The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-10

attorney in Hudson, near Poughkeep-
sic, and had the good fortune to marry
the daughter of Ambrose L. Jordan, a
distinguished lawyer of the place. Hav-
ing ideas beyond the limitations of a
Hudson river village, young Clark came
to New York to practice law. He took
up his residence in East Fourteenth
street, near Second avenue, then a
fashionable part of the city.
Among his neighbors were Rufus
Choate, Hamilton Fish, Mr.. Gunther,
who became mayor, and many other
distinguished New Workers of that pc
Rod, famous for great events-the
completion of the street cars to Central
park, the Crystal palace and peace fol-
lowing the Mexican war.
Won Isaac M. Singers Fight.
Mr.. Clark displayed ability as law
yer and won important cases. Among
his clients was a struggling young ma
chinist, one Isaac M. Singer, in litiga-
ton with Elias Howe Jr, the sewing
machine inventor, particularly of the
needle with its eye at the point.
Mr.. Singer, born in 1911, in Oswego,
N. Y, with a taste for machinery, had
ventured as far West as what was then
called the village of Chicago. There he
invented a patent drill and a machine
to carve type. He was poor and life
was struggle. Hearing of Elias
Howe's sewing machine, he came East,
saw him and suggested improvements.
The result was the invention of a Sing
er single thread lock- stitch machine:
next, the double shuttle, the Singer
stitch and a sort of working alliance
with Howe, and later, litigation.
The Howe company sued Singer al
leglng infringements on their patent,
and Mr.. Clark, young lawyer, was re-
tanned to defend the suit. He was not
only successful, but made important
business suggestions. He was so i'm
pressed with Mr.. Singers ability and
the prospective value of his invention
and particularly with his business sa-
gacity, that he advanced him money to
build factory in New York, and then
became his partner in the business.
That was the beginning of fortunes.
Mr. Clark soon overshadowed Mr.. Sing
er's financial hacker, who retired, but
heavy litigation continued.
AS the Howe company grew in
wealth their suits against Mr.. Singer
multiplied, Mr.. Clark defending them.
Instead of receiving cash for his legal
services he took stock, and soon be-
came a power in the rapidly growing
concern.
From the beginning the most friend
~ relations had existed between Mr.
Clark and Mr.. Singer, the inventor.
but eventually they disagreed regard
ing business policy, resulting in di-
vision of the stock between them and
the formation of a company.
HarmoniuS relations We're restored,
however; business expanded to enor-
nous proportions under Mr.. Clark's
wise management, and he finally. be-
came. president of the corporation.
Mr.. Singer soon began to amass
wealth. He gave his wife SO day
for household expenses, moved from
Fourth avenue to No. IA Fifth avenue,
Kept six carriages and ten horses and
lived in luxury. Finally he went
abroad, leaving Mr.. Clark at the head
of the business. The office was then
at Broadway and Pearl street, near the
old city hospital, with its big elms.
Took His Fee In Future.
Mr.. Clark's foresight in taking stock
for his services in winning the suits
against the Howe company Increased
his interests until they nearly equaled
Mr.. Singers.
Among Mr.. Clarks sons was Alfred
Corning Clark, a thoughtful, studious
young man, paSS1Onately fond of mJl-
sic, literature and art, which in those
days did not count for much with
business men. His brothers cared
more for the world and went abroad
to see life and enjoy themselves, but
they soon died.
In 1860 Edward Lorraine Clark died
In Rome of Roman fever. His distin-
guished father died in the following
year, and his brother Ambrose died
later, leaving Alfred Corning Clark
sole heir to a vast estate, which,
through the Singer stock and wise in
Vestments in real estate on the up
per west side, increased to millions.
Mr.. Singer had also died at Toruuay.
England, leaving the Clarks masters
of the business. Alfred Corning Clark
was most lovable young man of
manners and noble courtesy. His
thoughts being on books and art, and
finding himself at the head of collas-
sal enterprise, he looked around FOR a
manager.
Strange as it may seem, his fancy
fell on clerk in the Mercantile library