New-York tribune., 1880-02-20
GENERAL GRANT IN CUBA.
THE LAST LIVELY DAYS.

CIGAR ~ HIS MOUTH AND COOL - NONN''
BER "-CUBAN CONSPIRACY.
tFgoMA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE IRIBuNA,l
HAVANA. Feb. l3.-General Grant visited the In
ceuio or suear plantation of Los CanOs the property
of the Poey family, yesterday. The Journey came
nearly to tragic end bnt resulted finally only ID
NIGHT of discomfort and fatigue. The party set ou'
Inv the Havana Railroad at o'clock IN the morning
This line passes through a rich country as NAT "s
fable containing the finest sugar piah'a'lohS VI
Cnba. The land is completely covered Win cane
The so;l is of deep red color, and is SAID 10 be
formed of volcanic mud
Uisseyenty-elght miles in a southweofrly oirec-
tiop from Havana to La Union, lie near
est station to Los Canos. the plantation 10
which General Grant and a party o1 about
thirty were going. The plantation is only
n few miles distant FROM the Caribbean soa Atnoon
La Union was reached, aud voaDtcs were taken oy
the principal members OF the party, while othoiS
were given horses to ride the remainder OF the way
Senor Lima the son-in-aw of thc late o"ner ana
present manager OF the estate met DIS Nis'oi' "'
the depot and extended every courtesy. Atter
banouet Of vast proportions and much elegance the
works were inspected. The process OF making
snear here is the same as in the Unted States the
machinery being American and English
Two thousand acres arc under cultivation on this
plantaton. aud about 800 tons Of sugar and 1,7OO
hundred and ninety slaves and IA contracted
coolies do the work. Look at those negroes now
fat and well dressed they are" sad Sshor Luna
pointing TO a lot of colorcd women scoopng sugar.
They did look as contented as any iaoorcTs. lhey
had not the despairing, ng-dog app"aIanceof the
slaves seen al the Majsgua tobacco plantation III
Pmas del Rio Of these 500 We aIc informed that
6fty-eight were free by law, being under twelve
and over sixty years OF ace. According TO 'he ia"
in force since September s. 1sdS. eli o.achs' even
the chidren Of slave mothers, are born Iee anu III"
master is obliged to take care Of them II hey enoos'
to remain With him and make themselves 0Seiui III
return So far this law has made little difference IN
slavery for those born free ara yet children ana
,oastcrs seldom acknowledge thai slave IS sixty so
long as hc is of aily use The coolies were Originally
under ihe eigh' year contract system, by when
they received their food and clothing ana "a
month in gold The time oil most o. 'hem Is up' anu
they are now hired TO the machinery AT IRON -
to Sl2 a month and found. Indeed on TINS pl"h'a-
non the negroes are paid - TO -
month. and. except during the cuttng sea-
son are not required 10 work SuhoaSa'
n may be stated in this connection that the new
law passed on January q has not yet been prOnnI-
gated. nor will 1t be for some weeks yet 1t is not
recarded with any degree Of satisfaction by the
Liberal party, who say it only puts off the matter
of actual emancipation ten years longer
GENERAL GRANT IN A sMAsH-UP
Bv $3.50 o'clock the visitors had returned to La
Union and started in the special tram TO return 10
Havana The day had been long and fatguing
one and most OF the party found as conVehieni po-
sit,o,.s AS possible for catching a nap. An hour
after starting they were suddenly aroused ov an
ominolls ioltng and rocking Of the tram. accompa-
MED by that quivering sensation winch anyone WHO
has ever exae aerieneed railroad catastrophe Will
a and nod
n seat in anticipation of . smaSh-up or the upset
ting of the coaches, of which there were two and
baggage car.
When tho train suddenly stopped there was Il
general rush for the door. and when nearly every
body else was ON the ground gazing round in the
dim starlight. General Grant appeared at the door
of his coach, conspicuous in his long white duster
After preparatory puff at his cigar be asked If any
damage had been done.
terms wers brought, showing that the engine was on
the track side, the coaches dlagona.N across
it, and the rear of the tram oil on The "ther side.
The presence Ot mud OF the engineer IL pW MY re-
yersng the e. gine all that saved serious accl-
dent as in u few seconds more the coupling would
have broken and the coaches prOhap,y nave rOleu
down an embankment several ieet hGh. , ,
The engineer persisted IN saying. i0T0, t9ro; IL
was a tOro. Lanterns were taken ana BACK aOout
six rods by The side of the track laY COW, dead.
The fireman. a negro. came hobblng 10, Very much
demoralizod and covered with blood. i he @ snoch
had thrown him from the engine, and the Stones
had cut his head badly An ordinary head W"nld
have been clOyeu in two by the iaIl, Dut doctor
who was along assured the man. IS was almost ne
cessary taat he wasnOt dead, and furthermore tIal
no bones Wcic bIOkcn ~
Ii was grave question what to do Ine nearest
station was tour miles away and III was necessary
20 walk the track. cOnrer was sent OH ana altrI
TWO hours and a half of uncertainty another engine
appeared with two coaches. in which the rest OF the
night was to be spent. They were narrow ears. fnr-
nshed nth short cane settees ana nOt very con-
Portable ior party of travellers who could hardly
keep their cyes open. AT 0ciOck, BROAD uayIlght
this morning they alighted at Havana
RIPPING CONSPIRACY IN TIE BUD.
II was necessary this morning for General Grant
90 make several farewell calls. one was upon
Cuban gentleman, whose name for obvlons reasons
Ia not mentioned He told me the following, when
asked cOniidentialy for news OF the Insurgents.
A few days ago the Government discovered the ex-
stence of conspiracy among the creoes for an mp
rising yuelia Abaja, that portion of the island
west of Havana 1t was being managed by persons
In New-york, aud By the depot masters Of tho Bay
Railroad Arms and munitions were being SNUG
gled in from the United States, and the lnsurection
was to commence during the first week of next
month. When the discovery was made OF the plot
six of the ringleaders. employed on the railway.
were arrested and 200 Remington rifles and vast
quantity of fixed ammunition were found and taken
possession Of by the Spanish authorities The pris-
oners are now lodged in the fortress of Cabanos
and will bc. taken to Spain by tile next steamer
They will probably never be heard of again. They
were to seize the railroads when the time came, and
convey the arms to a rendezvous The arms were
found at two little towns, Bemba and Alacaranes,
near Cardenas. east of Havana, and near the coast
where there are number of small outly ing islands
and on which they were landed and thence brought
TO the mainland in boats at night The gentleman
who gave me tie factxhought the Spaniards had
not found all the stores. aud what he thinks Is
significant. since he is a Cuban Liberal, and took
care not to explain jnst how intimately he CON
nected with tie proposed insuIecuOn. All this has