The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-02-28


inmate possibility of fraud. He assay
ed his own mind and found copper.
Then he became miner as we'll as BAN
ker. Reduction-works and smelt-
ing-plant were the natural sequences
of his foresight and energy, and he
grew rich.
Later, two years in Europe taught
him French and German, led him into
art, knocked the corners off, and
rounded his education, and returned
him to America a polished man of af-
fairs. Yet he in no wise lost his grip
on business.
He was constantly in close touch
with his many enterprises. Heg,ew,
and he studied industrial problems.
His clearinghouse at Butte became
the leading bank in the Far North
west and, although for several years
his business interests were centered
in Montana, he had become known
outside that State as a keen business
man who was always ready to embark
in promising enterprise.
Then came the development of
electricity as power to supplant
steam, and copper wire was known to
be the best conductor for that power.
Thousands of miles would be requir-
ed, and the man who owned a big
copper-mine could supply the wire.
1t was inherent in the man that he
should foresee this demand. His
young manhood had taught him not
only self-reliance but, in a greater
degree, the anticipating of opportuni-
ties. Clark always kept his eye fixed
on the future. Any man, he thought,
could see the present. So, looking
for big, rich and easily worked cop
per-mine, he occupied his spare time
for a year. He rejected many prom
ising ones, until one day there rode
into a mining camp, thirty miles east
of Phoenix, Arizona, a modest, unas-
Stunning man, tanned, and bearing the
stamp of a "health-seeker." He
talked mines, and used his eyes.
Then he asked the price of a group of
mines.
Zone hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, was the reply, joculaTly and
skeptically.
"I'll take it. Make out your pa
pers."
whats your name?"
William A. Clark, of Butte and
here's a check for fifty thousand dol
lars. 1 will pay the balance in thirty
days"
Those owners were gleeful. Their
mine was sold and SO, thought they,
was Clark. But that was not their
business. 1t was twenty-five miles
from railway, up and down a pre-
cipitous mountain trail. 1t had never
made any money, because there was
no egress, and no smelter. Clark
built railway where it was said that
could not be done and, discarding
ramshackle buildings and hanhazard
plant, and then built smelter. The
town of Jerome grew up. The out
side traffic on the railway now pays
all charges, leaving the mine and
smelter traffic clear of expense.
Today the United Verde mine
yields million dollars month. 1t
could be made to yield twice as much,
just as readily. The body of copper
is rich and apparently inexhaustible.
Fifteen million pounds cash was re-
fused by Clark in 1895. 1t is worth
twice or thrice or even dozen times
that today. No one knows but Clark,
and he will not discuss it.
Its nobody's business, 5" is his re-
ply. cts not for sale. /"
In person, Clark is slight. He is
FIVE feet, seven inches, and weighs
one hundred and forty pounds. In
dress, he is precise, though quiet.
To see him on Wall Street, one would
never imagine the steps by which he
has climbed, unless his eye were
caught. Then the man stands out
unalterable determination and infexi-
BILE purpose shine forth. The square
chin and the prominent nose evince
courage and determination, persisten-
cy and strength.
Clark is shrewd, exacting and hon
est in all business transactions. He
exacts all the contract calls for, but
he is prompt to pay the stipulated
price. He weighs every purchase by
the question of worth, and this he ap-
plies to personal as we'll as business
matters. His hobby is art, and he
probably owns more works of the
masters than any one in America.
Yet, were it not for the publicity of
the press, none but his intimates
would know it.
Clark is not ashamed of his lowly
start, nor is he vainglorious of his
success. Indeed, he is frank to ac-
knowledge that much of his success
is due to the wisdom and counsel of
his wife. That her death in 1893
was a blow to him is shown by the
fact that up to that time Clark had
never made the error of continuing a
political strife under conditions which
foretold personally acrimonious
fight and which has been the one dark
line upon his successful career. The
Clark Daily controversy was contest
on Clark's side for a position he be-
lieved, and was told by his friends, he
was entitled to. On Daly's side, it
was a fight to down Clark at any cost
political or fnancial-and when
Daily forced a climax at Washington
in 1900, Clark resigned his seat in
the Senate, and was reelected by
Montana.
In the Senate, Clark applies the
same scrutiny to pending measures
that he does to his business. He will
win standing because of his acumen,
rather than by the advocacy of siren
uous reforms.
His keen grasp of the main chance
distinguished him from his fellows.