February 1, 1911 – The United States engineer
stationed in Chicago, George A. Zinn, speaking at an Association of Commerce
luncheon at the La Salle Hotel, condemns center pier bridges “as a serious
obstacle to the advance of Chicago commerce.” [Chicago Daily Tribune, February 2, 1911] Zinn says, “Until the
center pier bridge is removed over both the Chicago and Calumet rivers, the
manufacturers whose plants line the river banks will be unable to receive the
full advantage these rivers offer in a commercial way. They will be unable to ship by water to any
great advantage.” He added that it was
his intention to make certain that every bridge on the river maintained a
height of at least 16 feet over the water.
On the same day the attorney for the Pennsylvania Railroad, speaking at
a meeting of the Chicago Real Estate Board, offers his opinion that the river
should be closed to navigation except for small vessels, carrying light cargo
from an outer harbor, assuming that such a harbor Could one day be built. According to the Tribune’s coverage of the meeting, the attorney, Frank J. Loesch,
“contended that fixed bridges with an adequate lighterage system would solve
the problem which would place Chicago in a line with other cities that have
been confronted with river conditions similar to those in Chicago.” The above photo shows the Madison Street center pier bridge in the process of giving way to its trunnion bascule replacement in 1922.
February 1, 1900 – Phillip D. Armour, Jr. is buried in Graceland Cemetery following a funeral held in the family residence at 3700 South Michigan Avenue. The casket is placed in the library of the home and the public is allowed to enter and view the deceased. The Chicago Daily Tribune reports, “Hundreds of persons filed past the casket, among them many employés of Armour and Co. The entire faculty and students of Armour Institute attended the funeral in a body.” Reverend Frank W. Gunsaulus conducts the services and a quartet from the Second Presbyterian Church sings, “Nearer, My God to Thee.” The funeral cortegé passes down Michigan Avenue to Fortieth Street where a special train waits to take the funeral party to Graceland. The youngest son of Philip Danforth Armour began his career at Armour and Company at the bottom, working in the stockyards. At the age of 25 he became a partner in the company his father, who was to outlive him, started. He was 31-years-old at the time of his death.
February 1, 1955 -- Daniel Ryan (there is a name that sounds familiar), president of the Cook County board and William J. Mortimer, county highway superintendent, report that the first completed portion of the Congress Street "super-highway" is taking as many as 11,596 motorists a day from other highways. The 2.5 mile stretch from 1st Street in Maywood to Mannheim Road, is dubbed "the road to nowhere," but Ryan observed, "What we are finding is that motorists definitely will go out of their way to enjoy safe, continuous travel afforded on an expressway."
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