USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 84
USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 84
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Dreisbach & Solt, 297 aeres woodland and saw- mill.
Simon Dreisbach, carpenter.
Adam Eckhart, Jr., farmer, 100 aeres.
Daniel Eckhart, farmer, 70 acres.
William Eckhart, 44 acres.
John Eckhart, 400 acres.
Joseph C. Fields, sawyer.
Samuel B. Finch, superintendent.
Henry Greenzweig, 29 acres.
John D. Greenzweig, farmer, 80 acres.
Samuel Greenzweig, farmer, 70 aeres.
Ashbury Gilham, eollier.
Ezekiel Gilham, eollier.
C. S. German, doctor.
Daniel Heberling, merchant.
Joseph Hartman, 45 acres.
Samuel Hartman, carpenter.
Jonas Hal, blacksmith.
Charles Hlote, 200 acres.
John Housekneeht, tanner, 100 acres.
John and George Hote, 100 acres.
Benjamin Jarrard, miller.
Henry Kibler, 63 acres.
Jonathan Kibler, 75 acres.
Kibler & Beer, saw-mill.
Christian Krum, mason, 12 acres.
Joseph Kern, carpenter, 45 aeres.
William Kern, carpenter, 141 acres.
Peter Kibler for Charles Biddle, 428 aeres.
Peter Krum, mason, 20 acres.
Charles Klotz, earpenter.
John Kelchner, 30 acres.
Daniel Kemerer, clerk.
William Lilly, elerk.
James Laury, clerk.
David S. Lovett, farmer, 1394 aeres and saw-mill.
William Lilly, Jr., elerk.
Godfrey Laury, clerk.
Jacob Moyer, wheelwright.
Frederick Minor, miller, grist-mill, saw-mill.
Samuel & Jesse Mills, colliers.
Robert MeDaniel, carpenter.
Charles Moyer, wheelwright, 17 acres.
Jacob Oswald, carpenter.
Pine Forest Company, 230 aeres, grist-mill, saw- mill.
Peter Reiner, farmer, 50 aeres.
John Roth, sawyer.
Charles Roth, carpenter.
Lewis Roth, tailor.
Joseph Richter, wheelwright.
Augustus Roth, tailor.
Josiah Ruch, blacksmith.
George Ruple, wheelwright. Francis Reed, earpenter.
771
TOWAMENSING TOWNSHIP.
Lewis Schnell, 28 acres.
William Selinell, 33 acres, weaver.
Simon F. Snyder, farmer, 300 aeres.
Daniel Schaeffer, farmer, 102 aeres.
Thomas Schaeffer, 102 acres. Abram Smith, farmer, 98 acres. John A. Solt, 25 acres. Jacob Snyder, 108.
David and Renben Solt, 49 acres.
Jacob Solt, Jr., weaver, 62 acres.
Jolin J. Solt, farmer, 171 acres.
John Solt, farmer, 163 acres.
Daniel Solt, farmer, 203 acres.
Paul Solt, Jr., earpenter, 11 acres.
Henry Sowers, collier.
Daniel Stemler, farmer, 470 aeres, saw-mill, clover- mill.
David Sehaeffer, carpenter, 66 acres.
Justus L. Schreiber, carpenter.
George Sponeheimer.
Smith & Caldwell, 2687 acres, furnace, forge.
William Solt, tailor, 19 acres.
Nathaniel Serfas, farmer, 130 aeres.
Thomas Schwaab, farmer, 77 acres.
Matthias Geyfest, blacksmith.
John Solt, Jr., 22 acres. Jacob Sevitz, cordwainer, 40.
Peter P. Strohl & Sons, 56 aeres.
l'eter Snyder, Jr., 100 acres.
John A. Schoenberger, tailor.
Thomas Solt, 33 acres.
Andreas Siegfried.
Hyman L. Stine, carpenter. Daniel Smith, sawyer.
John Smith, farmer, 100 aeres.
William Tilghman, 106 acres, non-resident. Weiss estate, 3077 acres.
George Welch, farmer, 197 acres, saw-mill.
Daniel Weleh, farmer, 120 aeres.
William Walp, innkeeper.
Franeis Weiss, Sr., surveyor.
