was twenty dollars a barrel. The stupendous production of 1860-61, before an unformed demand, brought it down to ten cents a barrel in January, 1862, and for several years, until the foreign demand was created and the business systematized, prices were subject to frequent and formidable fluctuations. This of course was a flame that attracted fierce speculation, and the oil dealer became as much of a fixture as the lumber dealer.
For the first five years the dealer or speculator bought the oil at the well, in the barrel, on the boat, in bulk, at the wharves, in the ware- houses up and down the river, anywhere, but chiefly at the warehouses in the Third ward. Any change in the New York market was the signal for the oil dealer to race up the river on horseback to buy up or unload as his
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interest dictated, and often the result was heavy loss. Then the oil ex- change was on horseback; this was so until 1867, at the completion of the Oil Creek and Farmers' railroads between Oil City and Titusville, the right of way of which was only obtained on condition that every oil farm should have a depot at which passenger trains should stop. Then the passenger cars became the exchange, but very soon a special oil men's car was secured to run independently of passenger trains. For two or three years this car was the scene of transactions involving millions, and the bulls and bears were quite as excitable on wheels as in their later quarters.
Telegraph and better tranportation made it unnecessary to go out of the city by 1869, and in December of that year a meeting was held in Owston & Lower's office for the first organization of an exchange. In 1870 room was secured in the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company's office, at the rail- road crossing on Center street, but as these quarters were too small a room was fitted up in the Sands block. This was burned in January, 1872, and a room in the opera house was used, together with summer quarters in a shed erected near the Empire Line offices. In 1873 several causes com- bined to prevent the continuance of the organization, notably the South Im- provement Company excitement.
February 4, 1874, a meeting was held at the Collins house, William Hasson, chairman, and J. F. Leech, secretary, and fifty -five persons organized the Oil City Oil Exchange with George V. Forman, president; A. J. Green- field, vice-president; J. F. Leech, secretary; James Mawhinney, treasurer. They secured rooms in the Collins house and on April 29th following were regularly incorporated by a state charter. They began with the old rules, and discipline and system were slowly adopted. At first business began any time and closed any time, but the rules were constantly revised and im- proved, so that in a short time this exchange controlled the markets of the world.
In 1877 a new building was agitated and a building committee ap- pointed, composed of Messrs. William Hasson, A. J. Greenfield, William Parker, and John Mawhinney. The site chosen was the block facing north on Center, Seneca, and Sycamore streets, and the work was begun in July under the personal supervision of Architect J. M. Budge of Meadville, who had planned the Derrick block; the contract was let to Carpenter & Com- pany of Meadville, the building alone to cost sixty-five thousand dollars. A fine brick, sixty by one hundred feet, and three stories above the basement, slowly arose and was completed April 20, 1878, ready for the grand opening on the 23rd. This was a great day for Oil City, and the galleried exchange room, with its bull-ring directly under the dome, and its surrounding telegraph offices and rooms were crowded even to overflow through the main entrances opening on Center, Seneca, and Sycamore streets, to listen to the
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speeches of President Greenfield and others. At two o'clock in the after- noon the clang of the bell let loose the well-known pandemonium of the first trades, among which were the following: J. J. Fisher, one thousand bar- rels at one dollar and twenty-seven and one-half cents, to C. W. Mcclintock; S. Ames, one thousand, at the same, to Frank Mitchell; G. S. Morgan, one thousand, at the same, to J. H. Dixon; and H. V. Sikes, one thousand at one dollar twenty-eight and one-eighth cents, to A. Kelly. Before closing one hundred and forty-five thousand barrels were sold, ranging from one dollar twenty-six and seven-eighths cents to one dollar twenty-nine and three-eighths cents, and all opened well for the exchange, which was then the third in the United States and the first in the oil trade, with a member- ship of three hundred.
The chief improvements since added are the opening of a clearing house October 17, 1882, the clearings for which in 1885 aggregated one billion four hundred and thirty-three million seven hundred and thirty-eight thou- sand dollars, and the erection of an annex in 1883 almost equal in size to the original building, and supplying parlors, smoking rooms, offices, etc. The entire cost of the whole enterprise has amounted to nearly one hundred thousand dollars. The last two years have given New York and Pittsburgh exchanges a slight predominance over this one. The membership now em- braces about two hundred and fifty persons, about twenty-five of whom, it is estimated, are brokers.
