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 4 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 injured.
The information was obtain from "There Will be a Wreck!" by Lyndon N. Irwin, PhD.
Gertrude Loud was the daughter of Charles and Minnie Loud. Gertrude and her father went with the Ream family on their trip to the Fair. Charles Loud and Nellie Ream were brother and sister. Mrs Loud didn't accompany her husband and daughter on the trip. She stayed home to take care of the baby, Delcine.
Charles had gone to the back of the train before the wreck so he wasn't badly injured. Gertrude stayed with her Uncle Calvin and cousin, Dicy. All three were killed immediately. Gertrude was 14 years old at the time of her death.
She was buried next to Dicy. The grave marker for Gertrude and Dicy includes their photograph.
The cache is not at the posted coordinates but the girl's grave is. To solve the puzzle go east from their stone and find the large Loud family stone. On the east side of this stone, what is the hand holding? This is the NORTH coordinate.
Cross - .646
Another hand - .774
Wreath - . 837
How many flowers are on that stone? This is the WEST coordinate.
2 - .000
4 - .683
8 - .710
N 37 40._ _ _ and W 94 30._ _ _
Please be respectful and happy hunting.