Thomas Weiss, tanner.
Daniel Wentz, farmer, SEacres,
Lewis Weiss, merchant.
Solomon Welch, 74 acres. Francis Weiss, Jr., surveyor.
George Wagner, Jr., farmer, 140 acres.
Charles Weleli, carpenter. Edward Weiss, merchant. Jolin Ziegenfuss, 226 acres, saw-mill.
Simon Ziegenfuss, miller.
Thomas Ziegenfuss, 45 acres.
Jacob Ziegenfuss, 50 acres.
The school privilege in this township was very meagre at an early day, as no church school was within its limits. The nearest was the John's con- gregation. The township accepted the school law in 1841, at which time the school directors were James Anthony and John Solt, who were elected for three
years, William Walp two years, and John Smith and David Shiffer one year.
The following is a list of the names of the school directors of the township since the erection of Carbon County :
1844 .- Francis Weiss, Jr., Daniel Wentz, Daniel Solt, Charles Blow.
18445 .- M. Christman, D. Stemler, D. Heberling. 1846 .- Alex. Lentz, Adam Beer.
1847 .- Thomas Stout, William Kern. 1848 .- George Wagner, Joseph Christman.
1849 .- Lewis Weiss, Paul Beers.
1850 .- David Bowman, James Lowry.
1851 .- Daniel Stemler, Adam Beer, Reuben Hawk, Samuel Greensweig.
1852 .- Daniel Eckhart, Daniel Walp.
1853 .- James Lowry, David Griffith.
1854 .- David Stemler, James Lowry.
1855 .- James Walp, David Becker.
1856 .- David Griffith, J. HI. Riekert.
1857 .- J. J. Kemmerer, Daniel Stemler, Simon Trach.
1858 .- George Beer, Adam Beer, Samuel Greens- weig.
1859 .- David Griffith, Edward Raber.
1860 .- Paul Beer, J. J. Kemerer.
1861 .- John Herman, Joel Strohl, David Christ- man.
1862 .- George Wagner, William Sehoenberger.
1863 .- Solomon Stemler, David Becker.
1864 .- J. J. Kemerer, Solomon Stemler.
1865 .- Daniel Stemler, Amos Beer.
1866 .- William Eckhardt, Joseph Christman.
1867 .- Robert MeDaniel, Josiah Harfle.
1868 .- Peter Bock, Paul Kresge.
1869 .- John Beller, David Griffith. 1870 .- Solomon Stemler, John Shobold.
1871 .- Paul Kresge, II. F. Greensweig.
1872 .- Frank Smith, Paul Smith.
1873 .- Charles Meinhard, J. K. Fetherolf.
1874 .- John Pickford, William Shatler.
1875 .- Nathan Stemler, Harrison Smith.
1876 .-- Joel Strohl, Jonah Hasble, Solomon Stuber.
1877 .- John II. Weiss, Samuel Eckhardt.
1878 .- John Stedder, Frederick Beer.
1879 .- Renben Eckhardt, William Shoenberger.
1880 .- Charles Schoeffer, Ebenzel Shinke.
1881 .- George Haydt, Benjamin Greensweig.
1882 .- Nathan Smith, August Kirchner, A. J. Christian. 1883 .- Paul Kresge, Solomon Stemler.
The township was originally divided into five school districts.
Nemlersrille, No. 1 .- A log school-house was erected by the saw-mill about 1840, which was used till 1850, when it was taken down and moved to the present school site, and there used till 1864, when the present brick house was built, at a cost of three hundred and sixty-five dollars.
772
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
No. 2 .- A district was erected, known as "Big Creek," which included the Shoenberger, Pine Run, and Kibler district. A school-house was built near Kemerer's, and used till 1868, when the three distriets mentioned were made, and this house was aban- doned.
The school-house at Shoenberger's, now Lovett's, was built in 1868, and is still in use.
Kibler's .- In 1868 the present school-house was built near John Eckert's.
Pine Run District embraced from its erection in 1868 to 1875 the present districts of Upper and Lower Pine Run. In the latter year Upper Pine Run was taken off.
The school-house of Lower Pine Run was erected in 1868, and of Upper Pine Run in 1875.
