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Shutterspot: Diamond Mine Disaster Mystery Cache

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kiko101: Done

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Hidden : 12/11/2014
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


THE CACHE IS NOT LOCATED AT THE COORDINATES, but it is a good place to start your journey west to find the above memorial marker.


The Diamond Mine of the Wilmington Coal Mining and Manufacturing Company, located near Braidwood on the Grundy-Will County line, was the site of a major mine disaster in Illinois... At midday of February 16, 1883, the east side of the mine collapsed from the weight of melting snow, ice, and heavy rains. An alarm was sounded, and miners who were near the escapment shaft hurried to the surface. The main passage to the shaft flooded rapidly, and the weight of the water sealed the ventilation doors in the tunnels. Escape became impossible, and rescue attempts were futile. Other mines in the area suspended operations, and their workers helped build a dam on the site. For thirty-eight days seven steam pumps removed water from the mine. Volunteers descended the shaft on March 25, and the first bodies were recovered on March 26. The recovery effort was hampered by accumulations of debris and gas as well as by falling rock. Several days later the mine was sealed with the remaining forty-six bodies entombed. In all, seventy-four men and boys perished leaving behind thirty-nine widows and ninety-three fatherless children.

Stand in front of the marker and look down for the following names on the bricks.  Under each name will be a number.  Replace the letters for that person with the numbers. 

Blazius Schatzel = AB

James Pearson = CD

Chris Huber = EF

Alex Orr = GH

Joseph Gootes = IJ

The cache is located at N41 H(F+C).I(D-E)D  W088 C(J+H).(C-E)(A+J)J

Thanks to badlands for letting me use this idea.

 



CONGRATS to tankgirrl and AThrillofTheHunt on the FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

pnzzb cersbez, fvk srrg uvtu, ughbf

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)