The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-03-16
son OF "0LD FIAT
PHENOMENAL SUCCESS OF NIL
LI0NARE w. a. CLARKE.
Born Farmers Son, He Went West
ard Made Money During the Gold
Excitement-Got into Mining Now
Buys Costly Pictures.

Excitement-Goti into Mining Now
Buys Costly Pictures.
From the New York sun.
William a. Clark, the Montana min
ing king, who recently paid S42, 900 for
the painting entitled 1.-The Choice Of
Model y was born a farmers son near
Connellsyille, Fayette county, Pa, on
January s, 1888. His father was John
Clark and his mother Mary Andrews,
both natives of Pennsylvania. His
grandfather, also John Clark, came to
Pennsylvania shortly after the revolu-
ton from county Tyrone, in the north
Of Ireland. AS a farmers son the boy
learned farming aud attended the dis
trict school in winter. At IA, being
especially fond of books, he was sent
to the Laurel Hill academy fr three
years and then taught school for a
year.
In 1856 his father removed to Iowa,
where he had bought farm in Van
Buren county. Once settled in the new
home, William was sent to the acad-
emy at Birmingham, Ia, to finish lis
preparation for college. This he did in
year and in 1857 he entered Mount
Pleasant university TO take up the study
of law Although his father could af-
ford to give him a college education,
he was not, in a sense, a wealthy man,
and the sonl knew that, once out Of
college, he would have TO make his own
way in the world.
he remained a student at Mount
Pleasant for two years. He was hard
worker and acquired knowledge stead
lily, so that the progress he made was
rapid, but during those two years news
came to the university every now and
again Of new gold discoveries in the
country further west. First the news
came from California, then from Color
10, and finally from Montana. OF
course the stories that fioated in upon
the campus Of the wonderful gold finds
we're usually exaggerated, bat they had
their effect on the young law student.
The more stories of the gold fields he
heard the less interesting TO him the
law became. Aud 50 it happened the
young law student, with only year
between him and an examination for
admission to the Iowa bar, turned his
face toward the west. He had little
money, and when he reached western
Missouri he had none. In a fairly good
education he had some capital, how
ever, and school teachers were scarce.
When his money gave out he got a job
at school teaching. He kept at this from
the tall of 1853 to 1861. In 1852, having
saved some money, he purchased an
emigrant wagon and an OK team. With
these he set out across the plains. He
disposed Of his outfit at South Park,
Col, and went to work fora mine own
er in Central City.
WENT INTO MONTANA.
One day in 1858 a man rode into the
Centra, City camp with a story of rich
discoveries of gold at Bennack City,
Mon. Young Clark knew the bearer of
the news and believed the story, with
some discount, having learned that all
stories of fabulousIy rich finds of gold
should be discounted. Accordingly he
persuaded the owner of the Central
City mine to abandon his claim and
join him and three or four other miners
on a prospecting tour in Montana.
At the end of journey of s. days
the party reached Bapnack, and the
next day Clark happened to hear that
on the following night a party was to
stampede 10 Horse Prairie, few
miles away, where the rich mines were
supposed to be. Although he had no
invitation, Clark Joined the stampeding
party, reached Horse Prairie in safety,
and staked out claim. At the end of
a years hard work the young miner
had accumulated 81 800 With that
sum he abandoned the mines forever
as a claim worker. With unusual fore
sight he saw more money in business,
in the barterilg Of msrchandise for
the gold that others took out of the
earth.
With his 81 800 he bought load of
provisions in Salt Lake City and sold
them at an amazing profit. In the win
ter Of 1865 he repeated the venture
with equal success in Virginia City. Ia
the spring OF that year he opened a
general store at Blackfoot City, new
mining town, and from everything he
sold he realiz I'd large profits. Various
other undertakings he engaged in were
similarly successful. During the win
ters Of IsT2-TS and Is7s-T4 he came east
and studied at the Columbia school of
mines.
BEAN MINING OPERATIONS.
With the knowledge thus acquired he
went back to Montana, bought more
mines. erected stamp mills on his silver
properties, and made other acquisitions
in Idaho and Arizona In the latter
territory he discovered the United
Verde copper mine, which is now reck-
oned the richest coppermine in the
world. the Anaconda and Mountain
View not excepted. Besides his mini ng
properties and his banking interests,
Mr.. Clark concluding there was money
in refining sugar, built sugar refinery