Salt Lake Tribune | 1913-12-22 | Page 1 | Lopez May Perish Fighting Mine Rats

LOPEZ' IB PERISH F1TI11I RATS Guards at Bulkheads of Slayer's Slay-er's "Prison" Doggedly Await End of Vigil. Special to The Tribune. BINGHAM. Dec. 21. Excltemont has given place to monotony In the L,opea man-hunt. Even sounds, real or fancied, within the mine where Lopez Is believed to be, are now productive of only passing pass-ing Interest. Meantime, the armed I guards continue to keep watch outsldo tho bulkheads In the Andy tunnel, the Minnie tunnel and tho Andy incline, which effectually close the Andy workings work-ings and shut tl off from tho rest of the Apex mine. Noise of falling- gravel was heard In thc Andy tunnel beyond the bulkhead early yesterday morning. Whethor It was caused by movements of tho hunted man within or by rats scurrying along the unllmbered placea of the tunnel, thc guards could only conjecture. Tho possibility that tho Mexican may have been supplied In some manner with non-porlshablc foodstuffs before the bulkheads bulk-heads c?hut him In, Is 0110 that Is causing caus-ing concern among those who are still engaged In tho hunt. An effort to find out If such Is the case Is being made by those who know tho miners who were employed In thc Andy workings. I Should Lopes be In the prison Into which the mine has boen turned, some believe that If he Is left to die there ho will perhaps fight his Unal battle with the rats, which are numerous In the workings. It was explained that thc animals ani-mals would doubtless become bolder as tho man hoaimo weaker and might possibly pos-sibly attack- him before death came from starvation, or might mutilate the body after death. Though no deilnltc Information is being be-ing given out as to the plans for opening thc mine. It Is generally believed now that tho bulkheads will not be removed until after Christmas and perhaps not before tho first of tho year. Of the two methods for getting tho Mexican out, going in after him or ntarvlng him out, thc llrat proved costly of lives, and the second can prove effectual only If adhered to to the exclusion of the lirat method until all danger In past. In the opinion of those who have tho matter In charge.