USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 77
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Poverty has never been an obstacle to the acquirement of a good education to those who have been persistent in its pursuit, and many poor boys have here laid the foundation for successful careers.
Its alumni are scattered throughout the United States, numbering considerably over one hundred. The academy has a property valued at $30,000, consisting of three large brick build- ings, situated in a beautiful park of twelve acres.
For educational purposes, the academy has many advantages. It is situated in one of the pleasantest villages in the country. It is surrounded by a rich farming community. Its loca- tion is healthy. Its recitation rooms are commodious. The three societies have fine halls, and the influences that generally tend to distract the student's mind from study are absent.
Its average yearly attendance has been about 225.
Its course of instruction consists of a four-years course in Greek, Latin, German, mathe- matics, metaphysics and natural science.
The academy confers on its graduates the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy and Laureate of Philosophy.
It receives no aid from church or state, but depends upon a small tuition fee and the liber- ality of a few benevolent individuals for its maintenance. C. R. Head has been President of the Board of Trustees during the twenty-six years of its existence, and has been its strongest supporter and most liberal giver. G. W. . Williams, Jesse Saunders, J. H. Potter, D. J. Green, Daniel Coon, S. R. Potter, J. A. Potter, George Greeman & Co., of Mystic, Conn. ; E. Lyon, New York; Clark Rogers, Plainfield, N. J., and Horace Bliven have been foremost among its supporters and contributors.
MARSHALL ACADEMY.
The building is a large three-story, erected in Marshall, in 1866, at a cost of $8,000. It was built by a joint-stock company. It was opened January 7, 1867, with J. J. McIn- tire, Principal, and Mary A. Cuckoo, Preceptress, under the supervision of the following Board of Directors : Joseph Hart, President; W. H. Porter, Treasurer; E. B. Bigelow, Secretary ; Louis Morrill, Samuel Blascoer, Thomas Hart, Torga Oleson, Jacob Miller and Samnel Fields. In 1869, the building was purchased by the Augustine Synod of Luther- ans, and formally dedicated to their use in November of the same year, with J. J. Anderson as Principal of the Academic Department, and Prof. Weinass of the Theological Seminary. In the fall of 1875, the building was leased by Prof. Henry Dorman, and the academy was run by him during the academic years of 1875-76 and 1876-77. Charles Leonardson was Prof. Dorman's assistant. In the fall of 1877, Prof. F. W. Dennison leased the building, and during the aca- demic years of 1877-78, 1878-79 and 1879-80, has successfully managed the institution. Rev. T. Lysnes has been at the head of the Theological Department since 1875.
ST. REGINA ACADEMY.
This school for females was established in Madison in August, 1871, as auxiliary to St. Clara Mother House, of Sinsinawa Mound, Grant County, Wis. The building, which was formerly a private residence, stands on the corner of Washington avenue and Henry street; and, although large, having fifteen commodions rooms, is too small to accommodate the number of pupils taught there. There is a Sister Superior and four assistant teachers. There are fifty pupils taught there annually, on an average, including girls from the parish schools. The school is open to, and is patronized largely by, people of all denominations.
515
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
The course embraces all primary studies, and advanced and graduating studies in geogra- phy, literature, mathematical and Biological sciences, philosophy, sacred, profane and natural history, logic, rhetoric and the French, German and Latin languages, besides music, painting, and the study of the Constitutions of the United States and of Wisconsin.
NORTHWESTERN BUSINESS COLLEGE.
This school is located in Madison, and was founded by R. S. Bacon in January, 1856. He first opened it in the third story of Brown's Block, where he taught a few months, then moved to Bacon's Block, now Ogden's. In June, 1858, after a successful management, Mr. Bacon sold to D. H. Tullis. The college was then united with the university, and called the University Commercial School. Mr. Tullis conducted the department successfully until the winter of 1864, then sold to B. M. Worthington, with whom was soon associated Mr. . Warner. They continued the school in Young's Block for a time, then moved it to its present quarters, in Ellsworth Block. H. M. Wilmot bought Warner out in 1871. R. G. Demming purchased Worthington's interest in 1876, and in January, 1879, J. C. Proctor purchased Mr. Wilmot's interest, the last-named purchasers being the present proprietors.
