New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-09-12
Department News.
From the Washington Union, Of the 9Th inst, we
extract the foIIoEing official intelligence:

eAlFdct Tue lOuUHIuS OulCial lHtellpeHCe.
The NEBRASKA WAGON RoAD.-The Interior De-
partment received yesterday morning from Colonel
Sites, superintendent Of the Nebraska wagon road,
report Of his survey of that section Of the road lying
between Daeotab city and Running. Water river The
travelled one hundred and thirty miles to the north of
Running Water river t's'a -a.
Two miles from the mouth of this stream is the
proposed termination Of the Nebraska road over the
whole of which reconnaissance has now been made.
The route has been found practicable, but will be
mnutely surveyed to ascertain the exact direc-
tion which it is to pursue.
Col. Sites describes the country between Dacotah
city and the mouth of Running Water river as we'll
watered, aboundng in timber, and very fertile. We
give the following extracts = %rs
From the character of the country, the compara-
lively few bridges to construct, the feasibility of
good road, without grading, and being almost direct
| cannot hesitate to respectfully recommend the oea-
ton Of the road upon near the route passed over
| from the L Leau-quicourt to Dacotah city.
+ " The great advantage of this route, in addition to
the above consideration, is in the fact that at least
eighteenths of the route passes over district of
country in the immediate vicinity OF which the lands
are well adapted to farming purposes -,a.s-5.
The valleys upon the whole route are not only
beautiful, but receiving, as they do, the washngs
from the surrounding highlands, they composed
| OF very rich, oamy soil, and will yield the most
| abundant harvest to the husbandman.'' Va H..
| TIE FoRT DEFIANCE WAGON RoAD.-An interest :
ing dispatch has been received by the Secretary of
War from Mr.. E. F. Beale, superintendent for the
construction Of the Fort Defiance wagon road. 1t is
dated Ell Paso, July 24th. Camels were furnished to
this expedition for the purpose of testing their
fulness in this country Mr.. Beale writes that they
bore the journey the plains much better than
the mules suffering less from feet and eat with
avidty the food that rejected by the other ami
mails. AT the start they carried seven hundred
pounds each OF provender for the mules He ex-
presses the opinion that he would rather manage
twenty camels than five mules.
INTERESTING FROM PANAMA.-The Navy Depart
ment received yesterday morning advices from Pana
tn fbn1 II nlnFfs,
there states that Commodore Mervne, with the flag
ship Independence sailed thence the Sd ut. for
San Francisco. The sloop-of-war Decatur arrived on
| the 5th nlt. having on board twenty-five men the
only remaining sick in the hospital at Rivas and last
from Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, formerly belonging
to the army of Gen. Walker. Subjoined is list of
| these men: ..
Surgeons r. 7. Royston and G. B. Bouton Major
Dolan, Captains West and Rayburn Priyates Cole,
Burns, Boyle, Donohoe, Dewett Graham, Green,
Clarke, Mccall, Cason, Madison FizzelI Gross ANA
roke, Langerford, Davies, Kipp, Sigamund, Ingra-
ham, Ide and Forbes.
Commander Thatcher of the Decatur, represents
the condition of these men as most wretched and
helpless, but they improved greatly after their arrival
at Panama, under the treatment OF their wounds and
diseases, and the influence of wholesome diet and the
pure sea air. 1. ..srs... ...... 49,. . 80
Captain Thatcher also writes that he had visited
the capital of Costa Rica and had an interview with
, Gen. Manuel Mora, late commanderin-chief of the
Costa Rican forces assembled in Nicaragua, relative
to the alleged orcibe detention of certain American
citizens on the Lake OF Nicaragua and the San Juan
river steamers by the Costa Rcan authorities. Sub
Joined is the reply Of Gen. Mora to the questions
which were put to him:
No American citizen has at any time been forei-
bly, detained on the San Juan river or lake steamers
All the engineers, officers and hands employed or oc
cupied on said steamers at any time used by the
Government of Costa Rica, and no men were forced
+ to remain in any capacity. The engineers and cap
- tans employed by and my subordinates in running
the boats contracted of their free irM to do suel
y service and none were retained for any longer pc
;, riod than they chose, or had contracted for.
y " The engineer of the Virgin whom had reason tt
suspect of treacherous Intentions after having beer
T. some three months in SERVICE desired to leave and
i permission was given him to do So and leave the
i country if he chose but he was refused passpor
y by way of San Juan rfver.h
: Capt Thatcher further states that DR.. Royston, an
). American surgeon, who had been treating Walkers
: : men, and who had gone with them on board the De
. catur assured him that there were not more tha,
3 : half dozen American citizens in Nicaragua. Thess
- - | chose to remain there.