A medal was struck for the occasion, and represents on one side the head of Pierre Cornellie, with the following inscription:
Pierre Corneille, born at Rouen the 6th june 1606, died at Paris on the 1st october 1684.
And on the reverse, the statue, with this inscription:
Statue of bronze, erected by subscription to Pierre Corneille in his native town, through the exertions of the Society of Emulation of Rouen, in 1834.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
The numerous commercial trading vessels, which come up the Seine, were formerly obliged to wait several days, before they could get along side the quay to discharge. It became essential to enlarge the port, for which reason the stone bridge, at the entrance to the town, was built; but this arrangement rendered another bridge indispensable; and in 1828, the town council consulted on the possibility of removing the bridge of boats farther down; but the bad state it was in, and the enormous sum it cost to keep it in repair, and the length of time it took to open it for the passage of vessels, at once caused them to give up all idea of this old machine, formerly looked upon us a wonder; but, which did not now answer the purpose.
On the 8th of june 1834, a royal ordinance was issued, approving the undertaking. At last MM. Seguin brothers, civil engineers, and Pierre Colin, undertaker of public works, were, on the 16th october 1834, declared the approved contractors for the erection of the bridge; at the same time granting to them the receipts of the tolls for a period of 99 years, the bridge to be terminated at the latest, by the 1st of january 1837. And it was entirely completed by the 1st september 1836 (the very day the bridge of boats was suppressed). At the expiration of the 99 years, the bridge will become the property of the government. Its breadth is seven metres thirty centimetres, its length 197 metres, and the whole expense has amounted to 750,000 fr. On the left of the bridge is situated a guard house, and on the right Brune's house, erected by the city as a reward for courage and devotedness on many occasions.