New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 54

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1416


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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Governor Davidson was married to Miss Katie Calvert in June, 1897. They have three daughters, Mrs. Marion Davidson Smyth, and Misses Lois and Katie Lynch Davidson. He is a member of the Houston Club, Houston Country Club, Lumbermen's Club, Kiwanis Club and the B. P. O. E., and the re- ligion of the Methodist faith. Never tiring in his efforts to assist his State and people, he is advo- cating the solution of the problem of prison opera- tion in Texas and achievement of the humanitarian purposes of penal incarceration by the rehabilitation of the State Iron Foundry at Rusk. Governor Dav- idson is a member of the Methodist Church, which faith comes to him as a direct heritage from many generations of Methodist forbears, both paternal and maternal. Having tasted poverty in his earlier years, Governor Davidson is in sympathy with those who toil. Having risen from the ranks, he has the deepest interest in the man who aspires to better his condition, and he is always ready and willing to render helpful service to his fellowman. Governor Davidson expects to arrange his business affairs and return to politics in 1926, as a candidate for the Governorship of Texas, where he is regarded as one of his State's most popular, progressive and public- spirited citizens.


ILLIAM ALBERT CHILDRESS, manager and treasurer of the Hermann Hospital Es- tate, is well and favorably known in the business circles of Houston, where prior to his appointment to this responsible position, was for a period of forty years engaged in the fire insurance business in the state of Texas. The Her- mann Hospital, located in the picturesque Hermann Park, is one of the finest and most complete institu-


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tions of its kind to be found south of St. Louis. The construction of this superb building, representing an investment of $1,250,000.00 was started in March, 1923 and completed in 1925. The Hermann Hospital contains two hundred and seventy-five beds, com- plete and modern operating rooms, wards, sun rooms and porches for convalescents, making it the last word in modern hospitals. Mr. Childress' office is conveniently located at 807 Stewart Building, where all business relating to the Hermann Hospital Estate is transacted.


Mr. Childress was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1857. His father, James L. Childress, was a large plantation owner and extensive cotton planter o Alabama. His mother was Miss Susanne Bruin, a member of a well known Florida family. Mr. Child- ress' parents removed to New Orleans when he was ten years of age and his education was obtained in the public and high schools of that historic city. Mr. Childress began his business career when fifteen years of age in the railroad business with the Mor- gan line. He remained in this line of work until he was twenty years of age, when he entered the cot- ton business in Houston, Texas. In 1879 he entered the insurance business and in 1880 the insurance firm of Childress and Taylor was organized. Mr. Childress was special agent of the Springfield Fire & Marine Insurance Company for the states of Texas and Arkansas from 1887 to 1893. He then resigned and gave his whole time to local insurance business. From 1899 to 1903 he traveled in Texas for the Phoenix Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut. In 1920 he was appointed trustee and manager of the Hermann Hospital Estate.


Mr. Childress was married in Houston in 1880 to Mrs. Stella Blanchard Clapp. They have two daugh- ters, Mrs. R. V. Sanders of Dallas and Mrs. Minnie Childress Morris of New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Childress reside at 1007 Truxillo Street.


Mr. Childress is a member of both York and Scottish Rite bodies of the Masonic fraternity and holds membership in the Houston Country Club and the Conopus Club. Mr. Childress considers the future of Houston to be one of unlimited possibilities for continued growth and progress and that it is destined to soon become the leading city in the Southwest.


LBERT S. DIXON for around two decades has taken an active part in the industrial development of Houston, where he has built up a successful grain enterprise and has figured as one of the sterling citizens. Mr. Dixon is a member of the firm of E. S. Dixon and Company, a partnership business, with his father, A. P. Dixon, now retired, as senior member of the firm. The


business was established in 1908 and has since been one of the leading manufacturers of all kinds of mixed feeds in this section. The Dixon Company manufactures the Economy Brand of mixed feeds, putting out under this well known brand of all kinds of dairy feed, chicken feed and other stock feeds. They operate a wholesale and retail business and con- centrate their trade in Houston and adjoining terri- tory, shipping only a small percentage of their out- put any great distance. They have a large and mod- ern mill and their business, growing steadily since its establishment almost two decades ago, is one of the largest of its kind in the city. They also have


a wholesale and retail hay business and supply many of the smaller dealers as well as a number of in- dividual customers, with this commodity. The business is located at 125 Harvard Avenue at the Houston & Texas Central tracks.


