Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-04-13

A treasure house of natural wonders md beauty is Glen Iris on the upper Eenesee river, in New York state; in fact, it might well be called minia- ture Yellowstone park because of its remarkable geological formations, it's three beautiful waterfalls, and it's can yon $50 feet deep. Special attention is directed to this natures paradise at the present time because through the generosity of it's owner, William Pryor Letchworth, it has become public park and reservation to be maintained by the state of New York for the use of all the people in perpetuity.
 The most vivid impression of the wild beauty of the park is gained from the railroad. From the plateau the train passes suddenly to the Portage bridge, lace-like structure spanning a ravine 234 feet above the roaring, turbulent stream. The bridge, 800 feet long, is on the reservation. The neighboring walls of the canyon rise sos feet above the river bed. Three hundred feet north of the bridge the traveller sees the first, or Upper fall, where the river plunges T feet down. ward to lower level.
 A half mile further down the stream is the second, or Middle fall, 107 feet high. Overlooking this is the Letch worth homestead. The Middle fall strongly suggests the American falls at Niagara on reduced scale. The walls of the canyon at this point are $50 feet high, while above the rocky walls the land rises 150 feet higher.
 Thence, through the deep ravine, the river rushes northeast, then directly east, through whirlpool rapids and quiet pools to the third and last cas- cade. This is mile and half below the Middle fall, is 90 feet high, and by far the most picturesque and curious of the three cascades. Just below the fall the river passes through narrow gorge, with the so-called Table Rock on the north and the Sugar Loaf on the south. The latter is curious cone of rock, formed at some distant period ,by the stream washing around and over it and gradually molding it to its spire-like contour
 The boundaries of the estate, after running around the three falls and can. yon, pass to the north to the river, lower in its course and after it has passed through curving valley to the east. north, and west.
 The story of the rocks in the canyon Is so unusual that the geologists have placed them in class by themselves. They are known as The Portage Group" In some prehistoric age a sea covered the spot, and on the ancient ocean bed were deposited sand, mud, and ooze. which now form layer upon layer of soft rock, $50 feet deep. First come masses of soft olive shades, with thin beds of sandstone and one or more bands of black bituminous shades running through them. Then come sandy shades and an abundance of sandstones and fiagstones. These finally give place to thicker layers of sandstones and thinner intervening strata of shades. The rocks lie like an open, illustrated book of great interest to the geologist.
 In later prehistoric days. which the geologists call modern" for the sake of comparison. the Genesee river passed through a wide valley to the eastward of the gorge. This was filled with gravel and sand by some great cataclysm of Nature. so that the va ters of the stream were turned back and formed lake to the southward The lake covered approximately the ground which the Genesee Water com. pany sought for their power dam. It is supposed to have covered the valley south of Portageville and extending a distance of 15 miles to wiscoy. The river sought a new outlet to the west. ward. passed over higher ground. and gradually carved in the soft rock of the plateau the canyon and cascades of the Glen Iris estate
 NIT. Letehworth has long had the gift of his estate to the commonwealth in mind. and has made his improve ments to it accordingly There are miles of walks and drives. summer houses rustic arbOrs. picturesque gate