Connecticut western news., 1894-02-01
ARTIFICIAL WATERFALLS.
Some European Structures That Rival !
 ReaufY Nafure,s Prnd n tIons.

Some European Structures That Rival In
 Beauty Natures Productions.
 In the town of Nice. on the hediterra- mean coast, there is a very fine artificial waterfall something over 20 feet in height. It is exceedingly beautiful. al- though there is not much water coming over it, and it hangs over the town like silver bell. It tumbles over rock in the public park. If nice and Nice were pronounced the same, l would endeavor to make pun about that waterfall.
 The waterfalls of Tivoli, near Rome, are practically artificial, for although there existed waterfall that was natu- ral before the tunnels were made through the rocks, yet three or four of the pres enG falls that form the attraction to that pretty little Italian town are artificial have no data as to their height, but it seemed to me, looking at them from across the valley, that they are at least 300 feet from top to bottom.
 The prettiest artificial waterfall that ever saw is in the Engadine. The sur roundings are so natural and so beauti- ful that no one would ever suspect that it was artificial were 1t not for the huge stone dikes at the foot Of the Alps, down which it tumbles, built toward the lake into which 1t empties. It is situated about one hours walk west from St. Moritz. No guidebook have ever seen makes any mention of it, and do not know whether the cataract has a name or not.
 It tumbles down from glacier on the Surlej Alp and empties into the Sivapla- na lake opposite the pretty little village of the same name, which stands at the bottom of the Julier pass estimate the height of this artificial cataract to be 1000 feet, but 1t does not tumble down in one straight fall, but forms cascade after cascade until it reaches the lake. tried to climb to the top of it, but the way was rough. there being no path. and by the time had got half way up real ized that instead of being LOGO feet high it was nearer that number of miles, 80 gave up the climb in despair.
 suppose it ought to be called the Sur lej falls or the Surlej cascades, for the Alp down which 1t comes bears that name. and the ruined village at the low CT end of the lake is called Surlej, which means .'above the lake" An event in the year 1884 led to the formation of the artificial waterfalls tragic event such as is only too common in Switzerland.
 The rivulet at that time ran through Surlej. One night the water stopped, being damned up by a landslide high up the mountains. When the avalanche came down, the village was swept away. On the principle of locking the door when the horse is stolen. the inhabitants then defected the course of the stream and thus formed the artificial waterfall. Although most of the village was carried away, some remnants are still there The stout walls of the church are still standing-roofiess, doorless and window less.
 The remains of the frescoes are still to be seen on the plaster inside. The place is just as the flood left 1t, the ground all around it being wilderness of stones, large and small, as if some great paving contractor had intended to macadamize the whole place and had left the mate rial scattered around.
 A few inhabitants live in the village, and one house Is built on huge bowl der that has come down from the noun tains. If another flood should happen along, it at least will be safe. Even in the driest weather there is good vol ume of water coming over the Surlej waterfall, and in spring it must be a cataract we'll worth seeing. Detroit Free Press.