The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-25
WARSHIPS ARE CABLED FOR
Show of Force Demanded to Protect
American Interests in Venezuela.
Adyices from Caraeas Report the Country
Plunged IHt0 Civil War by AnnuI-
ling OF Asphalt Concession TO
Benefit Rival Company.

gram, additional TO that which came yes
terday, was received this afternoon by
Vice President A. ID. Andrews, of the
National Asphalt Company, concerning
the revolution which has broken out III
Venezuela. This second cablegram asserts
that the situation is extremely desperate
as regards Americans and their property
in the South American republic.
The message, which was sent by a rep
resentative of the National Asphalt Com
pany, which has extensive interests in
Venezuela, is urgent in it's appeal for i'm
mediate action by the United States for
the protection of Americans, whose lives
and properties are imminently endan-
gered. A general attack, the cablegram
says, is being planned upon all American
interests in Venezuela, and If succor in
the prompt dispatch of warships by the
United States government is not forth
coming at once the results may prove
disastrous.
The cablegram is dated from Caracas
and goes on TO say that the revolution
has been engendered by the fight between
the National Asphalt Company and its
rivals for the possession OF Bermudcse
asphalt lake. The lake is situated twenty
miles from the coast of Venezuela and
contains extensive and rich deposits of
asphalt. Ii has been in the possession of
the National Asphalt Company, or its
constituent company, the New York and
Bermudese Company, for over twelve
years.
The company's concessions to operate
the lake were Cancelled by President
Castro and his council on December Is.
The concession to operate the concession
known as La Felicldad' was then
awarded to a rival syndicate. which
carries the alleged right to work a tract
of loo acres, which comprises about two
thirds of the lake. This tract the Ma
tional Asphalt Company claims as its ex-
elusive property. The head of the syndi-
cate which has acquired this property,
under the title of La Felicidad." COM
prises the following: c. NJ. Warner, Of
Syracuse. and p. r. Quinlan and p. Sui
Iivan. of Philadelphia.
MFR. Warner was formerly president and
heaviest stoekholder of the Colombia
Construction Company, which was some
time ago acquired by the Asphalt Com
pany of America. now owned by the Ma
tional Asphalt Company. Mr.. Warner OBJ
tained his Venezuelan concession by pur-
chase, the price. il is said, being $4,000.
The concession, which was first granted
in 1897, was appealed by the National As
phalt Company. and a decision rendered
in its favor. This decision has been up
set by President Castro and his council.
ia Felicidad' is said TO be now worth
twenty times It's alleged purchase price OF
$4,000.
Vice President Andrews said this after
noon that he believed the situation 10 be
anlx 90 "a
OF his company we're involved, but re-
garding the interests and properties of all
Americans in Venezuela. He said that he
believed that the present revolution was
as much generated by the overturning of
precedents by President Castro and his
council as the internal state Of dissatis-
faction that has been rife in Venezuela
for some time.
Mr.. Andrews said that the National As
phaIt Company intended making every ef-
fort to secure the dispatch OF war vessels
TO Venezuela.
The State Department has been commu-
nieated with In regard 10 the eompliea-
tions growing out OF the cancellation Dy
President Castro, OF Venezuela, OF the
concessions 10 operate Bermudese Lake
by the National Asphalt Company, and a
careful examination is being made OF the
submitted bearing on the
matter. The matter. however, is still In
the inquiry stage. and up 10 this time no
steps have been taken by tie department
further than that indicated. Should the
deveIopments warrant il the matter may
be called 10 the attention Of the Venezue-
Ian officials, so that II any wrong has been
done the company. reparation may be
made Vice President A. ID. Andrews was
in the city a few days ago, presumably
in connection with the question al issue
senor Pulido. the Venezuelan charge
here, was somewhat surprised TO hear
that there was any revolution in his coun-
Try. He does not see. he says, how a
fight between two rival corporations need
precipitate any uprising OF the people and
for this reason discredits the report that a
revolution has broken out. If the conces-
sion OF a company has been Cancelled. the
he says. have a right 10
appeal 10 the Supreme Court for redress
His Information yesterday from the con-
sul general OF Venezuela. at New York.
was 10 the effect that there was no basis
for reports that trouble existed in Vene-
zuela.