This Bridge is to be what is called “McCallums’ Patent,” and is similar to the Railroad Bridge at Nashville. The masonry consists of eight distinct pieces. No. 1, a round pier, now started in the centre of the river, 28 feet in diameter and 70 feet high. 138 feet each way on the line of the road are piers No., 2 and 3 carried up to the same height of No 1. No’s. 4 and 5 are the same distance from the centre pier and the same height, and are situated up and down the river from the centre or pivot pier for the draw to rest on while it is open for boats to pass. No. 6 is at the edge of Parry’s meadow 200 feet from No. 3, and No. 7 is the same distance from No. 2, setting on the river side of the road, or Water street. No. 8 will stand at the end of the present embankment. The track will run upon the top of the Bridge instead of through it, and passengers in looking out of the car windows, will seem to sail through the air while they travel from the crossing of the road, or this side of the river, till they strike the bluff beyond the Palmyra road, for immediately after crossing the Bridge proper, 2,100 feet or nearly a half mile of Trustle work, 30 feet high, joins the Bridge running to Parry’s bluff. There will be about 6,000 yards of first class masonry over a million feet of lumber, and at least 50 tons of iron in the Bridge.
We have gleaned these figures as approximates only fur the present, at some future time we may give the items of thin substantial and elegant structure The contractors for the masonry are Maxwell, Saulpau & Co., for Bridge superstructure, McCallum, Seymour & Hawley, and for the half mile of Trustle work Harrison and Breed.
Published December 3, 1858, in the Clarksville Chronicle, page 3.