The school occupies one floor 44x66 feet, divided into four rooms. The course embraces book-keeping, penmanship, commercial law, arithmetic, and business correspondence. There is also an academic department, embracing a college preparatory course. The average yearly attendance is 160. A debating society is maintained in connection with the institution.
STATISTICS.
Population of Dane County at different Periods .- In 1836, 36; in 1838, 172; in 1840, 314; in 1842, 776; in 1846, 8,289; in 1847, 10,935; in 1850, 16,639 ; in 1855, 37,714; in 1860, 43,922 ; in 1865, 50,192; in 1870, 53,096; in 1875, 52,798; in 1880 as follows : Al- bion, 1,351; Berry, 1,066; Black Earth, 904; Blooming Grove, 929; Blue Mounds, 1,011; Bristol, 1,139; Burke, 1,002; Christiana, 1,859; Cottage Grove, 1,164 ; Cross Plains, 1,331 ; Dane, 1,158; Deerfield, 975; Dunkirk, 1,283; Dunn, 1,139; Fitchburg, 988; Madison Town, 735; Madison City-(First Ward, 2.249; Second Ward, 2,003 ; Third Ward, 2,517; Fourth Ward, 2,027; Fifth Ward, 1,546)-10,342; Mazomanie (and village), 1,646; Medina, 1,404 ; Middleton, 1,513; Montrose, 1,107; Oregon, 1,515; Perry, 924; Primrose, 887 ; Pleasant Springs, 1,283 ; Roxbury, 1,157; Rutland, 1,134; Springdale, 1,007 ; Springfield, 1,241 ; Stoughton, Village, 1,403; Sun Prairie, Town, 923; Sun Prairie, Village, 597; Vienna, 1,052; Verona, 1,040; Vermont, 963; Westport, 1,985; Windsor, 1,212; York, 983 ; Total, 53,352.
That it is not always profitable to speculate as to the future progress of a county, is shown by the following, published nearly a quarter of a century ago, concerning Dane County :
"Let us make some moderate estimates of the population of Dane County for the next ten years, based upon the present population of 40,000 :
"In 1857, add one-fifth increase, 48,000; in 1858, add one-sixth increase, 56,000; in 1859, add one-seventh increase, 64,000; in 1860, add one-eighth increase, 72,000; in 1861, add one-ninth increase, 80,000; in 1862, add one-tenth increase, 88,000; in 1863, add one- eleventh increase, 96,000; in 1864, add one-twelfth increase, 104,000; in 1865, add one- thirteenth increase, 112,000; in 1866, add one-fourteenth increase, 120,000.
"The great empire county of Wisconsin is well able to sustain a far larger population than that here indicated. But one-sixth of the land in the county is yet settled, and all is suscepti- ble of culture, and, were the other five-sixths settled, at the same ratio per square mile, we should exhibit a population of 250,000 people.
"The State of Rhode Island, possessing the same area as Dane County, has a population of 150,000; and there are counties in England of the same area, having 344,000 people; and in France, having 700,000 inhabitants-all chiefly dependent for their sustenance upon the culti- vation of the soil, which is naturally much inferior to that of Dane County."
516
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
The census of 1846 was taken by John M. Griffin and assistants, whose labors were com- pleted June 1, with the following result :
WHITE MALES.
WHITE FEMALES.
MALES OF FEMALE OF COLOR. COLOR.
TOTAL.
Madison
2,469
1,858
2
4,829
Rome.
385
224
709
Rutland.
248
198
446
Dunkirk
183
158
341
Albion.
478
433
911
Sun Prairie
830
722
1
1,553
Total.
4,593
3,693
2
1
8,289
Farm Products Growing in the County of Dane in 1879.
NUMBER OF ACRES.
TOWNS.
Wheat.
Corn.
Oats.
Barley.
Rye.
Potatoes.
Root
Crops.
Cranber-
No. acres.
No. of Bearing
Trees.
Flax.
Hops.
