As well as investing in real estate, he owned stakes in local companies, including rail transportation and utilities.

[1] Scanlan joined the Republican Party at the dawn of Reconstruction, then two years later, accepted a position on Houston City Council representing the Third Ward.

[1] After collecting opinions among financiers regarding Houston's good credit standing, Scanlan recommended issuing more bonds for capital projects, such as for paving, drainage, and a new city hall complex.

He characterized his own approach to public spending as prioritizing function over aesthetics, and evaluated many materials and processes to street improvement.

[3] Scanlan invested in rail ventures, including the Texas Western Railroad and an early streetcar enterprise, the Bayou City Street Railway Company.