The officers have been as follows: In 1874, George V. Forman, presi- dent; A. J. Greenfield, vice-president; J. F. Leech, secretafy, and John Mawhinney, treasurer.
In 1875 P. H. Judd became secretary, and in 1876 J. M. McElroy was chosen vice-president.
1877 .- A. J. Greenfield, president; H. L. Foster, vice-president; J. B. Smithman, secretary, and John Mawhinney, treasurer. In 1878, J. T. Jones, as vice-president, and C. P. Stephenson, as secretary, were the only changes.
1879 .- H. L. Foster, president; C. N. Payne, vice-president; H. L. McCance, secretary, and John Mawhinney, treasurer. In 1880, T. A. McLaughlin became vice-president, and no changes were made in 1881.
1882 .- T. A. Mclaughlin, president; W. D. Archbold, vice-president; O. C. Sherman, treasurer, and H. L. McCance, secretary.
1883 .- H. L. Foster, president; George Heard, vice-president; R. T. Leech, secretary, and O. C. Sherman, treasurer.
In 1884 I. M. Sowers became vice-president, and the only changes since have been the election of W. H. Choate as treasurer in 1885, and W. W. Nicholas as vice-president in 1886.
The Oil City Board of Trade, although somewhat spasmodic in its activity, has been of incalculable service in the permanent growth of the city. Its
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
first organization occurred in 1878, and among its most active members were W. L. Lay, W. J. Innis, J. B. Reynolds, and C. A. Cooper, to the number of about fifty or sixty. It met in the room now occupied by the exchange restaurant, and among its presiding officers were W. L. Lay and W. J. Innis. The loss of records makes details uncertain. They succeeded in securing the location here of many of the leading manufactures, and were active for about five years. In November, 1886, a reorganization was effected under a charter, with H. L. Foster, president; William L. Lay, vice-president; Walter R. Johns, secretary, and W. H. Wise, treasurer. This board rapidly grew to a hundred members and their influence created a boom. There have been no changes of importance since.
SECRET, SOCIAL, AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES.
Oil City has a penchant for organizations not surpassed probably by any other city of its size. It is not only characteristic of its manufacturing, commercial and religious activities, but even more so of its fraternal, social, and professional life. It is said that more money is paid into mutual aid societies in this city than any other of its size on the continent. This growth is traced as completely and chronologically as possible here.
The Young Men's Association was a social club organized in 1865 with Reverend W. P. Moore, president; H. A. Converse, first, and E. P. Caster- line, second vice-presidents; John McDonough, secretary; G. B. Candy, treasurer, and J. D. Balen, librarian. They had a reading room in the old Mercantile block on Center, Railway, and Sycamore streets, with a library valued at eight hundred dollars, but after the fire of 1866 seem to have dis- banded.
The Oil City Library Association flourished from 1870 to 1876, and not only secured a good library but kept up lecture seasons of a good quality. Their library was finally presented to the high school. J. B. Smithman was one of its most active promoters and W. W. Ball and W. L. Lay were its two successive presidents.
Petrolia Lodge, No. 363, F. & A. M., was the first secret society organized in Oil City. The following are its officers and charter members installed on Wednesday evening, March 21, 1866, by Deputy Grand Master S. B. Dick, of Meadville: W. F. Groves, W. M .; Charles H. Shepard, S. W .; A. W. Myers, J. W. ; W. R. Johns, secretary; P. Smith, treasurer; J. H. Evans, S. D .; W. Porterfield, J. D .; and David Patton, tyler; J. R. Arter, H. B. Castle, Joseph Bushnell, John G. Mckinley, S. S. Safford, and A. R. Mar- lin. They began in a Third ward hall, and from about 1867 to 1870 the Odd Fellows hall on Center street was used. The Windsor block has fur- nished their exclusive hall ever since. They now have a membership of one hundred and sixty persons. The masters have been W. F. Groves, 1866; W. H. Porterfield, 1868-69; W. J. Young, 1870; R. D. McCleary, 1871; J.
