Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-06-01
ARtsTocRacy BY PURCHASE.



owner of the $4,000 which he turned
over to the state with the claim that
it came from Clark as bride for his
vote, is preparing to astonish the
country with gorgeous display of
his wealth. How many millions
Senator Clark is worth probably no.
body knows, perhaps he does not
/ know himself, so that even IL the
$4,000 does belong to him 1t Is So
small a bagatelle that its loss Will
not trouble him. But the prepara-
lions which Senator Clark is max
! ing to dazzle the eastern natives are
somewhat interesting. They show
! how quickly accumulated or sudden
wealth seeks to make itself con-
noisseur of refinement and patron
of art. Clark is "A typical example
of the western miner who strikes 1t
rich and then seeks to purcha what
nature and cultivation has denied
| him. There are numerous instances
OF that kind. aud they usually illus
| trate the same bent of reckless ex-
| travagance to satisfy tastes acquired
| by purchase, about on the same line
With the fond father. who Informed.
the college professor that If his
daughter was lacking in capacity he
/ would buy her some With untold
| millions in his bank account, and
! the title of Il United states senator
/ to his uane, Senator Clark Is deter
/ mined to cut figure in Gotham's
sweIdom. He Is building veritable
palace in New York that shall rele-
gate the Astors, and the Vanderbilts,
and the Goulds, and the rest of them
to the shade. Royal splendor and
costly equipments Is to characterize
the castle of the senator who is to
have his fashionable residence in
| New York aud represent Montana in
Clark is now In Europe selecting the
most costly articles for his kingly
Ipalaee. OF course, Mr. Clark is not
relying upon his own taste or love
of things to make his selections. He
is relying upon the cost, 1t matters
not what the article is, if its cost is
only great, overshadowing and crush
ing. For instance, it is reported that
he has purchased some old memorial
window for 10000 Probably mod
ern manufacturers with modern ia
cilities. could make more beautiful
one for one-tenth the money. But it
| is purchased from a rich countess
! in France and will bring with it a
sort of titled European halo that will
surely delight Manhattau's social
aristocracy. He Is sitting for his
! picture to the most noted painter in
| Paris, for IA portrait that will cost
! him $4,000. He is ransncking the
galleries and salons Of France for all
/ the costly paintings he can find con-
| tanning the imprints of names over
which American art clubs go infatu-
atingly frantic. The account says he
has picked up beautiful Empire
mantlepiece, and is catching at any
| old thing that has II tinge of histor-
! zeal eXclusiveness To 1t. In the mat
ter OF tapestries, it is said, he pro-
| poses to have his mansion the most
| luxurious in America. He tried to
! buy Louis Nv Gobelin tapestries, but
could not get them at any price, al
I he offered as high Us 100000 for "A
/ few yards. He will now go to Eng
land TO look at some second hand
! tapestries that have bad royal snuff
I blown on them, and that are said to
! hp worth S35O0O0, with the snuff
thrown in. Between carrying away
! American heresses and running up
against machine-made American
spcndthrifts who are art lovers by
purchase, Europeans are reaping
great harvest from this country, and
are draining it year by year of its
] .ttr,,ius ,paultE