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1904 World's Fair Train Wreck #4 Darst Mystery Cache

Hidden : 2/11/2017
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


On October 10, 1904, there was a head-on collision of two Missouri Pacific trains.  One was a eastbound passenger train packed with people on their way to the St Louis World's Fair.  The other was a westbound freight train.  The wreck happened between Warrensburg and Knob Noster, Missouri.

The Missouri Pacific #30 was so crowded that it was split into two trains.  The first half of #30 left and after the second half got an engine, it also departed.  The freight train was told to pull over and wait for four trains to pass before going on.  The crew fell asleep and lost count of the trains.  It pulled out thinking it had a clear track but in fact only 3 trains had pasted.

The trains met with a tremendous crash sending the engine into the first passenger car.  Thirty people were killed and many more were injured.

Fourteen people from Dexter, Kansas had been on the train but only two lost their lives in the crash.  Mrs Hattie Darst and her son Gilbert were believed to have been killed instantly.  They both had been sleeping and never knew what had happened.  William Darst, Hattie's husband, was only slightly injured in the wreck.

For more detailed information read the book "There Will be a Wreck!" by Lyndon N Irwin, PhD.

The cache is not at the posted coordinates but the gravesite of Hattie and Gilbert is. When standing in front of their large gravemarker look to the 4th stone to the north (LEFT).  On this gravestone there is a carving of the pearly gates.  What image is between the gates.

                                         Cross        432    701

                                         Anchor        357    603

                                         Jesus         357    649

                                   N 37 10._ _ _       W 096 42._ _ _

 

 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fbhgu fvqr bs Enqpyvss prqne.

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)