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R. Arter, 1872; H. G. Tinker, 1873-74; J. M. McElroy, 1875; J. A. Ritchey, 1876; W. J. Young, 1877; B. F. Innis, 1878; C. B. Ansart, 1879-80; A. W. Cox, 1881-82; J. H. Evans, 1883; J. H. Hively, 1884; J. M. McGoni- gle, 1885; James W. Plimpton, 1886; R. G. Collins, 1887; George Lewis, 1888-89.
Oil City Lodge, No. 589, I. O. O. F., was instituted September 22, 1866, with J. Borland, N. G .; W. W. Ford, V. G .; J. J. Brodhead, S .; George Durrond, A. S. ; and J. R. Robertson, treasurer. They, with B. Lovendall, H. S. Brocklehurst, A. G. Coulson, Joseph Day, D. R. Carnahan, H. B. Wil- helm, J. B. Howe, C. T. Webber, G. W. Swoyer, Jacob F. Neely, Isaac Blakeley, W. J. Bell, I. B. Jacobs, T. S. Zuver, James Karney, and J. O. Jack applied for the charter. The real estate of the lodge consists of the three- story brick building on Seneca street, purchased in 1889, and valued at fifteen thousand dollars.
The Good Templar Lodge was formed August 8, 1867, and meetings were held for some time in Cornplanter lodge room.
Oil City Encampment, No. 182, I.O.O.F., began April 15, 1869, with the following officers and charter members: P. J. Borland, chief patriarch; J. G. Ogden, high priest; J. N. Henderliter, senior warden; F. F. Davis, junior warden; C. J. Brick, scribe; J. K. Lowrie, treasurer; J. R. Robertson, A. D. Deming, J. M. Sharp, A. E. Higbee, and S. Fisher. They have used the Odd Fellows hall and have increased to a membership of eighty-one. Their suc- cessive chief patriarchs have been: J. G. Ogden, elected in September, 1869; J. N. Henderliter, March, 1870; F. F. Davis, September, 1870; H. W. West, April, 1871; James R. Robertson, August, 1871; James Johnson, October, 1871; George Dimond, April, 1872; J. C. Boyce, October, 1872; W. B. Foster, April, 1873; James R. Adam, October, 1873; R. H. Mitchell, April, 1874; J. S. Shearer, October, 1874; F. W. Shryock, April, 1875; S. G. Andrews, October, 1875; S. B. Farren, April, 1876; W. T. Graham, October, 1876; W. H. Harrison, April, 1877; P. N. Williamson, October, 1877; J. R. Robertson, April, 1878; J. L. Dorworth, October, 1878; Or- son O. Culbertson, April, 1879; J. McMichaels, December, 1879; J. S. Shearer, May, 1880; John Farren, October, 1880; W. T. Graham, April, 1881; Jacob Simon, December, 1881; John Farren, April, 1882; John Bruton, October, 1882; M. A. Spoor, April, 1883; W. H. Aungst, October, 1883; D. S. Davis, April, 1884; J. J. Fisher, October, 1884; H. K. Mohr, April, 1885; W. H. Havice, October, 1885; J. H. Love, April, 1886; F. A. Doddington, October, 1886; N. F. Leslie, April, 1887; David James, Oc- tober, 1887; H. J. Miller, April, 1888; L. E. Keller, October, 1888, and T. S. Anderson, April, 1889.
Rouseville Lodge, No. 262, K. of P., was chartered September 1, 1870, with nine members. The lodge has increased steadily and now uses the Cornplanter lodge room.
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Cornplanter Lodge, No. 757, I. O. O. F., was chartered March 13, 1871, with fourteen members from whom as officers were chosen J. J. Broadhead, N. G .; J. B. McCallister, V. G. ; J. L. Dorworth, secretary, and Hugh Graham, treasurer. Their lodge room on Seneca street is one of the chief society rooms in the city. The loss of records makes it possible to give only the following noble grands: J. Simon and A. J. R. Downing, 1881; T. J. McCoy and H. K. Mohr, 1882; W. H. Aungst and D. S. Davis, 1883; C. W. Smoyer and J .. J. Smith, 1884; J. H. Love and G. W. Kline, 1885; J. J. Fisher and R. M. Crawford, 1886; R. D. Naylor and S. H. Hoskins, 1887; J. H. Zesky and J. W. Orr, 1888; and G. W. Sampsell and C. B. Wilson, 1889. They now have one hundred and twenty-six members. The ladies have a lodge of the Rebekah degree.
