Road along river. Last 4 miles very heavy sand, avoided by Lower Crossing Poor accommodation at Upper Ford or Crossing on the eastern bank, where the mail passes the stream en route to Great Salt Lake City, and the road branches to Denver City and Pike's Peak 25 miles 11 pm to 3:15 am August 12, 1860
Road along river; no timber; grass, buffalo chips, and musquetocs. Station at Diamond Springs near Lower Crossing 25 miles, 6 pm to 10:15 pm August 11, 1860
Road passes O'Fallon's Bluffs. “Half-way House,” a store and ranch, distant 120 miles from Fort Kearney, 400 from St. Joseph, 40 from the Low er Crossing, and 68 from the Upper Crossing of the South Fork (Platte River). The station is called Alkali Lake 25 miles, 12 noon to 5 pm August 11, 1860
Up the Valley of the Platte. No wood; buffalo chips for fuel. Good camping-ground; grass on small branch of the Platte. To Junction House Ranch, and thence to station at Frémont Springs 30 miles, 6:15 am to 11 am August 11, 1860
Along the Valley of the Platte, road muddy after rain , fuel scarce, grass abundant, camp traces every where. Ranch at Cotton -wood Station, at this season the western limit of buffalo 27 Miles, 9 pm to 1:45am August 11, 1860
Beyond Plum Creek, Willow-Island Ranch, where supplies are procurable. Road along the Platte, wood scarce, grass plentiful, buffalo abounds; after 20 miles “ Cold -Water Ranch .” Halt and change at Midway Station 25 miles, 2:30 pm to 8 pm August 10, 1860
After 27 miles strike the Valley of the Platte, along the southern bank of the river, over level ground, good for camping, fodder abundant. After 7 miles Fort Kearney in N . lat.40° 38'45'',and W .long. 98°58 ' 11" : approximate altitude 2500 feet above sea level. Groceries, cloths, provisions, and supplies of all kinds are to be procured from the sutler's store. Beyond Kearney a rough and bad road leads to “ Seventeen-Mile Station " 34 Miles 10:30 pm to 8 am August 10, 1860
Cross divide between Little Blue and Platte River; rough road, musquetoes troublesome. Approximate altitude of dividing ridge 2025 feet. Station at Thirty-two-Mile Creek , a small wooded and winding stream flowing into the Little Blue 24 miles, 4 pm to 9 pm August 9 1860.
Note: The distances don't compute. The distance between Liberty Farm and Thirty-two mile stations is only about eight miles. Burton's itinerary notes are possibly referring to the distance from Kiowa Station (departed at 10am) to Thirty-Two Mile.
Rough road of spurs and gullies runs up a valley 2 miles wide. Well wooded chiefly with cottonwood, and grass abundant. Ranch at Liberty Farm , on the Little Blue. 25 miles, 11 am to 3 pm August 9, 1860
Along the south bank of the Platte. Buffalo chips used for fuel. Sign of buffalo appears. Plum Creek Station on a stream where there is a bad crossing in wet weather 21 miles 9:30 am to 1:15 pm August 10, 1860