The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-05-19
SENATOR CLARK's UNIQUE REC
ORD AS BUILDER.
STRENUOUS FOR ARCHITECT
Quarries and Factories Bought to Sup
ply Materal-His Extravangance
Masks Close Figuring.

New York, May Ex-senator Will
liam A. Clark the Montana copper
king, has established a unique record
la the construction of mis- mansion
at Fifth avenue and Sevonty-seventh
street. Surprise was occasioned few
days ago when he purchased the Hen
ry Bonnard Bronze company for the
purpose of supplying his new resi-
dence with bronze.
Now it has been discovered that this
was but one of similar moves made
by the senator since the ground was
broken in 1898. Here lis the list of the
plants bought by him to defat the
plans Of the contractors to bleed him:
Granite quarry at North Jay, Me.
Stone finishing plant at Bangor, Me.
Marble factory at Ravenswood, L.
Decorative plaster plant at Ravens.
wood, L. I.
Henry Bonnard bronze foundry,
New York City.
Hair Made Gray by Worry.
Lord, Hewlett & Hull, architects,
also have established a new hard
work record for the profession. Wash
ington Hull, managing architect, had
in1r rrJx hoi hA
work began; he is now gray.
Trouble for Senator Clark and his
architects began when the Maine &
New Hampshire Granite company
gave notice of an advance in the
contract price. The firm had agreed
to supply white granite for the walls
for 100000. The quarry people sud-
emily demanded $650,000, claiming
that alterations and additions in the
plans of the mansion made the de-
mand only fair. Architect Hull knew
that at North Jay, Me-, there was a
mall unworked quarry of pure white
ranite, that adjoined the quarries Of
the Maine & new Hampshire COM
pany.
Sending the facts to the senator by
cable he awaited reply. 1t came
fast: "Buy that quarry, if possible"
Bought Quarry.
He did buy it, and then not only
rejected the higher price of the New
Hampshire company, but abrogated
its contract because it had not lived
up to it.
The senator decided that no con-
tractor should bleed him again. He
| decided to establish a stone dressing
plant. Then he decided that as $780,.
600 worth of bronze was to be used,
the only way to successfully escape
the extortion of contractors was to
own bronze foundry. The same ar
gument held good as to the woodwork
and decorating plaster, and the sena-
tor added these to his list.
Architect Hull became president
and treasurer of the new company
to operate the Henry Bonnard foun.
dry, which made a bid for general
business, while it devoted most of it's
energy to manufacturing supplies for
the Clark mansion. 1t promises to be
the only survivor of the plants bought
by the Montana millionaire. It has
many contracts and promises to make
money for the senator.
Workmen Delay PurposeIy.
At the decorative marble, wood
work and plaster plants at Ravens
wood, L. l., the men understand theA
situation and work, or rather do NOT
work, accordingly. Slow progress is
being made. Architect Hull is dis
tracted. When asked today for the
story in detail he shook his head,
pointed to his gray hairs and said:
'"They were brown when we broke
ground for the Clark mansion"
It is an open secret that the new
house with which the owner hopes ID
eclipse the Schwab palace, the Car
negie mansion, and all the other shoN
dwellings of the city, will cost tn
senator nearly $10.00O,000. But nos
for the first time the fact Is REVEALED
that the senator's extravanganc
masks close figuring that would
credit to the economic genius OF
Russell Sage.