VOLUME XXXI

NUMBER TWELVE

Six thousand feet above sea level, and at a distance of eighteen and a half miles from Chur, the historic capital of the Grisons, lies one of the most enchanting of the Swiss Alpine resorts -Arosa. Meadows resplendent in tender green and profusely interwoven with floral designs form a luxurious. cushion on which this lovely jewel is reposing, right in the midst of a setting of fragrant pine forests and a glorious cluster of snow-crowned Alpine peaks. It is a spot which is well known for its salubrious climate, its even temperature and abundance of sunshine-advantages which have rapidly made it famous as a health and pleasure resort.

Arosa is a veritable gem of tranquil beauty. It is far distant from the nerve-racking noise of the every-day traffic and far away, also, from the "beaten paths," so much dreaded by the carefully exploring tourist. In summer it has been the picturesque diligence which afforded a means of communication with the outer world and in winter, when King Zero laid down his thick carpets of snow, it was the merry, tinkling sleigh which climbed from the valley to this sunlit realm glistening in its array of crystals and ermine.

Modern conditions have, however, called for an improvement. The growth of the community which now presents that familiar and pleasing picture of

humble, nut-brown chalets and elegant hotels, made swifter transportation a necessity.

It required a great deal of hard work and eloquent persuasion on part of the originators of the project, until they finally succeeded, in 1912, to form a company, with the co-operative support of the Canton of the Grisons, the city of Chur, the Rhaetian Railway and all the communities along the line to be constructed. In the autumn of that year the great work was started and it is anticipated that the railway will be opened for traffic within a few weeks, in spite of the present conditions in Europe.

The starting point of this newest electric Alpine railway is in closest vicinity to the railroad station of Chur, situated at an altitude of 1925 feet above sea level. The terminal of the line which is a meter gage, adhesion railway, is on the border of the Obersee in Arosa at an altitude of 6000 feet above sea level.

Following the carriage road along the swift river Plessur, we immediately begin to climb through wood-clad heights. Maladers, Castiel and Luen, three typical Grisons villages, greet us with the welcome smile of the Schanfigg valley which we have entered. The little communities lie scattered over the mountain-side, but each is the proud owner of a brand new railroad station in the dainty chalet style, so

that the invasion of this blissful country by the railway does by no means impair its glorious natural beauty.

The valley begins to assume an aspect of wild grandeur. Gorge follows gorge, and the foaming waters of the Plessur thunder in wild anger below. Bridge follows bridge, and although the river is crossed but once-at Langwies, there are between Chur and Arosa not fewer than twenty-seven bridges of stone, three of iron and two of concrete, as well as nineteen tunnels with a total length of 7800 feet.

Before we reach the village of Langwies, we perceive in the distance the outline of a boldly constructed arch. This is the viaduct of Langwies, the masterpiece of the Chur-Arosa railway and one of the most remarkable bridges in the whole of Switzerland. The main arch of this bridge, which is the second longest masonry arch in the world, has a clear span of 315 feet and a height of 140 feet. The viaduct itself measures 960 feet in length and shows a grade elevation of 207 feet above the valley.

The material of the arch and the pillars contains portions of iron, which are practically forming the invisible skeleton of the same; the principal building material consists, however, of a combination of gravel, cement and sand, the durability of which has been found far superior to stone. While a stone bridge necessitates a very solid and heavy construction, a structure of this material can be much lighter. The viaduct of Langwies, with its gracefully curved arch, may look frail, to many, yet with the new and scientific distribution of the building material, it has been made perfectly safe and strong.

The Calfreis viaduct, between Maladers and Castiel, is another remarkable feature of the line. Two central arches with a respective span of eightythree feet and sixty feet have been built of concrete blocks and the four lateral arches of forty and twenty feet each are of tamped concrete.

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At Langwies, the Schanfigg valley makes a sharp curve to the south. Sombre pine forests climb from the turbulent river bed far up into the barren regions of rocky cliffs. To our left towers the Thiejerfluh, famed for the number of avalanches which precipitate themselves down into the valley like gigantic volleys of dust. melancholic stretch of land many believe, but they are unaware of the existence of the flowery pastures which are hidden higher up, with tiny lakes dotted here and there with the fair "Alpenrose" blooming in blooming in bewitching profusion. A visit to this idyllic spot is, however, an easy matter from Arosa, as a well-kept bridle-path leads by way of these pastures to the "Rote Tritt"

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favorite point of view, and on to Tschiertschen and Chur.

Ruti, the last station before Arosa, beckons us. To those who are acquainted with this district in winter, it is a well-known friend, it being the finish of the famous bobsleigh run, Arosa-Ruti. Once more the train disappears in the forest, but it is only for an instant, and presently we are surprised with the dazzling vision of a majestic mountain pyramid- the Schiesshorn, and a glimpse into a valley of entrancing beauty, the Welschtobeltal. A last short tunnel and the village of Arosa is spread before us.

The journey, which took six hours. by the "old way," requires much less than half the time by the "new way," and the traveler still gets the full benefit of the view. The Chur-Arosa line is not what could be termed as merely a "tourist railway." It is a line which will bring another of the exquisite side valleys of the Grisons in closer touch with the world. And especially in winter time it will be hailed as a wonderful convenience by many who may not have felt equal to the long drive or whose limited time may not have permitted such a side expedition by diligence or sleigh..