The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-05

Prescott, Arizona. Nov. 4.-The first
intimation this region had of the fact
that William A. Clark had suddenly
budded out as ''the workingman's
friend" in Butte. Montana, was brought
about two weeks ago by a gentleman
who. is known as a mining engineer of
wide and excellent reputation all the
way from Butte to the Pacific coast.
He brought two or three Montana
newspapers with him. He said he had
occasion to stop In Denver where sew
eral men live who are familiar with
Mr.. Clark's town Of Jerome. a few
miles, on a branch railroad from Pres =
colt. This gentleman said that .he
men he talked with and TO whom he
showed the Montana papers, smiled
when they heard the news from Butte,
but that he was not able to bring out a
good. big roar OF sneering laughter un-
til he struck Arizona.
Within the fortnight. through the talk
started by the engineer in question.
more or less interest has been aroused
here and at Phoenix over the Montana
election. The whole OF the talk is to
the effect that IL w. A. Clark wants
the senatorship he will have to get 1t
in Montana. When Arizona gets state
hood 1t has good material for the place.
w. A. Clark could not get 1t here
mot on your life." Mr.. Clark's reputa-
tion as a philanthropist, in places where
he is not well known, is not shared by
any of the residents of Arizona. Any
talk about his interest in workingmen
or his efforts to better their condition
would be more like a red rag than any
thing else, IL 1t was Haunted out at
Jerome. That camp has the reputation
of being the most undesirable place
for miners anywhere in the West, and
tion.
It's Real Grind.
The grinding policy of the manage
ment and the absolute and studied dis
regard of the comfort Of the men or OF
anything that would tend to make life
pleasant there is notorious from Phoe-
nix to San Francisco. The place is a
by-word and you could not possibly
get a good word for II from any man
in Arizona who has even ordinary re-
gard for the well being of miners and
smelter men. In the first place. the
cold -blooded policy by which the pres
ent ownership "froze OUT others who
formerly had interests in what Is
known as the United Verde properties.
II may be that w. A. Clark has the
reputation in Butte for generous deal
ings in his mining operations. but no
man could prove that on any testi-
mony he could collect in Arizona 1t
Is generally understood here that the
United Verde is worth 100000 a year
In income to Clark and the bulk Of IL.
or all of 1t, is his. But, of course. no
body knows what the earnings really
are as 1t is the closest kind Of a close
corporation.
Clark has confined his operations
strictly to Jerome and systematically
froze out all rival operators. The whole
policy has been to make IL a one-man
camp. Consequently the town is prac-
tiCdiiy ITO idTScr tfdn ite was hNc year,
ago. Mr.. Clark's company owns all
the land upon which buildings can be
erected. and only those VINO can be de-
pended upon to support his policy are
permitted to do business. A company
store IL maintained, which fixes the
prices of the camp. II an enterprising
competitor trys to sell cheaper. he is
soon frozen out. II the company owns
the building in which the competitor
does business. he Is ordered to vacate.
II not, the ground rent is raised. or a
few Of the competitors steady custo-
mers. who are company employees are
fired. Consequently exorbitant prices
prevail. Common report is that there
is hardly a place In the United States
where ordinary supplies are SO high.
In W. A. Clark's Banks
The company owns the only line of
railroad into the camp. as well as the
only telegraph lire. Tolls over either
are almost prohibitive because OF the
excessive freights. the products Of the
Salt River valley. less than 200 miles
to the south. are almost entirely shut
out. This alone Is causing great gen