Albion
828
2506
2116
258
210
54
2
154
2990
Berry
3463
1147
1032
412
526%
77}
10
125
546
5
Black Earth
956
782
677
167
133
23}
1
12
1741
18
7
Blooming Grove
2110
2141
1351
445
151
98
1384
4499
Blue Mounds
2361
2128
1780
237
66
43
Bristol
6614
1983
1740
596
12
91
Burke
1446
1543
1010
370
45
70
50
1001
5
Christiana
1319
2477
1660
1174
164
73
128
2931
6
Cottage Grove
2481
2483
1742
807
344
59
23
960
20
Dane
3929
4323
1933
539
95
97
54
74
2420
7
10
Dunkirk
1304
3752
2699
310
288
97
65
16
96
1987
7
Fitchburg
2328
4137
3205
535
88
131
16
212
3518
Madison
882
977
658
136
40
843
1300
114
3473
7
Mazomanie
611
1315
434
36
311
30%
16%
361
400
Medina
5153
1750
1050
750
200
130
350
2000
30
Middleton
3859
2100
1691
819
195
112
Montrose
659
3621
2556
78
182
97
98
6
180
3610
22
Perry
2159
1133
1469
2421
90
36
Primrose
819
1950
1880
180
210
41
18
800
10
Pleasant Springs
2459
2298
1843
462
221
35
104
2240
Roxbury
3840
1767
902
416
250
76
3
33
891
154
Rutland
579
4920
3731
159
140
156
3
85
707
10
...
Springdale
2380
2424
2149
432
178
52
4926
253
1590
1238}
436
124
28
72
13
10}
9
Sun Prairie.
3048
1850
1322
1241
35
144
217
6070
3
125
149
93
39
9
27
521
2
5265
2486
2048
835
25
112
8
195
7286
2
1432
Vermont
2311
1198
958
209
193
9
15
2423
Westport
4006
2400
1703|
948
70
Windsor
3422
1565
1137
684
York
5229
1740
1182
'490
2
...
239
4876
11
Total
88773
812261
63679
185152
58663
33163
14041
3451
85005 123 4994
2231
2266
1628
978
145
81
136
4127
Cross Plains.
2993
Deerfield
1961
1050
1057
1158
78
Dunn
1437
2785
2452
609
121
131
4192
2211
Oregon
596
3874
5473
98
68
15
341
Stoughton Village.
14
55
Vienna.
Verona
1663
3613
3673
438
56
104
72
52
2042
2000
65
1235
Springfield
2
130
3129
5
533
2599
462
840
79
63
45
Sun Prairie Village
Apple Orchard.
ries.
517
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY
TOWNS.
Tobacco.
Grasses.
Orowing Timber.
Number.
Value.
Albion
590
2361
3168
606
$7044
Berry ...
98
566
1533
448
4857
Blooming Grove.
973
6250
470
6580
Bristol
1078
1777
708
10823
Burke ...
17
710
1158
180
1535
Christiana ..
586
2040
3813
741
13266
Cottage Grove.
2494
2890
731
12390
Cross Plaine ...
915
4165
650
7515
Dane .....
1183
1806
2471
490
7578
Deerfield
2113
1129
3684
568
6220
Dunkirk
754
2735
2922
783
15550
Dunn ....
205
1461
2610
483
7447
Fitchburg
4
1000
4480
650
12000
Madison Town.
4
3317
1215
294
3739
Mazomanie
566
2353
660
10198
Msdina ...
153
300
150
1250
2500
Middleton
1131
1480
557
4994
Montrose.
2376
4521
635
9525
Oregon ...
22
4093
4051
669
13485
Perry
1349
3974
789
12382
Primrose.
4
2561
4964
630
8190
Pleasant Springs. Roxbury ..
715
1562
3916
641
9615
Rutland ..
78
1645
2429
720
15840
Springdale.
1194
5522
613
8616
Springfield ..
2
934
2880
507
7768
Bun Prairie ....
1147
2792
495
7055
Sun Prairie Village ..
146
25
43
670
Vienna.
5
2435
2130
545
7890
Verona ...
3
3110
4375
519
4861
Vermont.
4
928
1276
470
5322
Windsor.
1484
851
374
5477
York
1
2193
3310
663
9227
Total
3579
.55006
106581
20661
286389
Property Valuations at Different Periods .- The following table shows the number of acres assessed, and valuation of the same for taxable purposes, from 1846 to 1850 inclusive, in Dane County :
Year.
