was never made before.

Coming to the late catastrophe, it was well that too much dependence was
not placed on promises regarding rehabilitation made during the first
flush of sympathy; the words were nevertheless pleasant to the 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