District No. 3, known as Greensweig, was one of the original districts. A school-house was erected on the present site, which was used till 1883, when the present building was erected.
No. 4 .- This distriet, known as Eckert's, was estab- lished upon the acceptance of the school law, and a school-house erected near Eckert's, which was in use till 1872, when the present stone building was erected.
No. 5 .- At this district, known as Beer's, a building was erected and used till 1864, when an edifice which had been erected for the use of an Evangelical Church society was purchased and remodeled for school pur- poses, and used for the school-house till the present.
The pupils in the different districts are as follows : Stemlersville, 60; Shoenberger, 10; Kibler, 25; Lower Pine Run, 30; Upper Pine Run, 30; Greensweig's, 45; Eckert's, 40; Beer's, 41. Total, 281.
Justices of the Peace .- The justices of the peace prior to 1840 will be found in the civil list of the county, in the distriets in which the townships were assigned. From 1845 to 1883 they have been as follows :
David Bauman, March, 1845.
Edward Weiss, March, 1850.
. George Beer, March, 1851.
George Wagner, March, 1851.
George Beer, March, 1856.
George Wagner, March, 1856.
Lynford Troch, March, 1859.
Henry Deppe, March, 1861.
Joseph M. Roberts, March, 1862.
Peter Jones, Jr., March, 1863.
W. H. Jones, March, 1865; March, 1866.
Paul Krisge, March, 1868.
John Behiler, October, 1870. Benjamin Beer, March, 1872; March, 1877. Paul Kresge, March, 1878; March, 1883.
Jerusalem Church .- The church, the only one in Towamensing township, is located near Trochsville, was built of frame, forty by fifty feet, with a gallery on three sides, in the year 1848. The society is union, and composed of members of the Entheran and German Reformed Churches. Among the pas-
tors of the Lutherans have been Rev. Frederick W. Mendson (1848-52), E. A. Bauer, and A. M. Strauss, the present pastor.
The pastors of the German Reformed were the Rev. John Helffrich, Rev. Charles Eichenberg, after whom the pulpit was supplied for several years. The present pastor is the Rev. Joseph H. Schlappig.
The Lutherans number about one hundred and eighty, and the German Reformed about seventy- five.
Stemlerville .- About 1795, Gen. Thomas Craig purchased property embracing what is now Stemler- ville. He erected the old house that is still standing, and in 1814 removed to Lehigh Gap. The property passed to others, among whom was one Frederick, who kept a tavern at the old house.
Daniel Stemler, of Northampton County, in 1829, purchased the property, and later purchased exten- sively adjoining. Mr. Stemler at the time of his purchase was recently married, and, upon taking possession of the property, he opened the old tavern again as a publie-house, which he kept till 1852, when the present brick hotel was built. This he also kept till his death, in 1871. It has since been kept by his son, Nathan.
An old mill, known as the Stemler Mill, is on the creek near Stemlerville, and before 1833 was in pos- session of Frederick Bachman. In that year he sold it to Thomas Craig, and April 6, 1842, he sold the property to Daniel Stemler, by whose heirs it is still owned. In 1864, Daniel Stemler erected the brick building now used as a store, and in 1866, Paul Kresge, his son-in-law, opened a store, which is still carried on.
A stage and mail route was opened about 1855 through the place, and a post-office was established, with Dan- icl Stemler as postmaster. After many years William Shoenberger was appointed, and held for a few months, and Robert Laubach was appointed. The office was returned to the Stemler Hotel, and Nathan Stemler was appointed deputy postmaster. It so remained until December, 1866, when Paul Kresge, the present postmaster, was appointed, and the office was removed to his store.
Trochsville, called after Lynford Troch, who lived there and owned the land. Walp's tavern-stand, a short distanec from there, was a noted old tavern-stand, and when Jacob Riekert, about 1854, built the present tavern-stand at Trochsville the old Walp stand was abandoned as tavern property. Rickert kept the tavern a few years and sold to Lynford Troch, who went to the war as captain and was killed. The prop- erty was rented for years, and is now owned by parties in Easton, and kept by Thomas Snyder.
