New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-29
ACCUSES A. L. BARBER.
Tice-Preadent of asphalt Trust
Alleges League scith Castro.

Arthur W. Sewall vIce-president OF the General
Asphalt Company Che TRUST and the Barber As
phalt Paving Company a subsidiary concern gave
out a statement last night charging that the indie
pendent Asphalt Association, recently organized by
about twenty-five companies, had been banded to-
gether for raising the prices for asphalt paving
He also charges that Amzi Lorenzo Barber. presi-
dent Of The new organization, and former president
Of tle Trust was responsible for the reckless hnan-
cierinC which threw the Trust into bankruptcy IN
1901 and with being in league with President castro
NJ Venezuela in the illegal seizure in 1904 OF the
Guanoco asphalt property belonging to the New
York and Bermudez Company, Of the Trust
Mr. SewaH. whose statement with regard to the
urinary object Of the Independent Asphalt Asso-
citation confirms the story printed in The Tribune
on January 10. accompanies his statement with a
copy of a letter from A. L. Barber TO John NJ.
Mack president of the trust asking him TO join
the new association This the trust refused TO do
ir fact ignored the invitation entirely
The vice-presidert Of the Barber Asphalt Paving
COMPANY says that he wishes # understood that
his company is not the same as the A l. Barber
Asphalt Company, Of which AMI Lorenzo Barber
is the president
Mr. Sewau says in his statement:
In view of the published statements that the
Barber Asphalt Company Is kh PhrS 80 {af I9F a
ton OF the InaepShQoJ he }aSt that the Barber
Asphalt Paving Company has no connection what
briefly called led the BaTbr Asphalt Company but It
should be confourded Win the A, I; ialogI
Asphalt CQmP2ny , 9rganzs9 2y AMI L.
It is essential that this distinction snoula DC
made clear. because the new association Is aNoW-
edIv formed for the purpose Of raising the prices
of ASPHALT pavements in this country. Prices nav
steadily declined in the last four years and tlIS
now move therefore. deserves the serious consid-
Grafton Of every taxpayer in tho United states.
Mr. Barber was responsible for the reckless
fnanCiering which threw the Asphalt Company or
America and the National Asphalt Company INTO
barIlzr1Iu-c- I'm 1901. He also I'm league with
president Castro IN the Illegal seizure Of Ber-
Inudez Lake. Venezuela, in 1904, and has been
onenlv exploiting that property ever since
r. Is rerfectly obvious that II. stated the
lie evil OF low prices the move would have
been TOO palpably indefensibie. That these So
ceIIed independert concerns are uniting to induce
cities TO exact better work from themselves is a
daIizhtfully philauth-opic notion
AMI L. Barber who IS IN Washington, when
told last night OF the charges Of wreckirs the
Asphalt Trust made against him by Mr.. Sewall'
said:
That Is untrue. resigned as president Of the
trust Q year before It went into the hands Of re-
cciver
As to his alleged intrigue with President Castro
he said:
7 don't know President Castro, and have never
had any relations with him.
When asked about the reported object Of the In
dependent Asphalt Association Mr.. Barber replied;
yes, higher prices for better quality Of paving