Elbert S. Dixon was born in Fannin County, Texas, the thirteenth of September, 1879, son of A. P. and Annie C. (Ferrell) Dixon, both of whom now make their home in Houston. His father, also a native of Fannin County and a member of one of the real pioneer families of the Lone Star State, was for years, until moving to Houston in 1905, a farmer in Fannin and Hunt Counties. After coming to Houston he, with his son, organized the grain busi- ness, which his son, the subject of this sketch, now operates, beginning in a small way and gradually expanding until the firm of E. S. Dixon and Com- pany is one of the largest grain houses in Harris County. Elbert S. Dixon was educated in the pub- lic schools of Hunt County and having been reared to agricultural pursuits, was himself a farmer for several years at the beginning of his career. He then went in the grain business, on a salary, in North Texas, and with the exception of two years in the oil business was in that business until com- ing to Houston in 1905. He first went in this busi- ness here on a salary until establishing the mill in 1908, which he has since operated.


Mr. Dixon makes his home at 198 Harvard Ave- nue, and takes an active interest in the construc- tive development of the city. Fraternally he is a member of the T. P. A. He also belongs to the Hous- ton Chamber of Commerce and is active in the work of this organization.


HARLES J. UNICE, Houston oil operator, has been engaged in the oil business for more than ten years, and is one of the best known independent operators of the South- east Texas oil fraternity. Mr. Unice has his offices in Houston, in the Kress Building, directing his in- terests from here, and has producing wells in many of the proven fields of the state, including wells at Wortham, and also in the Eldorado district of Southern Arkansas. Mr. Unice is at present con- centrating his efforts on the Humble field, where he owns valuable leases, and has recently brought in a promising well in that field. Mr. Unice en- tered the oil business in 1914 and has been very active since that time. In 1916 he came to Houston, and has maintained his headquarters here since, al- though he has spent much of his time in the various fields in which he is interested.


Charles J. Unice was born in Syria, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Unice, natives of Syria. The family came to the United States in 1900, and Mr. Unice finished his education, begun in the schools of Syria, in this country. He spent several years as a commercial traveler, and also engaged in business as a manufacturer's broker. At one time he was in the packing house business in Beaumont, spend- ing a number of years in that city, and in 1914 entered the oil business.


Mr. Unice was married at Brooklyn, New York, on the 11th of March, 1920, to Miss Lulu Teen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. A. Teen, natives of Syria. Mr. and Mrs. Unice reside at 703 Avondale Avenue, and have two children, Minerva, and C. J. Unice, Jr., who were born in Houston. Mr. Unice is an Elk, and belongs to the Presbyterian Church.


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R OY MONTGOMERY FARRAR, President of the Union National Bank, has been the executive head of that financial institu- tion since November 8th, 1924, when he succeeded J. S. Rice, who at that time became chair- man of the board of directors. The Union National Bank is one of the strongest institutions in Texas, with a capital of a million dollars, surplus and un- divided profits of over a million and total resources of more than twenty millions. The Union National Bank was organized as the Union Bank and Trust Company in 1906 and became the Union National Bank in 1910, and has enjoyed a substantial and continuous growth. The officers of the Union Na- tional Bank are: J. S. Rice, chairman of the board; R. M. Farrar, president; Geo. Hamman, vice presi- dent; H. B. Finch, vice president; A. L. Carter, vice president; B. B. Gilmer, vice president; C. G. Pillot, vice president; T. J. Caldwell, vice president; C. A. Dwyer, cashier; Edw. H. Andrews, assistant vice president. The directors are: Jas. Anderson, Edw. H. Andrews, Frank Andrews, R. H. Baker, J. S. Bonner, A. L. Bowers, R. E. Brooks, T. J. Caldwell, J. J. Carroll, A. L. Carter, C. L. Carter, W. T. Carter, Jr., Geo. R. Christie, T. C. Dunn, C. A. Dwyer, S. P. Farish, R. M. Farrar, H. B. Finch, Wm. Giles, B. B. Gilmer, Geo. Hamman, G. A. Kel- ley, Haskel Levy, Fred. R. Lummis, C. L. Neuhaus, W. O. Neuhaus, C. G. Pillot, Norman V. Pillot, R. D. Randolph, J. W. Reynolds, J. S. Rice, W. S. Rice, W. M. Rice, H. C. Schuhmacher, R. W. Wier.