Abont 1856, Lynford Troch started a store at the place, and a post-office was established, with Troch as postmaster. The office was after a time abandoned, and later re-established as Carbon Post-Office, which it still remains. John Behler served as postmaster,
773
BOROUGH OF WEISSPORT.
and was succeeded by Harrison Kunkel, the present postmaster, who also keeps the hotel and store.
On the road from Trochsville to Little Gap, Peter Jones, many years ago, creeted a brick house, which he opened as a hotel. The place became known as Jonesville. The hotel was kept for a number of years, and is now used as a dwelling.
CHAPTER XXV. BOROUGH OF WEISSPORT.
THE borough of Weissport is situated on the east bank of the Lehigh River, and opposite the borough of Lehighton. The greater part of the land on which it was built was patented to John Roberdoe in 1791, and later came into the possession of Col. Jacob Weiss. That portion along the river and at the north end of the borough was a part of the one hundred and twenty acres which was deeded to the Moravians in 1745, the greater part of which lay on the west side of the Lehigh River. The Guadenhutten Mis- sion was established in 1746, and became a prosperous settlement and trading-post. The Moravians here gathered about them about five hundred Indians of the Mohegan and Delaware tribes. Schools were established, mills erected, and agricultural pursuits and stock-raising were extensively carried on.
The Indians gathered here were taught in the schools and assisted in agricultural pursuits. Early in the year 1754 it was decided to establish a new mission on the east side of the river, to be called New Gnadenhiitten, to which place the Indians were to be removed.
The Carbon Advocate, in 1879, published an article entitled "New Gnadenhutten, Weissport One Hun- dred and Twenty-five Years ago." The writer says, "Independent of the English and French war raging on the Susquehanna, there were dissensions and bick- ering among the Indians themselves, and especially a feud between the Delawares and the Five Nations. In the commencement of 1764, a young white man having murdered the peaceable old chief, Tattemi, that astute diplomat and Quaker Indian, Tadeuskund, was chosen leader and king of the Delawares. Tadeus- kund had been converted to Christianity and bap- tized, and his chief purpose was to preserve an equi- librium of peace between the white colonists and his own people, and it is likely he saw in this peaceful living together of whites and Indians at Gnaden- hütten a serious eause for jealousy among the tribes outside, and so arranged with Bishop Spangenberg, at Bethlehem, to bring about this separation. And thus was established New Gnadenhütten, now Weissport.
" In the removal the Indians were kindly assisted by the congregations at Bethlehem, Nazareth, Chris- tianbrunn, and Gnadenthal, who furnished not only workmen and materials, but even contributions in
money. Unanimity and diligence contributed so mneh towards the progress of this work that the first twenty houses were inhabited by the 4th, and the foundation-stone of the new chapel laid on the 11th of June. Bishop Spangenberg offered up a most fervent prayer, and delivered a powerful discourse on this solemn occasion. The houses were soon after completed, and a regulation made in all the families for the children, of each sex, to be properly taken care of. The dwellings were placed in such order that the Mohegans lived on one side of the street and the Delawares on the other side. The brethren at Bethlehem took the culture of the old land on the Mahoning upon themselves, made a plantation of it for the use of the Indian congregation, and converted the old chapel into a dwelling, both for the use of those brethren and sisters who had the care of the plantations, and for missionaries passing on their visits to the heathen. A Synod was held in New Gnaden- hütten from the 6th to the 11th of Angust, 1754, and the chapel consecrated. Many Indian assistants were invited to this Synod, the chief intention being ma- turely to consider the situation of the Indian mission."
The two missions under the same management prospered greatly until the defeat of Gen. Braddock, in July, 1755, at which time the frontiers were left open to attacks from the Indians, who were incited by appeal to their prejudices and promises held out to them by the French, who went among them for that purpose. The Indians living in this section of coun- try were also jealous of the influence exerted by the Moravian missionaries over their people. The defeat of Braddock caused great uneasiness and consterna- tion among the settlers who had taken up lands out- side of the mission, and many of them left their homes and fled to Bethlehem, Easton, and other more thickly- populated localities. The brethren of the mission decided to remain, and took every precaution against surprise, but it was in vain.
