Saturday, January 18, 2014

A Bridge Not Far Enough (La Salle Street, Chicago) -- January 18, 1925

The Fire Tug Graeme Stewart, launched in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1918
(Maritime History of the Great Lakes)
Here’s one for the “Think You’ve Got It Bad – Things Could Always Be Worse” department.  It happened on this date, January 18, in 1925.

George D. Buckley started down the incline leading to the La Salle Street bridge when he realized that there was no bridge across the river at La Salle Street.  By the time he made the connection (about the fact that there was no connection) it was too late and car, driver, and companion slid to the edge of the river where they dropped ten feet onto the deck of the fire tug Graeme Stewart. [Chicago Tribune, January 19, 1925]

I would imagine that the crewmembers of the Graeme Stuart were surprised at the landing. 


If Mr. Buckley had just waited a few years . . . a bridge across the river at La Salle was dedicated on December 12, 1928.  That was the first bridge at that location although a tunnel under the river at La Salle Street had begun operation around 1871.

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