The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-23
Senator Clark. Of Montana, the Many
Times ! Millionaire

The " Ashlngt IN, -. -, Clht Slys
William A.ClaTk, whose right to 3
Sc at IN the United States Senate is
being contested, and is now under in
vestigstlon by the committee Of priv
lleges and elections of that body has
had somewhat remarkable career
II is the belief Of his friends, who are,
of course, confident Cf his ultimate
success in the present controversy.
that no member Of the upper b u e
WILL attract more attention than vii
h., not by reason Of the proceedings
in which he now figures, nor OF his
great wealth, but for his intelligent
grasp of public questions snd the
ability with which be will discharge
his duties. Senator Clark has the
reputation OF being enormously
wealthy. and he was the the sole ar
chitect OF bis own fortune. At a fair
estimate bis wealth may be stated st
about $50, 200, 900. and his daily in-
come in the neighborhood Of s. 600.
lis accumulation began when he We 8
? mere boy at labor. Now his oper-
stious reach from one tidewster to
rhe other. Ia old Mexico is the i'm
pnlse of his resources felt. In Eu'
rope painters and sculptors know his
name and respect mis- Judgment. He
owns mines of gold aud silver; he ex'
tracts sugar from beets; he operates
coal mines and railroads; he owns a
factory for the manufacture of cop
per wire; be is beginning to grow
e. flee, sugar cane and rubber, aud
may become grover of tea; be is a
broker and a stock grower.
The scale on which each of these
enterprises is conducted is large, aud
vet Mr.. Clark finds time to keep
abreast of the latest 10 literature, IN
science and in art and he has a
knowledge of public affairs and men
that many with far more leisure lack
This is truly marvelOusly large
stride from the days taught
school in a country district in Mis-
souri in 1859 60.
Mr.. Clark was born January 5, 1889
near Connellsville, Pa. From Penn
syl7ania his parents moved to Van
Bureu county, Iowa The elder Clark
was a farmer, and the son had three
months of winter school and nine
montbs'of farm work. Later he at
tended Laurel Hill Academy, and at
terward an academy, at Mount
Pleasant, where be studied law for
two years. Ia 1859 he won't to Mis-
souri. taught country school for a
year and then went further westward
In1SG2 he crossed the plains to Colo
RADIO, locating at Central City, where
he engaged in quartz mining. There
be gained the practical experience
that has been of such value to him
since.
The pext year the news of the gold
finds in Montana reached him and he
started for the new Eldorado. The
first season he made 81 800 net. lie
realized that there was more money
in merchandising than in placer min
ing, and with his 81 800 he went to
Salt Lake City, bought all the goods
be could aud returned with them tC
Virginia Citv, where they were dis
posed of at enormous profits. Fol-
several years he followed up this
business, and in 1868 the original cash
capital of ST. 500 had grown to as
MANY thousands. Then he formed 8
partnership with r. W. Donnell, ol
New York for the purpose of carrying
on a mercantile aud banking busi
ness. ! eer Lodge was selected, anc
the bank was located there until
1884 Then Mr.. Donuells interest
WAS purchashed by Mr.. Clsrk, who
moved the bank to Butte, and to-day
it is one of the leading private banks
of the northwest.
In 1872 Mr.. Clark purchased
group of mines near Butte and they
proved to be fabulously rich. To equiI
himself to manage his own business
he took course at Columbia College
New York. He has kept his mining
studies up, and while he employs
mining experts he is personally th'
final Judge of value when a purchase
is to be made. He has acquired mine
after mine in the Butte district and
now owns o score of the richest and
most famous. His luckiest invest
meut, though, was in the Verde cop
per mine at Jerome, Ariz. Other cap
italists had chsnced at it before Mr.
Clark, but their experts reported 1t T.
be valueless. Mr.. Clark examined /
personally, conducted his own tests
bought the property and owns it to
dsy. The mine is the greatest pro
Queer of copper in the world, not ex
ceptiug the great Anaconda mine a
Butte. and Mr.. Clark has a standing