Jackknife Bridge: 1907

I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to share it here, but this picture reminded me that the previous jack-knife bridge photo inspired me to research and write a song about the grain scoopers of Buffalo. Thanks, Shorpy.

I used to row on the Chicago River. It's actually one of the best rivers in the US for rowing. Anyhoo, I used to always wonder what those footings were for when I'd pass them heading backwards. I would mostly scull, and have to watch out for (1) huge pieces of wood like that shown in the pic (they could wreck your shell), (2) barges (they sneak up on you b/c they blend in with the water and are silent) and (3) dead bodies. Never saw a dead body, but I did see lots of dead rats. Once, when I was on a stretch of the river south of this picture, I looked up, and a cop was at the water's edge smoking a cigarette. I'm sure I looked like a pretentious yuppie to him. I slowed down a bit. It was 5 a.m. Sun was just coming up. He took a drag on the cig, exhaled and said, "Seen any dead bodies?" Stunned, I replied, "No." He shook his head, turned to leave and said, "You will. You will." True story. I loved rowing on the Chicago River. I felt like I was rowing through history.

What a beautiful launch! Apparently set up for passengers, probably as a shuttle. I would love to know what happened to her.

Known, I believe, as the Metropolitan Elevated bridge, these tracks also carried the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin interurban trains to its station on Wells Street (or more accurately Fifth Street at that time) just south of Jackson Boulevard. I assume this view is looking north, since the bridge structure at right would carry trains over the ground level tracks below, just south of where Union Station stands now. To this day, you can still see part of what appear to be the original footings of this bridge along the west side of the Chicago River between the Jackson and Van Buren Street bridges.