On the evening of Nov. 24, 1755, the old mission was attacked by a party of Indians, who, after vainly endeavoring to get in the house, set the building on fire, and killed and scalped those who were not burned in the dwelling, except those who escaped. The light of the flames, and two Moravians who escaped to the new mission, notified the Indians of their danger. They at once offered to attack the enemy without delay, but were advised by the missionary in charge to the contrary, and they immediately gathered to- gether a few effects and fled to the woods. The next day troops arrived from Bethlehem, and many of the refugees returned. No further trouble was occasioned by the Indians until the 1st of January following (1756), when a part of the troops, who were skating, saw two Indians above them on the river, and fol- lowing them, they were led into an ambush and killed. This so alarmed the remaining troops that they, with the Indians, fled. The savages then burned the Indian houses at the " New Gnadenhutten" Mission.
774
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Benjamin Franklin was in the same month ap- pointed to build a line of forts, one of which was to be at this locality. A full account of Fort Allen and its occupation will be found in the Indian history.
On a morning in January, 1761, the little body of troops, who for five years had been stationed in Fort Allen, were ordered to prepare for evacuation. When all was ready, the column marched out and down the military road towards Bethlehem. For several years the locality, now left to desolation, had been the abiding-place of several hundred people, who were engaged in agricultural pursuits, and of troops to protect them. Twenty-three years passed before an attempt was again made to settle at this place.
Col. Jacob Weiss, a native of Philadelphia, in the year 1784, while on a tour through the county with a view of purchasing land, passed up the Lehigh River. The well-timbered lands along the east side of the river attracted his attention, and he purchased of the Moravians of Bethlehem seven hundred acres of land, between what is now Parryville and Long Run. Ile erected a log house for his own nse on the site of the Fort Allen House at Weissport, and a saw-mill and a log house for his sawyer, John Roth. He had mar- ried a few years previous to this time, and in the next year (1785) moved to the new home, his family then consisting of his wife, two children, and Mrs. Robin- son, his wife's mother. At this time the Solts, Arners, and Hoeths were living west of him from six to eight miles, and on the other side of the river were the families of Dodson and others, four or five miles distant.
mounted behind her husband to go on horseback, but was obliged to dismount, for the horse could not pos- sibly carry both, on account of the ground being so completely soaked that he sunk to the flanks. Mrs. Weiss, however, was carried in an arm-chair by some men to the hill east of the canal. At the same time a house near the river was swept away with its in- mates,-Tippey, his wife, and two children. As the house was floating each of the parents had a child by the hand, the house struck a tree, the parents caught by the limbs and were saved, but both children per- ished. In this predicament Mr. Mullen, a sailor, at the instance of Mr. Weiss, took a canoe, and rescued Tippey and his wife from the angry waves which had borne off their tender children." This flood is known as "Tippey's Flood."
In the year 1791, when Philip Ginter discovered coal at Summit Hill, he brought specimens of it to Col. Weiss, who at once became interested and went to Philadelphia, and with others formed the Lehigh Coal Company. About ten thousand acres of land were taken up on the mountain, and efforts were made to bring the coal to market and in use, but for the time they were not successful.
