Photographed in 1925 based on another dated example, this view shows the Monroe Street bridge over the Chicago River. In the distance at center of frame are the former Butler Brothers warehouse buildings, still standing and located at 111 N. & 165 N. Canal Street. A large clock face can be made out at the very top of the structure in Blumann’s photograph as a diminished circular highlight.  A retailer and wholesale supplier that began in the city in 1877, these buildings were designed by D. H. Burnham and completed in 1913. 

A bascule bridge spanning the South Branch of the Chicago River, the Monroe Street span opened to the public on February 23 1919. The Chicago Loop Bridges website points out it “is the first and only bridge ever built at its location. In fact, this is the youngest crossing on the South Branch between Van Buren and Lake streets.” The bridge was rehabilitated in 2001 and the bridge tender houses, of which one can be seen in this photo at far left of span, were rebuilt in 2008.

The earlier 1925 version of Chicago River, also a bromoil held by the family of the photographer, is titled Monuments of Industry– the definition of the span and buildings behind it more pronounced. This 1926 version is an exhibition print, with a pasted critical commentary affixed to the lower part of the mount. (not shown) A similar critique is attached to another print not held by this archive: “The Urn,”(family collection) which also has a label indicating it was displayed at The Camera Club of New York in July 1926; presumably these are the exhibition judges’ comments. A transcription, unsigned, for Chicago River: 

No. 1

I feel that in this you have denied your picture an interest which would have aided also its too simplified construction; namely figures toward the left centre on the bridge and one or two separated toward the right–this, or lights in the building. In other words the building is a big backstop for something else; or might have taken a more dominating position by this added attraction of lights. Had you had a real and attractive sky, the reserve of bridge and building would have played second to it–the sky.