The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 27, 1903, Page 11

O SUNDAY CALL. RICK ACKERMAN R WI AM A.CLARK a many sided ouse of numerous Xture of fascinat- d be poetic, g as as a rock on the ¥ ha him his vast quiet teserved, so dignified nd looked , searching A swift regimer laxes seness left the re pon a prob- m the xt £ properties face of a n quick, de- sk > minor a is & often . . ss or ’ th the t e ght on refully modulated, in his his ecessary, well the tone used versatior It soberr ifr dramatic de- While is well mus- was d me e nim- on of physical = ic the result of tinuous his n yperties Montana and must be alert e when climbing and debris upon a od in making h > healthful moun- eveloped his lungs and made and strong. this man—his hopes, s yearnings in the life, when the apex of 1as been reached and there to do but look forward for to conguer? e life of Senator Clark is the first time. orth a great many e for u were dollars, how would you live would you do? or Clark has got several ion dollars, and this is e: mple, his require- his fads, as you 'y unlike the Hi- who yours. laborer when ) e would he sudden und himself possessed of a few mili- lars replied that he would en- extensive suite of rooms at dine well, with e; leave a call for the morning,. retire r came to call him ransom that he didn’t puld be if he would asked do if hator is an early riser. the habit whe He during early days he cows had to be 1 the milking. He only a small part of the year, when he is there he takes his breakfast shortly before eight o’'clock—that is, after he has stretched his muscular limbs in a short is not sumptuous. His morning & midday meals are very light and simple, and he waits until the day's duties are performed, when he leisurely partukes of a rather gen- erous dinner in the evening. Then he walks ag Leaving the Lisbon apartments at 175 West Fitiy- eighth street, where he lives with his daughter, Mrs. E. W. Culver, one apartment for himself and an- other for his art treasures, he starts with a2 swinging pace to Fifth avenue and heads for the south. There are many mornings when he does not reach his office until noon. But the hours intervening between breakfast and midday have ben busy ones. He has bankers to see, art gal- Jeries to visit, friends to call upon, many little business affairs to oversee, and all this consumes time. But he invariably, in fair weather, walks to his office, and from Fifty-eighth street t6 Wall street is no idle- distance. His mail takes up a couple of hours, two stenographers being kept busy, having ORISR while his firing away another lix Two o’'clock comes and time for lunch. Senator Clark spends a trifle more time at his lunch than does Rus- sell Sage, but not much more money. Not that he denies himself, but the Senator is not a fastidious eater. He will probably take one little nip of rye before this meal and smoke a cigar after it is finished. Then back to the office. It has not taken him an hour. There are people with whom he must confer, more letters to an- swer and cipher telegrams and cables to send to all parts of the world. At this time of the year the shades of night are being drawn when he set- tles back in his stiff chair and bids his employes good night. At six o’clock he leaves the office and is usu- ally at his daughter’s apartment by seven o'clock. Dinner is not served until eight o'clock and he seeks rest in his art gallery, reclining in an easy chair while he absorbs the beauty and deli- cacy of rare works of art by Fortuny, secretary, A. Underwood, is with lightning pace along Boucher, Constabie, Miliet, Corot, Daubigny, Ziem, Cazin, Delacroix, L'Hermitte, Rousseau, Abbe and many others. His tapestries have cost him fabulous sums. He selected these himself, for he never depends on an art connoisseur. These tapestries agre among the most beautiful ever executed by the Gobelin manufactory, after designs by Boucher, Andran and others. Mr. Clark will make his art galleries, of which there are flve, a special feature of the Fifth avenue home which he is building at Seventy-seventh street and which will become the residence of his daughters. But it is time for the Sevator to dine. He does this with little choice WORK BARD for rich foods. But he does love hi® wines. They are all imported from Germany, the Senator showing a pref- erence for moselles, clarets and cham- pagnes. “Wherever and whenever he travels he always carries with him his own stock of wines, and these travels include trips into the wilder- ness and across deserts when he visits some .of his mining properties, which are now to be found in Mon- tana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Maine and Mexico. After dinner another cigar, just one, More business, to be sure, unless it is the night of the opera, and then the Senator will allow no work to inter- fere with his enjoyment. Indeed, every Sunday afternoon when he is in New YorKk there are musicales at his daughters’ homes, where the best art- ists in New York appear, both after- noon and evening. In this manner he entertains his friends during the Sabbath day. Some nights he will work well into the morning hours, but as a rule he insists upon getting eight hours’ sleep a day. This he deems necessary in the life of every man whose brain is continually active in the commercial world. For society he cares little. He is always well dressed and his clothes are made by the best tailors in Lon- don and New York. His whole idea in life is economy. He buys only the things that are necessary and then the best. In Washington he is invariably dressed in a frock coat, and wears a silk hat, but in New York he, is often seen in a plin business suit of unob- trusive pattern. This prelude to Senator Clark’s in- terview is given that the reader may understand the man who is telling the story of, his undertakings and the ideals he has learned to cherish. He received me graciously. It took him » ENATOR W.A.CLARK THE COPPER RING 5200000000 GCOES 0N WORKING ,| THE STORY © THE TOIL FOR MILILION'S 1S THERE PLEASURE [N [T v ANSWERS THE QUESTION, WHY A AN WORVER . F WIS LIFE, TASTES.AND AMNBITIONS TOLD BY RIFISELE 49 waiL S some minutes to frmae the replies to nmy questions, for he is a careful and . conservative man, but when he daid speak his conversation flowed smooth- ly and with few interruptions.” This is one forte which makes him con- spicuous in the councils of the com- mittee at Washington. When he has something to advise the expression car- ries something besides mere words. He is at times energetic in his remarks, speaking quickly and with no re- serve, but every word that passes his lips is carefully weighed. “Senator, what pleasure do you find fn the toil involved in the manipula- tion of your vast properties?’’ I asked, after being seated. The question was put point blank. Senator Clark droped his chin upon his breast. He thought for a whole minute and then he spoke: “Toil? Yes; that is the word. By toil you mean the suspension of-hours devoted to pursuit of pleasure. A general after a battle may take a few hours to himself. The fires of his camp, reflecting against the darkened sky, are slumbering. He may muse and live over again the conflict through which he hc~ passed and feel joy in the victory that he, has earned. He has worked hard, . suf- fering agony of body” and soul. It SENATOR. CLARKYS OFFICE and the a Hard fight, Don’t you sup- pose that his soul rebounds with joy at having accomplished something? has Dbeen spoils belong to him. “Take my case. I work hard; I take pleasure in my labors. I take pleasure in accomplishing something, in succeeding. I do not know that you can call it the same jey that one ob- tains at grand opera or at diplomatic receptions, but it is a pleasure to know that your mind has been active in the solution of some problem or some commercial treaty, and that suc- cess has attended your efforts. What if I do work twelve, fourteen and sometimes sixteen hours a day? My work Is systematized and, although it makes my brain tired, it does not to any great extent sap my strength. It is all a queéstion of knowing how to go about it, and training does that. If you are going to get pleasure out of toil your mind and body must be in T 1 MAKING MY PLANS SUCCEEL TBAT TIRTLLS . MET condition and developed to move like well oiled machinery.” “You do not think pf stopping your labors—retiring, as did W. C. Whit- ney, for instance?” “No, no no! I feel as yoeung as though I had just reached my twenty- fifth ar. There is no limit to my capacity for work. Why should I spend my time in idleness when this great progressive country is moving on and on with giant bounds? I can do good by working. I can continue the destiny of the industries and cor- porations that I am shaping. A cap- tain may be able to give the helm to his mate in the open sea;-but the coast, in sight of scattered. 1 he himself is at the wheel. He knows the water and how to avold a wreck. My business interests might continue without me, but not te my way of thinking. Thousands of men and women are depending upon my ener- gies for their bread and butter. Itis a trite remark, vet so true, that there is no pasture with a blade of grass that would not be stronger and richer with two blades in place of ane. We grow and flourish as time goes on. Why should a man pause in his life's work?"” “There is a sentiment, Senator, that when a man has accumulated suffi- clent wealth he should retire,” I re< marked. Senator Clark’'s face grew tensely earnest. From under his shaggy brows his eyes gleamed and his thin lips were tightly set. “How can one retire and suspend operations that mean so much to those whose future he controls? It would be criminal. Perhaps some have thought me avaricious, intent only with the thought of making money. It is a fallacy common with those who do not understand the plans and pro- Jects of men whose money is inter- ested in great enterprises. I am not content to sit idly by while the world moves on and be no use to my fel- lows. I suppose I could free myself from business cares and devote the time to clipping coupons. What am- 1 AM NOT CONTENT TO JIT IDDY BY WHILE THE WORLD vES o8 Y " bitlon fs that? My money, which comes from my mines, goes out to accomplish something. “There zre the thousands depend- ent upon me. The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Iis an Instance of this. I am extending this ro: sending out its arteries to those aces which have been barren of railroad communication. The road employs men. At n Pedro, where the harbor is be dredged, hun- dreds are employed; along the road many more are earning a lvelihood. “We are touching the Pacific and will move on to the Orient in time. g through the States of 1d California. Along vada, Utah ,the' line of the road villages sre beginning to appear. In the valluys the people zre building communities. That country is growing richer every day because this money has made the railroads possible. It is developing and’ carrying out these projects and making them successful that interests me. I never glve the monetary ques- tion consideration. “It requires capital and lots of it te extend commercial operations. But it is doing somebody some good, and it is doing the country fome good. Money makes it possible for a man to accomplish something for the benefit of his fellow man. These affairs are a part of my life’s work. Does not my argument awaken in you a line of thought? Perhaps some will under- stand that to accomplish success in mining and railroading thers are great difficulties which beset the labor of or- ganization. All commercial plans are not productive of gain. Some of them must fail. It is the making them suc~ ceed that exults me with the impor- tance of making use of my time and money at this time, and I hope I may continue for many years.” “As a successful business man, Sen< ator, what would you advise for the young man? What qualifications do you consider necessary?” This is a matter that interests the Senator. He was not long in making up his mind. He satd: “After having carefully determined upon an occupation or profession, which choice should depend largely upon qualification and congeniality— for a man must have his heart in his work if he must succeed—the meost essential elements necessary for & suc- cessful career are fixity of purpose, unceasing Industry, tem_.rate habits, scrupulous regard for one’s word, faithful performance of every prome ise, perfect system in business, so as to be in close touch with all detalls, putting nothing off for the morrows courteous manners, a generous re- gard for the rights of others and above all Integrity which admits of no qualifications or variation. Then there must be unflinching courage to meet and overcome the difficulties Continued on Page Fifteem