No. of acres.
Valuation.
1846
211,487
.$ 473,269
1847
247,087
527,479
1848
327,139
740,939
1849
426,128
1,165,282
1850
514,727
1,869,753
679
5110
461
6945
Stoughton Village
4
20
80
30
650
673
6027
583
4203
Westport.
512
30
554
6794
Black Earth
1383
2149
451
7638
Blue Mounds.
NUMBER OF ACREB.
MILCH COWS.
Value of real and personal property in Dane County for the year 1880: Horses, 19,905, worth $851,942; cattle, 54,459, worth $582,862 ; mules, 272, worth $12,603 ; sheep, 79,425, worth $142,518.75; swine, 57,972, worth $141,750; wagons, etc., 10,004, worth $199,400; watches, 1,303, worth $27,606; pianos and melodeons, 966, worth $57,889; bank stocks, $182,775; merchants' and manufacturers' stocks, $574,470 ; all personal property, $4,833,- 233.25; acres in county, 750,303.89, worth $11,003,910; city and village lots, $3,877,270.
518
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
Post Offices in Dane County in 1880 .- Albion, Ashton, Belleville, Black Earth, Blue Mound, Cambridge, Christiana, Clentarf, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Dane Station, Deans- ville, Deerfield, De Forest, Door Creek, East Bristol, East Middleton, Elvers, Forward, Haner- ville, Hyer's Corners, Lake View, Macfarlane, Madison, Marshall, Mazomanie, Mendota, Montrose, Middleton, Morrisonville, Mount Horeb, Mount Vernon, Nora, North Bristol, Norway Grove, Oregon, Paoli, Perry, Pheasant Branch, Pine Bluff, Primrose, River, Roxbury, Rutland, Springdale, Springfield Corners, Stoner's Prairie, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Syene, Token Creek, Utica, Verona, Waunakee, West Middleton, Windsor.
In 1836, there was but one post office in what is now Dane County-Moundville (Blue Mounds), with Ebenezer Brigham as Postmaster. It was then, in fact, in Iowa County, as Dane County was not created until the latter part of that year. On the 11th day of May, 1839, there were two post offices-Moundville and Madison. There had been one established at the City of the Four Lakes, and one at Cross Plains, but these had been discontinued.
County Receipts and Expenditures in 1839 and 1879 .- On the 14th of January, 1840, the County Commissioners, Eben Peck, Simeon Mills and Jeremiah Lycan, made a report of the receipts and disbursements of Dane County, from the time of its organization to that date, This, the first report of Dane County, is here given :
DEBTOR.
To amount paid out for the survey and location of roads. $177 00
To amount paid out for books and stationery. 337 51
To amount paid out for furniture and office rent. 190 25
To amount paid out for printing blanks and advertising. 67 25
To amount paid out on contract for building jail. 1239 56
To amount of expenses for October term of district court, elections, cost of
assessment, fees of officers, bounty on wolves, expenses of criminal pros- ecutions, Coroner's inquests, etc ... 938 17
$2949 74 Total expenses for the county
CREDIT.
By amount of taxes paid into the county treasury for county purposes. $2184 41
By amount of taxes for school purposes.
393 13
By amount for fines .. 5 00
By amount for tavern license 20 00
By amount for grocery license.
100 00
Balance due the County Treasurer on settlement.
55 96
Total amount of receipts. $2758 50
Deduct the amount due the Territory. .$164 70
Deduct Treasurer's fees .. .54 02
218 78
2539 78
. Balance against the county $409 96
The total receipts of the county from January 1, 1879 to September 1, of the same year, was $92,858.95; the disbursements for the same time were $84,947.
1
1
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519
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
-
SOME OF DANE COUNTY'S DISTINGUISHED DEAD.
