for the full amount before the builders required the payments; and
while we didn't need his money, I never shall forget the whole-souled
way in which he offered it.

And this sort of experience was not, I am grateful to say, rare with
me. I was always a great borrower in my early days; the business was
active and growing fast, and the banks seemed very willing to loan me
the money. About this time, when our great fire had brought up some
new conditions, I was studying the situation to see what our cash
requirements would be. We were accustomed to prepare for financial
emergencies long before we needed the funds.

Another incident occurred at this time which showed again the kind of
real friends we had in those days, but I did not hear the full story
of it until long years after the event.

There was one bank where we had done a great deal of business, and a
friend of mine, Mr. Stillman Witt, who was a rich man, was one of the
directors. At a meeting, the question came up as to what the bank
would do in case we wanted more money. In order that no one might
doubt his own position on the subject, Mr. Witt called for his
strong-box, and said:

"Here, gentlemen, these young men are all O.K., and if they want to
borrow more money I want to see this bank advance it without
hesitation, and if you want more security, here it is; take what you
want."

We were then shipping a large quantity of oil by lake and canal, to
save in transportation, and it took additional capital to carry these