140 Life and Sport on the Pacific Slope 



Finally, I deducted from the money due to them 

 ten per cent, to cover fraud that had escaped my 

 eye. They did not object to this tax, and my 

 cook said that I was " heap smart, same as 'Melican 

 man." I commend this policy to all who employ 

 Chinese wood-choppers. 



I went into active business in the year 1890, and 

 the business — involving the sale and subdivision 

 of large tracts of land — brought me at once into 

 contact with many sorts and conditions of men : 

 bankers, merchants, journalists, politicians, parsons, 

 lawyers, and of course farmers. Our offices were 

 open from nine to four to all comers, and anything 

 that pertained to the development of the county 

 or state was discussed freely and at length. The 

 harvest moon of prosperity was just beginning to 

 wane on the Pacific Slope, but land was still in 

 good demand, and our correspondence was very 

 large. Every scheme of importance, every enter- 

 prise of moment, challenged our interest and atten- 

 tion. To my father-in-law, the head of the firm, 

 was entrusted also the management of a street 

 railway and of a large hotel. An Investment and 

 Development Company, of which I was secretary, 

 and the members of a committee formed for the 

 purchase of a right-of-way for a great railroad 

 used to meet daily in our private room. I men- 

 tion these things, that may perhaps be considered 

 irrelevant, because it will be seen that being identi- 

 fied with a firm which had done and was still doing 

 an immense business, I had exceptional opportuni- 

 ties of studying many phases of business life, and 

 the characters of business men. 



