The newspapers were always talking about civic patriotism and pride but never a word about these things.

And the men who did them were powerful and respected.
There were many houses, a constantly widening circle, that found him a very trustworthy agent in disposing of note issues or note payment.

He seemed to know so quickly where to go to get the money.

From the first he made it a principle to keep twenty thousand dollars in cash on hand in order to be able to take up a proposition instantly and without discussion.

So, often he was able to say, "Why, certainly, I can do that," when otherwise, on the face of things, he would not have been able to do so.