Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-02
Venezuelan lake apparently to prevent

Venezuelan lake apparently 10 prevent
competition. .E-' ..,t =
Castro knew that the asphalt people
had powerful politicians at their back,
and as the concession would have ex-
pired in 1908, he probably would let
things run along rather than to risk a
clash with Washington, had not the
trust exerted itself in support OF the
last Matos revolution, three years ago.
The report of the trust for 1902 show
ed an expenditure Of 100000 for war
fare" which never has been fully ex-
planned. 1t is alleged that all OF the
money went to the support OF the rev.
olution and kept 1t alive for months af-
ter 1t otherwise would have been sup
pressed. Mr. Garner, whose veracity
never has been questioned even by his
enemies, claims to have the vouchers
for the expenditures, and complaint
| filed against the trust by Castro gives
dates and amounts, and specifies where
and how the bills were paid. To dis
prove the charge Of completely with
Matos 1t is only necessary for the trust
to show its books for the dates spe-
Gifted, which 1t has not done.
With the Matos revolt finally dis
posed Of Castro filed a suit against the
trusts for damages on account OF the
increased cost of putting down the re-
bellion as a result Of its financial sup
port, and another for the annulment
of fits concession on the ground that IT
had been violated by the companys
refusal to build the stipulated canals.
It was in connection with the later
suit that Mr.. Garner was appointed re-
ceiver of the asphalt property.
| Interview With Garner.
AS an official Of the court, Mr.. Car
ner has religiously refrained from any
public discussion of the case. His first
statement for publication regarding 1t
was made to the writer. He said: Il
was appointed receiver for the proper
ty for no other reason that / know OF
than was familiar with its operations.
There certainly was nothing Of a con-
spiracy or scheme about 1t. I did not
know until after l had accepted the
appointment that my name had been
suggested to the court by President
Castro. / am accountable to the court
for every dollar that is received. 1t
has been charged, know. that / am
taking as much asphalt as possible and
rushing II to market, but that Is as un-
true as many other things that have
been said in the same connection. i
have been in charge of the property for
nine months, and have made six ship
ments Of asphalt, amounting to about
5000 tons. The capacity Of the plant
Is easily $4,000 tons a year, am doing
nothing more than run 1t on scale
that will pay expenses, pending the
decision of the court II work was
stopped the plant would soon go to
ruin"
There is a lot of sweet revenge for
Mr.. Garner in his present position. He
discovered Lake Guanoco-the asphalt
llake-was one of the organizers OF the
New York and Bermudez company,
and developed the property. He built
a railroad from the lake to the Guam
oco river and opened the latter to nav
igation to furnish an outlet for the pro-
duct When John M. Mack, head of
the asphalt trust secured control OF
the New York and Bermudez compa- :
ny. In 1901, Mr.. Garner was forced
out OF the concern by his refusal to
agree to the new policy. which involved
an almost complete suspension OF
work In Venezuela Now Mr.. Garner
Is "getting even" with Mr.. Mack with
a vengeance. He is furnishing asphalt
to the independents, vino formerly had
to beg what little they got from the
trust, and the result of 1t all probably
will be, when the pending litigation has
been disposed of, the organization of
new and powerful rival to the combine,
with Mr.. Garner at the head Of 1t. Just
when that will be no one can tell, as
the main case has only just been
reached on it's merits and the trust Is
interposing no end of technicalities to
secure delay.
Great Bed Of Asphalt.
| Lake Guanoco Is an irregular oval
two miles long and Is a solid and
seemingly inexhaustible mass Of as
phalt 95 per cent pure. In some places
1t is liquid and in others brittle, but
most of 1t Is hard enough to walk over
and work on. The holes where the as
phalt is dug out with picks soon fill up
leaving crooks which fill with water
The cost Of operation Is double that OF
Trinidad Lake, but the Trinadad as
phalt contains only half as much btu
men.
At the same time that he filed suit
against the asphalt trust, President
Castro began similar proceedings
against nearly 800 other concerns hold
ing concessions of all kinds which, II
Is alleged, have not been complied with
One Of them Is the French Gable COM
pany, which also Is charged with con-
plicity in the Matos revolution. and
Castro seems to have as strong a case
against It as he has against the asphalt
trust A former employee Of the cable
company has furnished him with evil
}dence that during the revolution copies
Of all his messages to his generals ir
the field were promptly forwarded to
Matos.
1t seems to have been the policy OF
most. If not all. Of the foreign con-
cessionaires to neglect to comply with
those sections Of their agreements
which bound them to give a return
for the riches they were taking out
of the country. and Castro's crusade
against them has made him immensely