R. M. Farrar is probably best known throughout Texas as a lumber man, in which business he had been engaged for two score years. He is president of the Farrar Lumber Company, Inc., with retail yards throughout the state.


R. M. Farrar was born at St. Louis, Missouri, December 16th, 1870, son of John H. Farrar and Sarah Rose Farrar. Mr. Farrar was educated in the St. Louis public schools, coming to Houston in 1887, where he entered the lumber business. He worked at various departments of the lumber busi- ness from that time until 1902, when with Jesse H. Jones he established the South Texas Lumber Com- pany, which he operated for ten years. In 1912 he organized the Farrar Lumber Company which has established yards throughout the State of Texas. Mr. Farrar devoted his time principally to the lum- ber business until November, 1915, when he became president of the National Bank of Commerce of Houston, retiring from that institution in 1921 and became president of the Union National Bank in November, 1924. Mr. Farrar has always taken an active interest in matters pertaining to the civic and commercial progress of Houston. He is par- ticularly interested in the harbor development work, served as a member of the port boards for eleven years, retiring in 1925. He was president of the Houston Chamber of Commerce in 1915-6 and is again president at this date. He has been a di- rector for six years of the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.


Mr. Farrar was married at Waxahachie, the thirtieth of April, 1906, to Miss Margaret Camp- bell, daughter of the late Rev. James Campbell. Mr. and Mrs. Farrar are the parents of three children, Ellen, Margaret and Ruth. Mr. Farrar is a mem- ber of the Lumberman's Club, Houston Club and the Houston Country Club, and the St. Pauls Methodist


Church, and may be accredited with a commendable position in the civic, commercial and social activi- ties of Houston.


HILIP HARDCASTLE, pioneer resident of Houston, and for upwards of forty years a vital force of progress, has at the head of the Texas Lamp & Oil Company, Incor- porated, been active in mercantile circles, directing his attention toward the highest standards of mer- chandising, and the civic improvement of his com- munity. In 1900 Mr. Hardcastle, after two decades spent with the Pierce Oil Corporation, took over the Texas Lamp and Oil Company, established by the . Pierce Corporation in 1879, with which he has since been connected and is now president, treasurer and general manager. The Texas Lamp & Oil Company, located at 809 and 811 Prairie Avenue, occupies a modern three story building, fifty by one hundred feet, and they have in addition a warehouse ninety by one hundred feet, located on the International and Great Northern tracks. The business has kept pace with the development and growth of the city, for over four decades supplying a constantly grow- ing patronage with household utilities of all kinds, furnishing everything but the furniture. They also handle an extensive line of hotel, restaurant, kitchen and dining room supplies. The Texas Lamp & Oil Company sells both wholesale and retail, employing sixteen men in the house and two on the road. Mr. Hardcastle is president, treasurer and manager, Dr. Horace C. Feagin, vice president, but not active in the business, and A. J. Buford, active secretary.


Mr. Hardcastle, as a boy, worked for the Western Union Telegraph and Telephone Company, and later with the Morgan Lines, Railroad and Texas Trans- portation Company. In 1880, then but seventeen, he began with the Pierce Oil Corporation, as clerk, working for the house he now owns. In 1900, at which time he had worked his way up to assistant manager, he, with several others, bought the busi- ness, becoming vice president, and in 1916 president. His career represents an achievement, gained en- tirely by his own efforts, and genius for forging ahead. Mr. Hardcastle has for many years been a leader in civic movements, neglecting no opportun- ity that would result in the good of his community. He has given freely of his time and means in every worthy cause, and is regarded as one of the builders of the city.


