The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-29
MoRE TROUBLE IN ASPHALT.

PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 2s.-The American
people are inclined TO partisanship. In
dispute or fight, they manifest dBpo
sltion to align themselves with one or the
other OF the parties 10 the controversy
With regard TO the present wrangle ovel
Venezuelan asphalt, perhaps no better ad'
vice can be given to the American people
than to condemn both parties. and do II
! roundly. The entire history Of asphalt
| forms one OF the most unsavory records In
| American business experience
The length and completely Of the story
make any full review an impossibility. Sc
far as one Ii able to get at the details Of the
/ immediate situation In Venezuela, II con.
sists chiefly In one group OF men calling
another group net OF thieves, and the re-
taliation OF the second group by calling their
opponents a pack OF liars. The language
used h only a courteous modification Of
these terms. President Castro appears In
the case with charges that the principal
organization has violated the proyisio M
Of It's concession, has aided and abetted
a revolution against his Government. and
must therefore either pay him $40 900 900.
or get out. He has seized It's property
and appointed a receiver.
BILE, Its development appears n>the follow
ing order:
On Sept. IS. 1883, an American named
Horatio X. Hamilton acquired from Presi-
dent Guzman OF Venezuela an exclusive
concession for twenty years authoriz-
ing him, among other processes, "to ex-
plot the asphaltum In the State Of Ber-
1nudez."
On Oct. "a, 1885, the New York and Ber-
mudez Company was incorporated in New
York by Ambrose II. Garner and others
with capital of 81 900 600.
On Nov. 10, 1885, the Hamilton conces-
sion was assigned to the New York and
Bermudez Company. the assignment being
approved by the Venezuelan Government.
On Dec. 0, 1885. Ambrose H. Garner became
the local managing director OF the work In
Venezuela.
In 1883 the company secured 'deinitive
mining title for ninety-nine years" to a
deposit Of asphalt known as Bermudez
Lake. Its work was carried on unmo-
Tested until 1897
In 1895 the New York and Bermudez Com
pany became the property of the Trinidad
Asphalt Company, Of which AMI l.. Barber
was then president. Mr.. Garner continued
as local managing director until his recall
in December 1900.
On JAN rs, 1897, certain venezuelans
staked claim to a limited section Of Ber-
mudez Lake, and recorded their claim TN
der the title Of La Felicidad In spite OF
the protests OF the original company a
defnitive, title was granted to the claim
ants OF La Felicidad on Nov. 80, 1897.
On Jan. 4, 1898, President Crespo issued
a decree declaring the Hamilton concession,
then owned by the Trinidad Asphalt Com
pany, null and void, grounds for the can
collation. being stated. This act was de-
clared invalid by the Venezuelan courts.
At this point the scene changed and the
seat Of war was removed from Caracas to
Philadelphia. The Bermudez company,
via the Trinidad company, and the new
Trinidad company became one Of the hold
ings Of the Asphalt Company OF America,
organized In June, 1899. by Messrs. Barber,
Ekins, Widener, Francis V. Greene and
others. The history Of this institution was
at length in the columns Of THE
SUN year ago. From this point onward,
special interest centres in the proceedings |
Of one John M. Mack. then the proprietor |
Of a concern known as the Pennsylvania !
Asphalt Paving Company. Under mis-
taken impression that It's safe contained |
valid titles to all the asphalt beds OF South |
America, the trust ignored Mr.. Mack. who |
wanted q 200, 600 for his Sl25 900 company
In May, 1900, the Warner uinlan Com
oany OF Syracuse, N. Y. bought the Felici- |
lad claim for $40, 900, Aat the risk Of the pur-
,hasers.' Mr. Mack entered into tentative
negotiations with the Warner Quinlan peo-
Die, and 1t Is generally understood that |
ne spent some money to assist In making
good the Felicidad claim. But his enter
Prise did not stop there. He organized a
title trust OF his own, known as the Ma
ional Asphalt Company. With this, he
proceeded to gobble up Trust No. 1, and
hhs made himself the master mind In q
econd and still larger trust. This changed
he entire situation. The John M. Mack
Who, a short time before, had sought the
Of the Felicidad claim be-
anne, as the head Of the company holding
he original Bermudez claim and oonces-
ion greatly interested In killing that to
which he had so recently sought to give
ife and value.
On July 2s, 1900, President Castro, who
'ecame the Venezuelan Executive on Oct.
8, 1890, recognized, by decree, the validity
I the Hamilton concession, which Crespo
ad tried to cancel in 1898 On Dec. 10, 1900,
resident Castro issued another deoree,
'hich confirmed to the Warner-Quinlan
ompany the Felicidad claim, and to other
arties another claim called La Venezuela
his was eminently displeasing to Mr..
iacit and his comrades In the Asphalt
rust and out OF the act there grows the
ause Of President Castro's recent attack
n the company. Senior Castro alleges that
he company contributed large sums OF
honey, and rendered other assistance to
en-. Matos, when, in 1901, that gentleman
nd his associates sought, by revolution,
, overthrow the established government.
o his charge Of reasonable action the
,mpany introduces general denial. Gen.
rancis v. Greene has denied, In a pub I
shed interview, the specific charge made
a Venezuelan paper, Ell Monitor. that Gen. ..
reene met Matos in an obscure hotel In :
arts, gave him large sums OF money, and :
SISTED him In the purchase Of f,libuster- a
g steamer. the Ban RICH. Gen. Greene 0
Iys that this whole story Ia a lie (Nev .
ork Tribune, June 81, 1000. =
Meanwhile, Ambrose H. Garner, for I'd 6
any years the right hand man and local o
anaging director Of the Bermudez COM 4
my. seems to have had a serious falling
L. fN.