JOHN CATLIN-AUGUSTUS A. BIRD-DAVID BRIGHAM-THOMAS W. SUTHERLAND-JOHN STONER- ALEX. BOTKIN-NATHANIEL T. PARKINSON-JAMES MORRISON-NEELY GRAY-BENJAMIN F. HOPKINS-J. C. FAIRCHILD-CASSIUS FAIRCHILD-LEVI B. VILAS-JOHN Y. SMITH-LUKE STOUGHTON-BYRON PAINE-STEPHEN H. CARPENTER-CHARLES D. ATWOOD-GEORGE B. SMITH-JOHN B. FEULING-J. C. HOPKINS-W. J. L. NICODEMUS-LA FAYETTE KELLOGG- N. W. DEAN-TIMOTHY BROWN-OLE BULL-WILLIAM B. SLAUGHTER-EDWARD G. RYAN.
JOHN CATLIN
was born the 13th of October, 1803, at Orwell, Vt. His genealogy has been successfully traced back through six generations to Thomas Catlin, who resided at Hartford, Conn., more than two and a quarter centuries ago. His father was John B. Catlin, and his mother's maiden name Rosa Ormsbee, daughter of John Ormsbee, of Shoreham, Vt. John Catlin came of excel- lent American stock as both his paternal and maternal grandfathers were Revolutionary soldiers, and conspicuous for their patriotic zeal in the war which resulted in the consummation of American independence.
In his paternal grandfather's family there were seven brothers, all of whom shouldered the Revolutionary musket and joined the ranks of the patriotic army. They were all of them fine specimens of stalwart manhood, standing full six feet high, heavy, muscular, and well propor- tioned His mother's father held a Lientenant's commission in the Continental army, and con- tinned in the service until the close of the war, when he received an honorable discharge, together with the sum of $1,400, the amount of his pay. The currency of the country was somewhat inflated at that time, as on his return to his home in Massachusetts, Lieut. Ormsbee paid $60 of his money for a single bushel of corn.
John Catlin's father was engaged in the mercantile business until 1812. At the beginning of the war which broke out that year, he abandoned his mercantile vocation and took up his residence in the town of Bridgport, Addison Co., Vt. Having purchased a farm bordering upon Lake Champlain, he became a tiller of the soil. The subject of our sketch was then about nine years of age; and in that place and vicinity he began and ended the scholastic training which was to prepare him for the business of life. His educational advantages were quite limited, being only such as the common district school afforded, with the exception of one year which he spent in Newton Academy, located at Shoreham. At the age of eighteen, he quit school and resorted to the vocation of teaching as a temporary means of livelihood. He followed this occu- pation for nine successive winters, devoting his summers to self-culture and to the study of law in the office of Augustus C. Hand, of Elizabethtown, N. Y. In 1833, he was admitted to the bar at the age of thirty.
In 1836, he joined the comparatively small band of early pioneers who were following the course of empire westward. That was forty years ago, and emigrating as far west as Wiscon- sin was no holiday excursion as now. The pioneer of 1836 had no palace car, furnished with luxurious accommodations, in which he could repose at his ease, reading the latest paper or mag- azine, or sleep away the swift hours, rolling him over the iron track at the rate of four hundred miles a day. The emigrant of forty years ago was compelled to travel by the slow stage-coach, dragging its weary way over muddy roads, at the rate of thirty to fifty miles a day; or by the
520
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
tedious canal-boat, with its scanty accommodations, or the ill-provided lake steamer, laboring against opposing waves to make six miles an hour, and, even when the wished-for destination was reached, the traveler found himself encompassed with difficulties, dangers and privations.
Mr. Catlin first settled at Mineral Point, where he formed a copartnership with Moses M. Strong in the business of his chosen profession. He, however, remained there but two years; for, the capital of the Territory having been located at Madison, and he having received the appointment of Postmaster at that place, in the spring of 1838, he removed there, with a view of making it his permanent residence. He held the position of Postmaster until the election of Gen. Harrison as President, when he was removed to make way for a political antagonist; but, upon the accession of John Tyler to the Presidency, he was re-instated and continued to hold the office until 1844, when he was elected a member of the Territorial Council, and, the two offices being incompatible under the law, he resigned his post office appointment.