McCalmont Post, No. 160, G. A. R., was named in honor of Colonel A. B. McCalmont of Franklin, and prospered for a few years near 1870 under the command of C. H. Duncan, one term, and J. P. Orr for three years.
Talbot Commandery, No. 43, Knights Templar, was organized under dispensation September 16, 1871, to thirty-two knights from whom were John J. Fisher, eminent commander; W. H. Porterfield, generalissimo, and Thos. R. Cowell, captain general. This order have used Masonic hall and now have a membership of eighty. Their past eminent commanders have been J. J. Fisher, T. R. Cowell, Andrew W. Cox, David Laughlin, Isaac M. Sowers, T. B. Simpson, and J. N. MacGonigle, the second, third, and last of whom have served more than one term.
Oil City Royal Arch Chapter, No. 236, is a Masonic society organized March 19, 1872, with W. F. Groves, H. P .; Andrew W. Cox, K., and W. W. White, S. Mr. Groves successors have been A. W. Cox in 1873-74; S T. Garland, 1875; J. S. Hyland, 1876; S. H. Benton, 1877; D. W. Guern- sey, from 1878 to 1883 inclusive; A. W. Cox, from 1883 to 1886 inclusive; and Reverend J. N. MacGonigle, from 1887 to 1889 inclusive.
Oil City Lodge, No. 14, A. O. U. W., the charter bearing date January 21, 1873, numbers one hundred forty-nine members. Their first officers were P. N. Heard, P. M. W .; H. P. G. Carnes, M. W .; J. K. Lowery, G. F .; J. F. Israel, O .; E. Densmore, G. ; W. S. Huff, J. W. ; P. Fennell, O. W .; D. Yothers, F., and R. R. Reardon, R. It is unfortunate that the records for the first decade are not obtainable, so that the past master work- men can be given only as follows: Harry Finney, elected in May, 1882; L. B. Young, November, 1882; W. C. Bolton, May, 1883; John A. Crumm, November, 1883; E. W. Powell, May, 1884; J. M. Dougherty, November, 1884; J. D. Ross, May, 1885; J. R. Steele, November, 1886; W. F. Cullis, May, 1886; A. G. Gayle, November, 1886; C. Neidich, May, 1887; T. H. Brewer, November, 1887; M. C. Crum, May, 1888, and T. N. Rogers, Jan- uary, 1889.
Oil Creek Division, No. 173, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
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although largely composed of Western New York and Pennsylvania engin- eers, has members on all the Oil City roads and was organized November 23, 1873, by withdrawals from the Erie and Meadville divisions. The first officers were John A. Stout, chief engineer; Peter Crahan, first engineer; P. W. Geary, second engineer; M. T. Connor, first assistant engineer; John Clark, second, and M. Drohan, third assistant engineer; W. F. Kelly, guide, and Anson Albee, chaplain. They have quietly prospered in their meetings and have increased to eighty members under the following succes- sive past chief engineers: J. A. Stout, 1874; W. F. Kelley, 1875; Peter Crahan, 1876-77; M. Moriarty, 1878; George Frazine, 1879; Joseph Kidd, 1880; Peter Crahan, 1881; P. W. Geary, 1882; Samuel Weigle, 1883; John Stapleton, 1884-85; Peter Crahan, 1886; William Agnew, 1887. But six of the charter members are now members of No. 173.
Mutual Lodge, No. 488, K. of H., was chartered October 15, 1877, with nineteen members from whom the following officers were chosen: J. F. Hal- lett, D. ; H. M. Choate, A. D .; M. B. Taylor, P. D .; W. Scott, G .; S. Church, chaplain; T. Meyerhoefer, R .; J. C. Holmes, treasurer; F. M. Bettis, F. R. ; Isaac Decker, G .; and D. T. Kitchell, S. The organization had been first effected, however, February 17th previously by F. M. Lockwood, su- preme dictator.
