The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-20
United States Minister LOOMS Has
Not. However, Presented an Ulti-
matum, ms Reported.
MERELY PRESENTED PROTEST
AGAINST ANY DESPOLIATION OF
AMERICAN PROPERTY,
No Further Action Until Venezuela
RepIies-The GunbOat Scorpion
at wilIemstad.

wILLEMSTAD, Island of Curacao, Dutch
West Indies, Jan. 19.-The United States
auxiliary cruiser Scorpion. Lieutenant Com
mander Sargent commanding. has just ar
rived here on her way to Guanoca, Venezu-
Ella, the nearest port to the scene of the
trouble between the rival asphalt COM
panies. She recently left Laguayra (the
port of Caracas), and brings the latest
news of the Venezuelan troubles. The stu
alton is described as being serious. 1t IS
said that the emphatic protests of the gov
eminent at Washington have been deied.
and bloodshed at the lake of the Bermuda
Asphalt Company was feared. The most
hot-headed foreigners in Venezuela go so
far as 10 say that If the Washington au-
thorities dc not take steps to protect Amer
lean citizens now all foreigners may as
well leave the country The officers Of the
Scorpion are quoted as saying that the
diplomatic corps at Caracas is unanimous
on this point, as are all the foreigners.
They admit however, that the United
States minister at Caracas, Francis B..
Loomis, is working vigorously in the eff
fort to arrange matters.
The more recent developments in the
trouble in Venezuela were the seizures by
the authorities at Ciudad Bolivar. an i'm
portant commercial town of Venezuela and
capital of the State of Bolivar. situated on
the right bank of the Orinoco. thirty-seven
miles from the sea, of two steamers be-
longing to the Orinoco company. This
concern is an English corporation, but 30
per cent. of the capital is American. The
manager of the company is Mr. Morgan. of
New York The Orinoco company has a
large fleet of steamers used for navigating
the Orinoco river. Two of these steamers
were seized by the Venezuelan authorities
curing the last revolution, and it is said
they were ruined. The concession of the
Orinoco company was recently annulled.
on the ground that it was illegal, AID the
opinion prevails that ii will be driven from
business and all the money invested by
shareholders will be lost unless the British
and American governments intervene. Mr..
Loomis is using his good offices to save
the two steamers recently seized The
Is overwhelmed with work, and the COM
rany's business has been stopped. 1t IS
asserted that the company has unpaid
claims against the government for S0O0OOO.
1t is further asserted that hundreds of
legitimately conducted foreign enterprises
have been ruined in Latin America during
the last thirty years by looting officials and
revolutions, and ii is alleged that an at
tempt is now being made TO squeeze" the
Bermudez Asphalt Company for about $500,
co., and. according to the reports which
reached here to-day, If the company does
not pay this amount to the Venezuelan
officials its property, said TO be worth sew
eral million dollars. will be taken unless
the United States government intervenes.
Ii the most recent Venezuelan reports
are to be believed the anti-government dis
turbances there are confined TO small revo-
lutionary movements in the eastern part
of Venezuela.