In the fall of 1836, Mr. Catlin was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court. He was also chosen Clerk of the Territorial House of Representatives in 1838; and was re-elected to that position for eight successive years. He was the first District Attorney of Dane County, and, on the removal of George C. Floyd from the office of Secretary of the Territory, in 1846, he was appointed his successor, and continued to hold that position until Wisconsin was admitted into the Union, in 1848. A bill was introduced into Congress by Morgan L. Martin, the delegate of Wisconsin, to organize a Territorial government for Minnesota, including the district left out on the admission of Wisconsin as a State. The citizens of what is now Minnesota, were very anxious to obtain a Territorial government ; and two public meetings were held-one at St. Paul, and the other at Stillwater-advising and soliciting Mr. Catlin, who was Secretary of Wisconsin, to issne a proclamation, as the Acting Governor, for the election of a delegate. After some con- sideration, Mr. Catlin repaired to Stillwater, and issued the proclamation. H. H. Sibley was elected; and he did much toward hastening the passage of a bill for organizing a Territorial govern- ment for Minnesota. Mr. Catlin was afterward elected County Judge of Dane County, an office which he resigned in order to accept the position of President of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Company. His appointment to this position necessitated his removal to Milwaukee.
In the discharge of the duties of the important position of President of the primitive rail- road of Wisconsin, Mr. Catlin displayed great energy and skill. He procured the passage of a law which made the first mortgage bonds of this railroad, to the amount of 50 per cent, a foundation for banking. This feature appreciated the obligations of the company to such an extent that he was enabled to effect a loan of $600,000, which gave to the road the first great impulse, and the work of construction was vigorously begun, and as vigorously prosecuted. He was President of this road for five years, or until 1856, when he declined a re-election. His retirement was made the occasion of a highly complimentary resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, thanking him for his eminent services in behalf of the road.
In 1857 the company failed, and Mr. Catlin was once more induced to accept the position of President, and he proceeded to re-organize the association. He continued his official connec- tion with that corporation until it was subsequently consolidated with the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company.
Mr. Catlin was married on the 19th day of September, 1843, at Rochester, N Y., to Miss Clarissa Bristol, daughter of Charles Bristol, once a prominent wholesale merchant of New York City. The fruit of this marriage was one child, a daughter, who is still living.
Among the pioneers of Wisconsin, John Catlin held a conspicuous place. The various im- portant official positions which, as we have seen, he was called upon to fill, furnish sufficient proof in confirmation of this statement. He was chosen' Secretary of the Territory, was the first Postmaster of Madison, first Clerk of the Supreme Court and of the Territorial House of Representatives, first District Attorney of Dane County, its first County Judge, was President of the first railroad company, and a member of the Territorial Legislature.
His energetic character and practical ability peculiarly fitted him for the work of aiding in the buil ling up the fabric of a new State. All enterprises that promised to promote the growth
521
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
and prosperity of Wisconsin, found in him a zcalous supporter and a determined advocate. In its infancy, be became a life member of the State Historical Society, and to the time of his death he was one of its most active and inflexible friends. His efforts and influence contributed in no very slight degree toward the collection of literary treasures which now fill one wing of the capitol, forming a library of which the State is justly proud. Mr. Catlin's friendship for the Historical Society was not impulsive or spasmodic, but a continuing regard which lasted through- out his active life. It is perhaps but just in this connection to allude to the liberal bequest which he made of a section of land in the State of Texas, for the benefit of the society.
John Catlin was pre-eminently a self-made man. He owed but little of the success which he achieved to the gifts of fortune, or to extraordinary natural endowments.
His intellectual parts were more solid than showy, more useful than ornamental. His aim was success, and he sought it in the slow, but sure and solid pathways of industry and perse- verance.
He knew the race was not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. He saw the prize of victory in the far distance, waiting for all who would labor to achieve it ; and he entered upon the pursuit, not with the impulsive flights of genius, but with the steady gait of practical com- mon sense.
It may be said that Mr. Catlin's intellectual character was neither illustrated nor marred by any of the faculties or of the faults of genius. He laid no claim to the natural gifts which are essential attributes in the character of the successful advocate ; and yet, had he devoted his life exclusively to the duties of his chosen profession, he would doubtless have gained distinction at the bar. He was a kind and faithful husband, an indulgent parent and a most exemplary citizen. He died August 4, 1874, in Elizabeth, N. J.
AUGUSTUS A. BIRD.
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