 The engineering was initially offered Samuel Keefer who estimated the cost at 125,000 pounds, but could not take the job.It was then offered to Ira Spaulding, who recommended increasing the estimate to 151,000 pounds in light of the costs of the bridge across Rice Lake.A construction contract was offered and picked up by Zimmerman & Balch, Samuel Zimmerman's firm, who signed the contract on 15 January 1853, and threw in 1,000 pounds for good will.