The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-19
REBELS BUSY NEAR CIENFUEGOS.
Esperanza Plantation Reported De strOyed
Havana Province More quiet.

EGDerAnZA Pl10tAuOu hNcpOFtcu
Havana Province More quiet.
WASHINGTON, Sept. Is.-Commander Col
well OF the cruiser Denver cabled the Navy
department late this afternoon that con-
ditions continued to be quiet in Havana
and that there has been a cessation OF hos
tilities for the present. He added that
negotiations were progressing faVoraoly
between the Government agents and the
revolutionary leaders and that they were
approaching an agreement.
The optimistic view which Commander
Colwell takes of the situation ges
officials here to believe that the mission OF
Secretary Of War"TaSt and Acting Secretary
of State Bacon will be made comparatively
easy and that they ~iil be successful in
bringing about the pacifcation OF the
island.
The fact that ne leaders Of the two war
ring factions are seeking an agreement,
however, will not deter Secretary TAFT from
making a careful Investigation OF the in
ternal troubles Of Cuba. II peace is to be
brought about by peaceful American in
PREVENTION, this Government will want as
surance that il will be a lasting peace and
that strife will not break out again az
soon as the American commissioners sail
for home.
/ A despatch to the Navy Department from
Tampa received to-day states hat the Des
MONIES, with the Taft party on boar I, sailed
from the quarantine station, oil Tampa,
at an early hour this morning. IL Is ex-
pected to reach Havan tomorrow morn
ing.
Commander Colwell' e message saying that
conditions continued quiet evidently re-
lates only to Havana province. for advices
received at the State and the Navy depart
ments to-day from Cienfuegos indicate much
activity on the part Of the insurgents. Other
advices also give news Of engagements in
| other parts OF the island. The reason for
this activity, in spite OF the agreement OF
the rebel lenders to suspend operations, ls
believed to be due to the fact that the leaders
in Havana province have not been able to
communicate with their brethren in Cten-
fuegos and other parts OF the island Com
mander Dunn Of the Dixie reported the ar
rival early this morning OF that ship at
Cienfuegos and added that everything APP
peared to be quiet in the eown. Later de-
matches. however, Indicate hostile opera
lions by the insurgents.
NJ. r. Spellman Of New York, the presi-
dent Of the Colonial Cuban Company, tele-
phoned the State Department from New
York this afternoon that his representatives
in C~ienfuegos had reported the destruction
OF the Esperanto plantation near the city
by insurgents under Col. Collada. Mr..
Y Spellman also communicated The same
information to the President at Oyster Bay
The Esperanza plantation is near. the Con-
stancia estate, which was reported destroyed
several days ago, and there have been.recent
reports OF raids upon other estates in the
save district. 1t II regarded as probable
by the Department that the ~insurgent band
under Col. Collada. had not been advised
by the rebels in Havana OF the decision "a
suspend hostilities.
A force Of marines from the Dixie. which
carried 400 men, has been landed at Glen
fuegos and is assisting the marines from
the Marietta. landed several days ago. in
protecting American property. Reports
which come TO both departments state that
the rebels about Cienfuegos have been
making demands upon the plantation
owners and threatening the destruction
OF their property unless these demands
are complied with. In one instance the
rebels demanded 1900 rounds OF smmu-
milton, and in another case they called upor
the plantation managers TO discharge al
unmarried employees. the evident purpose
of this demand being 10 force the men into
the insurgent ranks. In some instances,
il is said, the rebels have demanded money
to insure sugar estates from Pillage