Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-12
Death Of Clark Mills.
THE sCULPToR's PEACEFUL END


corner OF 18th ana streets, surrounded by. the
members OF bis family and immediate frien1s
He had been III for several weeks with an afYcc-
tioa OF the heart, and his death has been momen-
tarily expected Tor the past three days. He was
unconscious during that time, and the end was
calm and peaceful.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Clark Mills was born in Onondaga county, NY,
December 18th, 1870 He lost his parents In child
hood. an le armed the trade OF plasterer which
he followed for nrna years in Charleston S C. He
early eviHced such decided talent In modelling
IN clay ard such decided taste for sculpture
that he soon forsook hts early profession. and in
1876 he produced marble bust OF John C. Cal
noun, which was purchased fO- the city hall In
Charleston He made number o. other fine
hu'ti and was about TO start for Italy TO pursue
his err studies, when. in 1913. he was invited tn
furnish design for an equestrian statue OF Cen
eri %acESnn Tor Lafayetts square. in This city.
HIS Gesgn was accepted. and he finished after
two years labo-,a ful-Sizad model in plaster which
wa5 SO hai1nced that Ii rested the horses hind
feet alone, without other support. The design.
when viewed by the committee who assigned him
the work. WIS almost ridiculed, as II was not
thought possible the figura would stand wi. hOu,
support. MIR. Mills had then to build furn. ce and
learn the practical business OF casting. for there
was no establlshment large enough ior that pur-
projectors OF the Jackson statue. and member Of
tn" Jackson Democratic Association. wnich united
with the government in paying for the statue, en-
couraged Mr.. mis- TO contlE;ia In his work. and
successful Castings were male after numerous
trials interrupted By unforeseen accidents.
The perfect cast was finished ii October, 1852,
and the statue was set up In 1853, On the anniver,
tary OF the battle OF New Orleans the 9Th of jan
nary 1t was completed at loss to him OF 81 COO,
$4,000 rs II reward for his success At the same
session the SUM o. $50 coo was appropriated for
colossal equestrian statue OF Washington, which
was In ugurated III Washington on February 22d,
1860. Nj. Mills next employment was the cast
ing of the colossal statue o; Liberty from design
by Crawford, which now crowns the dome OF the
va finished n a N no
sit1on while war was desolating the land.
No work in Ibis city has probably attracted so
much attention and been so much criticised as the
Jackson statue. 4 new departure Was taken by
the artist IN accurately poisng the horse and rider
without the aid OF iron rods or livets, as had al
ways nre' lousy been uSed The exact cqui1-
brfIiG Was obtained hy casting the hind parts and
tail of the horse sold, ana the upper part hollow
He has since made copies of the statue for the
letter city WIS cast at Mr.. Mills fOundr! near
BladcnsburC, and Was the subject OF a law suit a
few years ago between the sculptor and party
who had rented the land OH which the status was
Mr. Mills gained the suit and shipped the work to
Nashville. where 1t WIS unveiled in 1880.
The equestrian statue OF Washington, at the
circle at the intersection OF Pennsylvania and New
Hampshire avenues, is Also as above stated, the
work of Mr.. Mills The likeness of the rider is
considered Y ~ fine, being taken from HOudOn'S
bust OF Washington.
Mr.. Mills has been q pub,ic-spirlted citizen, in
his younger days participating in every public
movement, and was a member of the Oldest H.
habltants' Association. A few years ago. at one
Of their meetings, he delivered an address before
that body on ''Crcen ba cl1snl which was favora-
ely noticed. Although making large sums OF
money, he was generous TO fault, aud is not
thought to leave much wealth.
Mr.. Mills, in The details of his art, took great
interest In the study or faces and development Of
heads. Ii will be remembered that with his son
chronological description OF the pecuiarities Of
the make OF GuteauS head.
Before modelling the Jackson statue he pur-
chased a horse or fine FORM and, as the work pro-
ceeded. used TO study the positions OF the animal,
ca1sln. him to rear and poise himself with and
without 11der. He claimed that in the jackson
horse he had exactly copied the natural position
or his live model in rearing
DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME.
Mr. Mills was a man OF original ideas, and with
courage to carry them out. When he W IS buili-
Ing on the grounds south OF the Treasury part
ment the furnace to cast the jackson statue its
constru ton was sharply criticised by scientific
Visitors, who said he would never be able to melt
bronze III it, because 1t was built partly un ier-
get the necessary supply OF oxygen TO support
combustion The artist answered that facts we're
better than theory, and that in furnaces IS Ord1-
narily constru It'd most OF the heat vas carried
OF through the chimney, and he proposed 10 lose
but little OF 1t in that Why. He added that he got
his idea OF what a turn ce should be from an in
cident which came under his observation on a
South Carolina farm. He said a heavy iron trace
chain was wanted and could not be found Some
time after 1t WAS missing a charcoal pit was
opened, and when the charcoal had been removed
the fused remains o. the chain were found on the
OOttOn OF the plt.prOying cOncluSivey that enough
heat had been confined In the closed pit TO melt
the metal
So. In spite OF all predictions OF failure, the
plucky artist had his furnace built IN accordance
With his own ideas, ana different from any ever
before constructed. The result proved that h.
was right aud his critics wrong. He melted sew
eral tons Of bronze cannon In Ills furnace, but
fortunately, the hrtckwOrk was not strong enough
to resist the heavy pressure. The melted bronze
foE3ed It's way through the joints of the brick
work. and the melted metal was chilled. Nothing
daunted, Mr.. Mills dug out or the ground the great
congl0merdted mass OF bricks and bronco and
sent for another firm OF bricklayerS, who built
him stronger furnace, in which the metal was
melted from which the jackson statue was sue
ceSsiully cast.
HIS FAMILY.
He leaves widow, two sons, both sculptOrs and a
stepdaughter, ssEvaMills, the welI-known singer
When Mr. Mills two sons Went abroad to pursue
their art studies, he furnished them with only a
small sum OF moncy-so small that an acQuaint-
ance of the artist mildly suggested to him that he
thought 1t was rather slender outfit with which
to begin the battle or life. SWELL" said Mr.. Mills
81 wish to teach my boys self-reliance Living is
very inexpensive at Munich, their art education
will cost nothing, and they ought very soon, to be
able to earn something in that city. want them
to start In life while live Then, If they stumble
and fall and call on father to help them, he can
come to the rescue. II / keep them tied to me-
and dependent until die them If they fail In the
unrled paths of business and enterprise they Will
have no sure friend to help them to their feet
ayain.o