Mr. Hardcastle was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the twenty-eighth of April, 1863, son of P. F. Hard- castle, who, with his family came to Texas in 1873, living in this state the rest of his life. Mr. Hard- castle began his education in the public schools of Tennessee, and later, after the removal of the fam- ily to Texas, continued in the schools here for sev- eral years, at which time he went to work.


Mr. Hardcastle was married in Houston, Texas, to Miss Grace Miley, a native of Ohio. They have two children, a son, Frank M. Hardcastle, who is married and has one child, Jessie, and Anita, wife of Dr. Horace C. Feagin, well known Houston phy- sician, and who has one child, James Hill Feagin. Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle make their home at 1306 Hadley Avenue. Mr. Hardcastle belongs to the various civic organizations that have taken part, and are taking part, in the development of Houston, and is a leader in this work.


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DWARD J. HUSSION for two decades has taken a leading part in the industrial ac- tivities at Houston, where he is recognized rience. as a printer of unusual success and expe- The Standard Printing and Lithographing Company, Incorporated, of which Mr. Hussion is President. and Manager, dates back to the early days of Houston's history. The business was estab- lished in 1876 and has been in continuous operation. In 1906 it was taken over by the present men. At this time the business reorganized and has since made rapid strides of progress. The Standard Printing and Lithographing Company is engaged in general printing, handling all classes of this and lithographing work. They also make fine steel en- gravings. The work done is of superior quality, and their extensive patronage is largely due to the ap- preciation shown by the public of this class of work. Their plant, located at 1207 Capitol Avenue, is equipped with the most modern machinery, with every provision made for handling the highest class of work, and is the result of years of careful plan- ning. The plant has twenty-two thousand feet of floor space, and employs one hundred trained opera- tors. A sales force of seven men cover the entire of Southeast Texas.


Edward J. Hussion was born at Galveston, Texas, the twenty-second day of January, 1875, son of Thomas Hussion, a native of Ireland, who came to Texas in 1860 and later served in the Confederate Army. He was a merchant at Galveston for many years. Mr. Hussion was educated in the public schools at Galveston and first entered the printing industry in that city. In 1901 he came to Houston, engaging in the printing business until 1906, when he reorganized the plant of the Standard Printing and Lithographing Company, and entered the new firm as Secretary. In 1909 he became President and Manager, which position he now holds.


Mr. Hussion was married at Galveston in 1899, to Miss Z. Jenkins, a native of West Columbia, and now deceased. They had one child, Mrs. Lee Francis, of Dallas, Texas. Mr. Hussion makes his home at the Houston Club. He is a member of the Houston Country Club and the Knights of Columbus.


AGE HARRIS came to Houston in 1912, where he has since been associated with the National Lumber and Creosoting Company as vice president, and is active in the opera- tion of this company. Mr. Harris has been an ex- ecutive of this company for eleven years, prior to which he was for many years connected with the Texas and Pacific Railroad as general superin- tendent with headquarters in New Orleans and later in Dallas. The National Lumber and Creosoting Company was established in Texarkana, Texas, more than a quarter of a century ago by Mr. John T. Logan, and they now have offices at Texarkana, Texas, St. Louis and Kansas City, with plants lo- cated at Houston, Texarkana and Kansas City, where they are manufacturers of cross ties, poles and fence posts. Each of these plants occupy a space of about fifty acres of ground, for the purpose of manu- facturing and storing, and from seventy-five to one hundred men are employed at each plant. The product of this company is sold to railroads, electric and interurban lines and highways, but is mostly sold to railroads, and sixty million board feet are sold from each of these plants annually. They oper-


ate in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri in timber and ties, and own vast quantities of timber in these states, and also purchase timber from various sources. The Houston office of the National Lumber and Creosoting Company is located at 1114 Union National Bank Building, and the other of- ficers of this company are John T. Logan, Texar- kana, president; F. W. Offenhauser, Texarkana, vice president; George E. Rex, Kansas City, vice presi- dent, and E. W. Mead of Texarkana, secretary and treasurer.


