The Washington times., 1906-08-05

more than SchwAb's. II hasn't attracted
any more attention.
There are many who know Clark
well who fail to accept him at his own
valuation, but nobody can easily re-
frain from admiring some OF his quail
ties. Think OF the pluck OF the nine
teen-yeaT-old boy who would venture
alone from his quiet home In the hills
OF Pennsylvania TO the then little
known prairie country IN 1883, years
before there was a railroad west OF the
Mississippi. earn and save money
enough teaching school IN Iowa and
Missouri TO enable him to strike out
for Colorado. and. by the time ne Was
twenty-four, 20 buy a six-ox team and
go further in search OF fortunei
Clark got to Horse Prairie. Mon. in
1853, after q sixty-ivs day journey
from Central City. Col. with his six
OK team His life during the next few
years must have been pretty highly
spioed; certainly he had variety a.
plenty. He prospected and peddled. He
was a merchant and mail contractor.
Many have forgotten this latter; the
route over which he contracted 20
carry the mail was 4CO miles long and
NAAELAAEG AAbAAA 4sAAosf' 80 -FANAA-s ~ A W
Walla Walla, IN Washington.
When he had 20 peddle IN order 10
keep things a-movtng the present Sen
ator seemed TO have no false pride
whatever, and whether he was peddlirg
or making his way IN some other
fashion, he US always a keen o.
server. IN particular he studied the
personal needs OF the miners, and. con-
sequently, while he made more than
one mistake in his mining investments.
he made few IN his commercial trans
actions
one OF his earliest successful mer-
camille deals was the purchase In Col
oradO OF 5000 pounds OF tobacco at
$3.50 a pound. which he was able 10 sell
In Montana az s. and So a pound
II was the money which he made IN
such operations that enabled him to go
on his prospecting tours The most eX-
traordinary OF these tours, probably,
was the one he undertook soon after his
rrst marriage. He travelled In a buggy
and took his bride along. He had with
him a set OF miners tools, received as
a wedding gift. and as he drove along
with his young wife, he stopped when
ever he thought Lue indications prom
isfng. either 10 knock OF a few bits Of
rock for assaying, later. OF TO rOck Qua
a cradle fun OF dirt or sand or gravel
By 1872 he had a number Of claims
which were 10 yield him fabulous
wealth, and, having learned by bitter
experience trat the man who was not
a nractfcaI mineralOgist was at great
disadvantage in the mines, spent the
next winter studying at the Schoo! OF
Mines attached 70 Columbia College.
II was the knowledge he gained there
that enabled him 10 recognize the rich
ness Of the United Verde copper mine
IN Arizona. Before buying that proper
~ he went through the workings, clad
in overalls. and personally took out
o-a specimens every twelve inches.
These he assayed himself and thus
knew the mine for what 1t Is the
richest and largest copper deposit yet
discovered in the world.
Clark is now siXty-seven. His snort
and slender figure lends itself admir-
ablv 10 the frock coat. and he Is rarely
eaan NOWADAYS when he isn't the
,icturA of dapper elegance. but some
Zines when playing golf. he looks al
most as disheveled and disreputable as
he could possibly have appeared IN MS
active prospecting and mining days.