Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-21
GIGANTIC new !.
BRIDGE muse
This is Seventh Time in III
Years New Bridge Has
Been Built in Chicago.

Chicago. May 21.-Ten thousand
tons Of steel, Chicago's new boulevard
link bridge. settled into place recently
with a whirrtng OF gears, and for the
ninth time in 1T years north and
southern Chicago. Mere, c%onnecteds by<aa
direct lake front route.
The north pier Of the new bridge
rests almost on the spot where John
Kinzie moored his canoe beneath a
willow tree. Three hundred feet away,
across the river, the south pier rises
from where the other terminus Of
kinzie's first river link was located be-
meath the log stockade of Fort Dear
born. r.
The new bridge, a double deck bas-
Guile, or lack knife" type, is a tri-
umph Of engineering skill. When the
two immense leaves" tower $50 feet
into the air. A broad boulevard via
duct leads to the upper level, reserved
for pleasure vehicles only, while
trucks and. drayS rumble over the
lower spassageway.e. The. bridge cost
SIG, 100000. and more than twenty
years vas spent in its planning and
construction.
The records OF the Chicago Histor-
ical society picture eight previous riv-
er links on the same SITE John Kin
zie's birch bark canoe, plying between
his home, hen the only 'habitation
north Of the river, and Fort Dearborn
was the first. The fort was established
in 1903 by Thomas Jefferson to pro-
tect the new frontier of the northwest
territory.
A..few years later the carly settlers
and soldiers at the fort established q
rope ferry. A fiat bottomed sec at
tached to a rope running from bank
to bank was drawn across the river
by hand. Later q floating bridge, hing
ed to&the bank VAs installed, but in
1852 while being drawn in to permit
a ship to pass 1t swamped and several
persons were drowned.
The settlers returned to the rope
ferry, which functioned well for four
years. On Sept. 10, 1856. thirty per-
sons were crossing the river In. the
scow when Rtshtp sailed up and4fouled
the ferry line. Fifteen Of the thirty
wereN,drowned. ~
swinging bridge Of wood and iron
was next built. Its 211 foot span cost
$4,000, On Tuesday. Nov.s.3. 1853. an
election day. the bridge tender took .
vacation leavtns an assistant IN in
Late In the afternoon a drover start
ed to herd $50 head of cattle acrosa
the bridge. A tsanster with two horses
and . man and girl In q buggy were
also on the bridge, when two tugl
whistled for the draw.
The bridge tender started 70 eswins
the span, when tho bridge collapsed
under the weight Of the cattle. The
girl was drowned but the mon. cling
ing to the horns Of the cattle, were
rescued. :
A wooden bridge was next erected
and served until the great fresof Oct
9. 1871. There is a story. mostly
legend, Of how q prominent citiser
stood guard with 4 gun Ill f1ig1it tf
keep the bridge tender from openins
tho draw to save his bridge bsfore ~
&c refugees had Ned sfromstte nm
= steel bridge followsd-N. co.,
te11gsS00-and Ma dedicated with q
enrsat cslebratton. Twelve .syeass latal
Tire schooner orsngpr,sths tug Charles
~ eafker. and the stsAm i Bud'
neAs AL tried 70 pass through TIL
south draw at one TINE
IheS next venture In hsidge building
the present Rush street bridge, til
stands. but II VAL be torn down thi
sunnmsr 2 IL piers dynamitsd.