ear at
the time. The insurance companies would act promptly and liberally,
taking no advantage of any technicality; congress would remit duties on
building material for a time, and thus protect the city-builders from
the extortions of the material men; the material men roundly asserted
that there should be no extortion, no advance in prices, but, on the
contrary, all other work should be set aside and precedence given to
San Francisco orders; eastern capitalists were to cooperate with the
government in placing at the portal of the Pacific a city which should
be a credit to the nation and a power in the exploitation of the great
ocean.

None of these things came to pass. Indeed it was too much to expect
of poor human nature until selfishness and greed are yet further
eliminated. Never to be forgotten was the superb benevolence which so
promptly and so liberally showered comforts upon the poor, the sick,
the hungry, and the houseless until it was feared that the people might
become pauperized. But that was charity, whereas "business is business."

The insurance companies, themselves stricken nigh unto death, paused in
the generous impulse to pay quickly and in full and let the new steel
city arise at once in all its glory. They began to consider, then to
temporize, and finally, with notable exceptions, to evade by every
means in their power the payment of their obligations. The loss and
the annoyance thus inflicted upon the insured were increased by the
uncertainty as to what they should finally be able to do. Congress
likewise paused to consider the effect the proposed remission of duties
would have on certain members and their lumber and steel friends. Thus a
hundred days passed by, and with some relief half a hundred more.

Outside capital was still ready, but San Franciscans seemed to have
sufficient for present needs. Capital is conservative and Californians
independent. Even from the government they never asked much, though well
aware that since the gold discovery California has given a hundredfold
more than she has received. Her people were accustomed to take care
of themselves, and managed on the whole to get along. A general
conflagration was not a new thing. Four times during gold-digging days
San Francisco was destroyed by fire, and each time new houses were going
up before the ashes were cold. True, there was not so much to burn in
those days, but it was all the people had; there was not so much to
rebuild,