After about two years in Cornplanter lodge room, they spent probably three years in Masonic hall, and have since occupied Tinker's hall. Their hall was crowded to the full on the night of July 26, 1881, when the fam- ous temperance reformer, Francis Murphy, was initiated.
Their dictators have been as follows: E. F. Smith, 1877; S. Church, 1877; E. L. Cornell, 1878; F. M. Bettis, 1878; Charles H. Richardson, 1879; R. G. Collins, 1879; George Heard, 1880; D. Laughlin, 1880; C. W. Ball, 1881; R. A. Rogers, 1881; W. S. Cowell, 1882; H. W. Rathbun, 1883 and 1884; S. Church, 1885; B. F. Gates, 1886; D. Laughlin, 1886 to June, 1888, and F. W. Bowen, 1888.
Contest Council, No. 124, Royal Arcanum, after various removals, has located in Cornplanter lodge room on Seneca street. It was instituted July 18, 1878, by J. H. Wright, D. S. R., with fourteen charter members, and the increase has been steady until it now numbers one hundred. The first officers were: C. B. Ansart, regent; I. S. Gibson, V. R. ; J. H. Miller, O .; R. H. Mitchell, P. R .; J. B. Berry, secretary; J. C. Wright, treasurer; J. Robertson, C .; J. W. Simpson, chaplain; John Bennett, G .; O. H. Strong, W. ; and H. McMullen, S. The regents for succeeding years have been: John Bennett, in 1880; C. B. Ansart, 1881; C. H. Lay, 1882; I. S. Gibson, 1883; C. B. Ansart, 1884; I. S. Gibson, 1885; H. D. Hancock, 1886-87; N. H. Brown, 1888-89. Since the organization they have paid about eighteen thousand dollars in death claims.
Branch No. 5, Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, is now a vigorous
e
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society of one hundred and fifty-two members, which July 25, 1888, fin- ished the first decade of its existence among the societies of Oil City. It was first organized as Branch No. 28, with P. D. Corrigan, president; W. A. Maloney and B. Sands as first and second vice-presidents, and other officers as follows: John Keating, T. ; J. H. Osenbeck, R. S .; Patrick Hea- ley, F. S. ; Reverend Thomas Carroll, S. D., and Cornelius Breen, M. Since the organization by District Deputy Freidman the successive presiding exec- utives have been as follows: R. H. Craig, elected in December, 1878; M. Geary, 1879; William Dwyer, 1880; M. T. Collins, 1881; P. Kaufman, 1882; H. Stillpflug, 1883; John E. Wallace, 1884; B. McSteen, 1885; W. Dwyer, 1886; Anthony Pfhendler, 1887, and Thomas Sands, 1888.
The Ivy Club, with its elegant rooms on Seneca street in the Ivy Club block, where members and their friends may enjoy the fine library, piano, and card or billiard tables, or the more vigorous refreshments of a well ap- pointed gymnasium, is a gentlemen's recreative club which dates its begin- ning from 1879. January 15th of that year a private gymnasium on the third floor of the Reynolds, Lamberton & Company block was offered for sale. Messrs. E. V. D. Selden, F. C. Fischer, and four others concluded to buy it as the nucleus of a club. They did so, and by May 15th a charter was secured to fifty-seven members, with F. C. Fischer, president; G. H. Cronyn, vice-president; T. M. Blackwell, treasurer, and C. P. Babcock, secre- tary. President Fischer removed from the city the following July and be- came their one honorary member.
The successive presidents have been: C. H. Lay, 1881-82; W. J. Young, 1882-83; Amos Steffee, 1883-84; John M. Reed, 1884-85, and J. R. Camp- bell, 1885-89.
In 1886 a desire for more commodious quarters led to the fitting up of their present rooms by an arrangement with Messrs. R. G. Lamberton and C. H. Duncan, and in 1887 four beautifully appointed rooms were opened to a social life from which gambling, liquors, and Sunday games were to be rig- idly excluded. The club has a capital stock of one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, and the rooms are in the care of a superintendent. They have one hundred and twenty-five members.
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