Yap's victory at Kuala Lumpur in 1873 left him in a strong political position, and he was almost supreme in the interior of the state. However, Kuala Lumpur was burned to the ground during the war and the mines flooded, Yap then set about rebuilding the town and restart the mining industry. He also improved the roads linking Kuala Lumpur with the mining areas and other settlements. A slump in tin price mid 1870s however caused severe financial difficulties. He started a brick-making venture at Brickfields, and he also attempted to establish a tapioca plantation although that proved a costly failure. By the late 1870s he was in considerable debt and said to be almost bankrupt. However, a rise in the price of tin in 1879 improved his financial position as well as securing the future of Kuala Lumpur.