The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-29
DINNER SERVED ON BACKS
 OF FINE FLOODED HORSES

New York, March 2s.-The equestrian dinner projected by c. K. G. Billings of New York and Chicago, concerning which many stories have recently been pub-| lished, took place tonight. According to the Herald the dinner was held, not In MT Billings new stable. as was orig inally intended, but an he ball room of snerrys which was transformed into rural scene by the introduction of grassy lawns, thick foliage and beds of flowers. Here the guests found thirty-two richly caparisoned horses bearing on their sad
 e&-~1ee@-s-~-e-<-%-s-&- fly during the day. Early in the morning some of the cribbing at the lower end yielded to the force of the current, but the line was recommenced and good head way was made. Tie lower end of the broken levee IS washing badly and the crevasse is said to be over 300 feet in width, but it is hoped to arrest the crumbling as soon as it is felt safe to begin saclsing. One hundred thousand feet of lumber and 500O0 sacks went to the scene early this afternoon by barge.
 Break Can Be Mended.
 General Manager Thorne of the Texas and Pacific railway reached there early this morning, following expert bridge gangs and carpenters whom he had or dered to precede him. MT. Thorne ex- presses the opinion that the break can be mended. The area of overiiowed lands was largely increased today No lives or stock have been lost however, for there was ample warning and the water spread slowly
 Today the Texas and Pacific was forced to suspend traffic over it's own line in the vicinity of the break. However, freight and through trains are being operated over the Southern Pacific rails to Cheneyville, where connection with the main line of the Texas and Pacific is again made Through traffic over the Mississippi Valley has been cut off by the La Grange break in Mississippi. The service between this city and Vicksburg has not, however, been interrupted. The Illinois Central is arranging to handle it's valley business over it's main line via Jackson.
 No unfavorable news came today from other Louisiana points than Hymelia. valiant fight is in progress from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the east bank, to be holding. There is a reasonable hope that the great levees in the Fifth district will pull safely through.
 The problem there is the duration of the flood now that the levee near Greenville has given way. The location of that crevasse means a return wave through the Yazoo.
 Return Wave Expected.
 In 1897, when there were seven breaks on the Mississippi front, the return wave increased the flood height three feet in the Fifth district Nothing like this height is expected to be attained if the remain der of the Mississippi line stands fast
 Locally the situation is barren of events. The fact that the river has been practically at a standstill for three days has enabled the forces employed to im- prove the temporary entertainments and to accumulate material at various points to be in readiness for use at a moments notice. While the expectation is strong that the Hymelia crevasse will be closed, the engineers are preparing to throw up emergency levees to protect Algiers and the thickly settled towns on the west bank opposite New Orleans. No danger attends a backwater overflow in these sections, but damage and great hardshlps have accompanied 1t in the past.
 Local cotton men as a rule do not take pessimistic view of the situation in the Yazoo delta from a crop standpoint. They believe that If the flood passes quickly there will be ample time to re- coup losses resulting from the present overflow.
 Traffic Suspended.
 Vicksburg, Miss, March 28-As A re- suit of the crevasse at Lagrance and Albemarle traffic on the yicksbure Grecnville and the Riverside divisions of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley road has been entirely suspended, an order annulling all trains having been issued this morning. Water from the break has spread rapidly and there is hardly a dry spot between here and Greenville. Under such conditions and with a large negro population, which lives from hand to mouth, much suffering is sure to fol- low. Conditions in the overflowed dis tricts are deplorable in the extreme.