Evening star., 1925-03-03
EX-SENATOR W. n. CLARK DIES:
PICTURESQUE WESTERN PIONEER
Made First $1,000 SIuic-
ing on Placer Claim in
Idaho Field.
Became Copper King,
MuIti-MilLiOnaire and
Patron of Arts.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, March 3.-William A.
Clark, Sc years old, former Senator
from Montana and pioneer of the cop
per mining industry, died in his Fifth
avenue home last night of pneumonia
Following cold contracted a few
days ago.
Mr.. Clark. who was president of the
United Verde Copper Co, maintained
residence in Butte Mont. his home
city, i'll addition to one here. Since he
returned from another residence in
Sacramento, Calf, last December, he
had been active in directing the
United Verde and other companies in
which he was interested
An idea of his wealth is given by
the fact that as far back as 1889 he
refused $50 100000 for one of his cop
per mines This rise to wealth was
during career which included the
occupations of farmers helper, school
teacher law student, miner, prospec-
tor, banker and art collector.
Married Former Ward.
Mr.. Clark's widow was Anna La
Chappelle. Canadian physicians s
daughter, who became his ward on
the death of her father. and who was
married to Mr.. Clark in Marseilles, in
1901. Mr.. Clark was first married to
0Onn6IISVllle- a.,
IN 1859. She died in 1893.
Mr.. Clark's residence at 962 Fifth
avenue was one of the most preten
Slous structures in New York, and at
Its completion, lii 1912, it was to have
cost S5.00O,000. 1t included a system
of turkish baths, a huge organ and
26 servants rooms. In 1t Mr.. Clark
housed a great collection of art, which
had become hobby with him. Among
hn a int IN
brandts Portrait of Man." Sir
Henry Raeburn's Portrait of the
Artists Daughter and Corot's Dance
Under the Trees" the three represent
ing more than 100000 initial cost to
Mr.. Clark. other rare works Of art
are also included in the collections.
whose total value is said to run well
into the millions.
Mr.. Clark had an aversion to trav-
cling about New York in automo-
biles, contending that it was too dan
gerous. He used instead the sub
way, although 1t resulted in his be-
ing buffeted and crushed in the rush.
hour crowds. He was accustomed to
using his automobiles only for short
trips, often only as far as the near
est subway station. He abandoned
subway travel last Christmas because
Of the crowded conditions and con-
Quoted his affairs from his home.
William Andrews Clark was the last
of the three great Montana mining
ma magnates-Heinze, DAILY and Clark.
Arriving IN Hannack, Idaho, in 1852.
with IS capital, after an overland
journey of 65 days in a prairie
schooner, he became 40 years later a
nultimillionaire and a United States
Senator. He was born in Connells-
Vile, Pa, on January s, 1889.
Monument Erected During Life.
A school teacher in central Missouri
when the gold rush lured him to
Colorado and then to Idaho, Clark's
services to that part OF the territory
which later became the State of Mon
tana-he helped to draft its constitu-
tfon-were recognized a few years
ago by the Society of Montana Pho
neers in the form OF a monument "to
commemorate while he still is living
his deeds. which have contributed in
major part to the development of the
great West"
Upon reaching Idaho Clark became
SUCCESSFULLY a miner, teamster, mer-
chant, railway builder, capitalist. In
, more recent years he was known as a
philanthropist and art collector. He
was elected to the United States Sen
ate, after a long and bitter political
controversy, and served the full term
from 1901 to 1907. In 1890 he had
claimed that honor, but was denied
his seat In 1898, having apparently
won election to the Senate, his seat
was contested and he resigned. Later
his seat was declared void by the
upper house.
Senator Clark for years was a CEN
trail figure in the triangular Industrial
war between the Clark, Heinze and
DAILY mining interests, and around this
spectacular fight for supremacy was
woven much of the history of Mon
tana. 1t led to battles between great
numbers of miners underground. occu-
pied the courts of Montana almost to
the exclusion of all other litigation
and at last established the apex
principle as the mining law OF Amer
ica. Subsequently the Heinze and
DAILY interests were merged ana the
conflict came to an end
sIuiccd Gold for First Thousand.
The man who was destined to i'm
press his individuality so strongly
upon the West accumulated his nrst
81, 900 sluicing gold. on a placer claim
on Horse Prairie. Idaho. He bought
q mule team, Travelled TO salt Lake
and freighted provisions back to the
miners. In 1857 he took q Govern
n7ent contract to carry mail from Mis-
gouIa, Mont, to Walla Walla, Wash,
about 400 miles away, and on two oc-
Casions made the greater part or the
Journey on snowshoes.
Young Clark, when teaching school
in 1859 and 1860, had applied himself
to the law and later followed this up
at Mount Pleasant Iowa) Univer-
eity, but he never entered the legal
yrofession. 1t was in 1852 that he
quit teaching school and drove an OK