start from tom's older brother, jim pendergast, who came to kansas city in the 1880s and got started establishing this machine in the first ward of kansas city, which was in the industrial west bottoms down by the river. there were many -- there was an irish community, african american communities. it was very diverse. a lot of working class people. and jim pendergast had sal loans, aloan -- salons. and he went precinct to precinct building this machine that was based on favors. basically helping people get jobs in exchange for votes, helping people through giving them loans that you didn't have to get a formal bank loan. and jim would loan the money, settle gambling debts, skimming money off of the top of illegal activities such as gambling and