The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-22
LAUNDRY. CONSULAR AGENCY.
PART OF TIE EDACTIVITIES
OF DOLCE OF CARACAS.

At the sign Of the American Arms, Ca
racas. Venezuela, the American Consul lar
Agent to that city conducts one OF the
largest laundry businesses in all South
America. Rudolph Dodge is the agent.
He has spent several weeks at his pest OF
duty within the last year. and he sails for
Venezuela again to-day in company with
the United States Minister to that country,
W. w. Russell
For three months Mr.. Dodge has been In
this country. and for the greater Part OF
that time he has made the Union Square
Hotel In this city his headquarters.
| In addition to being the chief laundry
man In Caracas, Mr.. Dodge ia also interested
as principal owner in one newspaper there
and part owner In another, over both OF
which he exercises editorial control. The
United States consular agency laundry IL
established on 30 firm a basis that Mr.,
Dodge can trust it to run with almost as
little attention on his part as he gives to
the United States consular business itself
The only real rivals Laundryman Dodge has
are Chinese coolies. and his laundry is dis
tinguished by bearing the coat of arms OF
the United States Government.
Mr.. Dodge said yesterday that he en-
pAoyOu obooo iVV ICopio ~ '''o 'eS''' ,
and he mentioned as satisfactory cir.
cumstance in that connection that he paid
| his employees regularly.
| Il do run laundry business he said,
'and am proud Of it. My consular office
is in the same building and the United
States insignia are displayed on the build
Ing as a matter Of course"
But while the mechanism Of the laundry
business runs thus smoothly all by itself
in Mr.. Dolge's absence, it is not quite the
same with Mr.. Dolge's newspaper in
terests. Mr.. Dodge is on intimate terms
with President Castro and he has other
business interests likewise. involving con-
cessions from the Venezuelan Government.
President Castro has marked his high APP
proval OF the usefulness and value OF our
Mr.. Dodge by decorating him with the
Order of Bolivar Of the Third Class. which
Is the highest honor Venezuela can confer
upon foreigner
Mr.. Dolge's newspapers have spoken
in terms OF high praise Of President Castro.
Furthermore, their attitude toward the
Venezuelan concessions in which our con-
sular agent, Mr.. Dodge, is Interested, has
ever been one Of hearty approval
Mr.. Dodge and Assistant Secretary OF
State LOOMS are warm personal friends.
Some Of Mr.. Loomis's personal friends in
Ohio-as, for instance. L. A. Ault and NJ. +.
Ingalls-are associates with Mr.. Dodge in
some Of the Venezuela concessions and
Mr.. Dolge's serious business interests of
late have been right here in New York
In connection with them. He is engaged
in promoting the Orinoco Corporation, in
which he holds a considerable interest.
The same business occupied his attention
during the two months he was here just
prior to his last flying visit to his post of
duty
The Orinoco Corporation is the reor-
ganized Orinoco Company, Limited.
Before the reorganization it had a claim
against the Government OF Venezuela.
The claim was adjudicated by an Ameri-
can-Venezuelan mixed commission. sitting
! at Caracas. Mr. Dodge was a member OF
that commission. He was the secretary OF
it, in fact, The commission gave an award
! to the Orinoco Company. Limited, against
| the Venezuelan Government OF 100000
bolivars. Mr., Dodge is now United States
consular officer and it might be embar-
press a claim in which he is interested, but
that is a bridge which is not yet reached
in his case. And in any event Mr.. Dodge
is fortified with the warm personal friend,
| ship OF Assistant secretary LOOMS as well
as that of President Castro.
The basis of the Orinoco Corporation
n West Virginia corporation, by the way,
| is the we'll known Manoa concession. The
Manoa concession figured in the boundary
dispute between Great Britain and Venez-
uela. The concessionary territory fell within
the region claimed by Great Britain.
While Mr.. Dodge. in conversation yes
terclay, deprecated printing anything about
him and his varied lines of industr ial activity.
he said he did not object to wing the
value of the Manoa concession made public
on the ground that it would advertise the
corporation in which he is Interested. But
| in his capacity, not as a laundryman or as
a consular agent, but as newspaper editor,
Mr.. Dodge gave it as his judgment that the
ness were of no value as newspaper matter.
1.-THE whole thing is in my testimony in
the Bowen-Loomis inquiry he said Il
refer you TO that. Beyond that ! have
nothing to say. Yes; was secretary Of the
COMPANY 100 900 bolivars. have been here
three months. am here on leave of alb
sence. am friend of MIR. LOOMS. am
only consular agent. am not on salary
l am paid only in fees. Asa consular agent
business 7 choose. ! am in the laundry
business and am proud of it. We do good
work.
Il have been doing business here in con-
nection with the Orinoco corporation. Twas
DECORATED With the Order Of Bolivar of the
third degree. II was before was consular
agent and it was because of my work in
connection with the United States Manu-
facturers Commission to Venezuela. was
granted leave Of absence by the United
him. The work Of my Office is being done
all right. At least. il that wero not the case
there would have been complaints about
my deputy.