Col. Weiss was engaged in all movements to ad- vanee the best interests of the county. In his ad- vaneing years he retired from the more active duties of life, and his sons, Francis and Thomas, were in charge of his business. He was a native of Phila- delphia, where he was born Sept. 1, 1750, and was educated at Nazareth and Philadelphia. Upon the breaking out of the Revolution he entered the army, and was an active participant during that memorable struggle. At its close he married, and in 1785 came to the place which now bears his name, and lived there till his death, Jan. 9, 1899, in his eighty-ninth year. His wife, Elizabeth, survived him several years. Their children were Rebecca, Francis, Jacob, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Edward. Rebecca was born in Philadelphia, passed her youth at Weissport, and
Active work commenced in the woods and at the mill. The sound of the woodman's axe, the falling of trees, and the loud voices of teamsters resounded in the woods along the river. In a few years the forests were cut away and fields were cleared and planted. Other large tracts were purchased by Col. Weiss, and lumbering was carried on for many years. The next year (1786) after the arrival of the family, a great flood occurred, which was long remembered ; became the wife of Dr. John E. Thompson. They by them. The following account of this flood is , lived at that place many years, and after her death given in Rupp's " History of the Five Counties," her husband moved to Mauch Chunk, and died of cholera in 1854. Francis, son of Jacob, was also born in Philadelphia. He attended school at Nazareth and Easton, and gave particular attention to surveying. lle learned the trade of printing, but forsook it for surveying, which he made his life-work. For many years he did most of the surveying in this region of the country. He remained ummarried, and died about seventy years of age. Jacob, son of Jacob, remained at home till he reached maturity, when he traveled for several years, and later became interested in coal and mining operations. He also was unmarried, and died about sixty-five years of age. Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob, became the wife of Jacob Horsfield, and for several years resided at Emaus, where her husband was engaged in the mercantile business. Later they removed to Bethlehem. Thomas, son of Jacob, settled the facts therein being stated by Mrs. Weiss and her son, Francis, in September, 1844: "On the night of the Gth of October, 1786, Mr. Weiss' family was roused from sleep between ten and twelve of the clock by the cry of some one, ' We are all surrounded.' At this ery the first thought that struck them was that the Indians had surprised them, but they soon found they were surrounded by water, for the Le- high had swollen so suddenly and so high that the whole flat of Fort Allen was inundated. To save themselves they had to leave the house. They drove the sheep into the kitchen and penned them up in the loft; the cattle were on the hills. Old Mrs. Robin- son-the mother of Mrs. Weiss-and the children were carried in a wagon to the higher ground, and Mrs. Weiss, between two and three in the morning,
Y
1
775
BOROUGH OF WEISSPORT.
on the homestead farm and carried on the farming and lumbering. He married the daughter of Paul Solt, who was one of the early settlers. His children were Elizabeth (Mrs. Jacob Bowman), who now resides at Millport; Charles, who became a surveyor, and emi- grated to Michigan and died in Detroit; Lewis re- mained at Weissport, and was for some years engaged in boat-building and in the mercantile business from 1836 to 1857, and in 1872 removed to Lehighton, where he is now in business; Franeis, about 1850, engaged in boat-building and the mercantile business in Bethlehem, and is still in that borough ; Alexander, in 1870, went to California, and is still there. Edward, son of Jacob, remained at his native place and en- gaged in boat-building, mereantile business, and also kept the Fort Allen House. He died in 1864.
Soon after the year 1800 a tide of emigration began to flow to the west side of the Lehigh River, and Col. Weiss, with others, presented a petition to the conrt of Northampton County asking for a bridge across the Lehigh River at the termination of the road that was built in 1748 from Bethlehem to Gnadenhitten. This did not meet with prompt attention, and another was presented bearing date Nov. 5, 1803, which was favorably received, and viewers were appointed, who at a later term of court reported as follows :
" The Honorable Jacob Rush, President, and the Associate Judges, e. :
" We the Subscribers, the viewers appointed by the within order of Court, having in pursuance of the said order met upon the spot to view the seite of the Bridge pruy'd for, Do report That a Bridge is really noceseury for the accomodation of the Public at The said place. We find the river to measure one hundred and twenty feet width, baving a substantial rock on the western shore, which of course will not require any or very little walling. And ou the eastern it will require an abnt- ment and wing wall extending about one hundred and fifty feet from the abntment eastward; and we further suggest that the lower timbers ought to lay about Twelve feet above low-water mark. Wo herewith also present a draft of a bridge (which altho' not fitted to the width of stream as above mentioned, it being calculated for one hundred und forty feet) will sufficiently describe the structure we would approve of. I'be dotted lines in the draft describes an urch of 18 feet eleva- tion composed of eight rows of timber, each one foot thick, sprend from shore to shore, to which the Dooring is hung by as many king- posts as there are ten of feet In the span, which posts are to be well last- ened with iron bolts to suid arch of timber, and rising to a proper height, and with u horizontal floor. It is lo be covered with a shingle roof, and the sides in to boarded We would further add that a bridge thus constructed will be much better than the common construction of nul wich and thoustug, as tu the ascent nud descent of a heavy-ladon car- ringo upon such a flooring the frames labors hard, and of course wears fust; ugnin, in the structure we propose the timber being covered in; it will also be much more darable on that account (although the order of court does not require it). We may add that we estimate the expense of the construction of such n bridge Three Thousand dollars."
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