South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-21
new BOULEVARD
LINK BRIDGE IN
CHICAGO OPENED
For the Ninth Time in III
Years North and South
Sides Are Connected.

CHICAGO, Mag 2O.-Ten thousand
tons of steel, Chieago's new boule-
ward link bridge. settled mtg place
recently with whirring OF gears,
and for the ninth time in III years
north and southern Chicago were
connected by direct lake front
route.
The north pier OF the new bridge
rests almost on the spot where John
Kinzie moored his canoe beneath
willow tree. Three hundred feet
away, across the river. the south
pier rises from the place where the
other terminus Of Kinzie's first river
link was located beneath the log
stockade Of Fort Dearborn.
Jack Knife Type.
The new bridge. a double-deck
bascule. or Jack knife" type is
triumph OF engineering skill. When
the draw is opened for passing ships
two immense leaves" tower $50
ward viaduct leads TO the upper
level, reserved for pleasure vehicles
only. while trucks and drays rumble
over the lower passageway The
bridge cost s16.00O.0O0 and more
than 20 years was spent in its plan
ming and construction.
The records of the Chicago His
torical society picture eight previous
river links on the same site. John
kinZie's birch bark conoe, plying be-
tween his home, then the only hab-
itation north of the river, and Fort
Dearborn, was the first. The fort
was established in 1903 by Thomas
Jefferson TO protect the new frontier
OF the northwest territory.
Early Rope Ferry.
A few years later the early set
tiers and soldiers at the fort estab-
lished rope ferry. A Hat bottomed
scOW attached 10 a rope running
from bank 10 bank was drawn
across the river by hand. Later
floating bridge, hinged 20 the bank.
was installed, but in 1852 while
being drawn in 10 permit a ship
10 pass IL swamped and several per
sons were drowned.
The settlers returned 10 the rope
ferry, which functioned well for
four years. on Sept. 10. 1856. 80
persons were crossing the river in
the scow when a ship sailed up and
fouled the ferry line. Fifteen OF
the 30 were drowned.
A swinging bridge Of wood and
iron was next 'built. Its 211 foot
span cost $4,000. On Tuesday. Nov
3, 1868, an election day, the bridge
tender took a vacation leaving an
assistant in charge.
late in the afternoon a dTovtr
started 20 herd $50 head of cattle
across the bridge. A teamster with
two horses and a man and girl in
buggy were also on the bridge,
when two tugs whistled for the
draw.
Bridge Collapsed.
The bridge tender started to swing
the span, when the bridge collapsed
under the weight of the cattle. The
girl was drowned but the men,
clinging TO the horns of the cattle,
were rescued.
A wooden bridge was next erected,
and served until the great fire Of
oct. Q, 1871. There is a story, mostly
legend. Of how a prominent citizen
stood guard with a gun all night TO
keep the bridge tender from open
ing the draw TO save his bridge be-
fore all the refugees had fled from
the fire district
A steel bridge followed-it cost
Sis. OOO-and was dedicated with
a great celebration. Twelve years
later the schooner ranger. the tug
Charles W. Parker. and the steam
barge Business all tried 10 pass
through the draw at one time.
The next venture in bridge build
ing, the present Rush St bridge,
still stands. but it will be torn down
this summer and its piers dynamited.