Mr. Harris was born in Lawrence, Kansas, May 10th, 1868, son of W. A. Harris, deceased. W. A. Harris was a prominent business man and politician in that state and served terms as congressman and United States senator. Page Harris was married to Miss Sallie Binkley of Sherman, Texas, May 5th, 1893. Her father, Rev. J. M. Binkley, served as pre- siding elder in the Methodist church for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have three children, Mary, now Mrs. J. W. Northrup; Monroe, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Page, Junior.


Mr. Harris is a member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce.


OHN E. HOOVER, marine surveyor and ap- praiser of Houston, has become well known in shipping circles since entering this busi- ness here several years ago. Mr. Hoover surveys vessels or floating equipment of any nature and reports on their suitability for insurance risk, and also surveys damaged vessels and makes recom- mendations for repairs to place them in a seaworthy condition. He also surveys cargoes to determine the nature and extent of damage done and make ad- justments for cargo consignees and underwriters. He has his offices in the Cotton Exchange Building, and prior to coming to Houston in 1923 to establish this business Mr. Hoover was with the United States Shipping Board and also with the United States Sal- vage Association, Inc., of New York, acting as their district surveyor for Texas, a position that gave him a wide experience as surveyor and appraiser.


John E. Hoover was born in Pennsylvania on the twenty-first of August, 1867, son of the late Thomas Hoover and Mrs. Elizabeth (Kerstetter) Hoover, both natives of Pennsylvania. He was educated in the schools of Pennsylvania, and began his business career in that State. Mr. Hoover has spent many years in the Philippines, serving seven years in the Army Transport Service, where he procured a chief engineer's license of ocean-going vessels, later he served in the government service as electrician and later as mechanical engineer, and still later as hull and boiler inspector of the Steamboat Inspection Service. He left this service to go into business as independent marine surveyor and appraiser. He was surveyor to Lloyds agents and official admeas- urer to the Eastern Asiatic Conference Pool, re- turned to the U. S. A., where he joined and served with the Shipping Board to the close of the war. He served an enlistment during the Spanish-Ameri- can War, volunteering with the Eighteenth Regi- ment of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later joining the Seventeenth Regulars at the time of the Philip- pine insurrection.


Mr. Hoover resides in Houston at the Hamford Apartments, on the corner of Dallas and Main Streets, and is a Mason, thirty-second degree, and member of the Shrine.


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MEN OF TEXAS


ENERAL JACOB F. WOLTERS, attorney at law, has for more than thirty years prac- ticed his profession in the courts of Texas and is a beacon light of the legal profes- sion. General Wolters is the head of the law firm of Wolters, Blanchard, Woodul and Wolters, one of the leading firms of South Texas, and has been iden- tified with many of the most important cases which have come before the courts of the state and many which have attracted a national interest. This firm represents the Pullman Company, the Texas Com- pany, the Houston Chronicle, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad in five counties, and various other companies, and individuals of note. While this firm is engaged in a general practice in the state and federal courts, it does not try ordinary criminal cases unless a friend or client is involved. As a noteworthy case of this character may be men- tioned the case of Henry L. Ransom, who was a fa- mous Ranger captain and at the time of this inci- dent was a plain clothes man. In 1911, Mayor Rice brought Captain Ransom to Houston to clean up the town, and this act incensed and incurred the en- mity of J. B. Brockman, who at that time was a prominent criminal lawyer of Houston and widely known throughout the state, and out of this bitter feeling, Brockman was killed by the Ranger captain and the firm of Lane, Wolters and Storey repre- sented Captain Ransom and the result was an acquit- tal. This case probably was watched with more in- tense interest than any similar case ever tried before the courts of Texas, not only by the citizenship, but by the public at large. Another case in which Gen- eral Wolters' firm was counsel was for the ex parte De La Fuente. De La Fuente was a Mexican citi- zen and was arrested for offense against neutrality laws. Held: Since the fifth amendment to the fed- eral constitution guaranteeing to an individual im- munity against being deprived of his liberty without due process of law and the fourth amendment de- claring that warrants shall not be issued except on probable cause supported by oath and sixth amend- ment guaranteeing to accused a speedy trial, etc., are applicable to aliens sojourning in the United States as well as citizens and that the president in time of peace has no right to use the military forces for arrest of aliens temporarily residing in the Unit- ed States and to imprison him indefinitely without trial while officers of the government are trying to secure evidence against the alien for violating neu- trality laws. De La Fuente was a Mexican citizen and at this time revolution was taking place in Mex- ica. He had been arrested and imprisoned in Fort Sam Houston.


As a military man, General Wolters has rendered invaluable service to his city, state and country. He enlisted in the Texas National Guard in 1890 and was a private in this organization from that time to 1896 and in 1898 he was made first lieutenant, and in 1911 he became a lieutenant colonel. In 1918 Gen- eral Wolters was made a brigadier general and or- ganized a cavalry brigade. The officers were or- dered to the Central Officers Training Camp at Leon Springs, and here he qualified as a brigadier gen- eral. With the signing of the armistice, he re- mained a part of the National Guard. He is now commander of the 56th Cavalry Brigade with units in Texas and New Mexico. All his officers have a rating of average or above and all have seen serv-


ice either domestic or abroad. There are 2,100 men and officers in this organization. As to the local service that General Wolters has rendered in Texas, may be mentioned that in June, 1919, the governor declared martial law at Longview and he served there with his troops. In September of the same year, the governor declared martial law at Corpus Christi, and General Wolters was sent with his troops to Aransas and San Patricio Counties, keep- ing order and protecting property there. From June 7th to October 8th, 1920, he commanded under martial law at Galveston during the loneshoremen's strike, with 1,020 men and officers. When the gen -. eral and his troops first arrived at the Island City, the citizenship was resentful of occupation, but be- fore the troops had gone from the city, there oc- curred some very large fires at the wharves that were kept under control and were prevented from doing much damage, by the Texas troops, and this so changed the sentiment of the citizens that when they retired each man and officer were given a med- al, and General Wolters was given a silver cup on which was inscribed, "An Unpleasant Duty Well Performed." Out of this performance of duty by General Wolters grew the case: United States ex rel. McMasters vs. Wolters et al, as brigadier general of Texas Militia in charge of martial law at Galves- ton. General Wolters ordered that the provost mar- tial take charge of police station, city hall, the of- fice of the city judge and all records, etc. and direct- ing that all persons charged with violations of city ordinances be tried by provost martial. This case came up on account of the arrest of McMaster for speeding and he objected to the jurisdiction of the court and demanded a trial by jury. The trial by jury was denied and he was found guilty and sen- tenced to pay a fine of $50.00 and commanded to jail on failure to pay this fine. This decision is rendered on petition for writ of Habeas Corpus. Held: Under authority conferred on the governor by law to call out militia to enforce laws in case of riot, etc., whether such conditions exist is solely for the governor to determine and his decision is not re- viewable by the courts. A governor having such authority and having proclaimed martial law in a city, it was held that he had power to suspend the officers of the city for failure and refusal to exe- cute the laws and to institute a military court to take the place of a municipal court whose officers were suspended. From January 12th to March 1st, 1921, General Wolters was in command of the troops at Mexia when martial law was proclaimed there, and when that center of the Texas oil area was in state of lawlessness. In 1911 he managed the anti- prohibition campaign in Texas and out of this grew the suit: Ex Parte Wolters. General Wolters was adjudged in contempt of the House of Representa- tives at a special session of the Legislature for re- fusing to answer questions by the committee of that body as to matters pertaining to the prohibition elec- tion in which he was an anti-prohibition campaign leader. The date of the election was July 22nd, 1911, and the campaign was lost for the prohibition side. Held: That at a special session of the Legislature, where it appoints a committee to investigate a mat- ter not submitted to them, and to undertake to punish a witness for contempt in refusing to an- swer questions, the entire proceedings being beyond the legislative power and so, powerless to pro-




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