Mr. McQuesten Sir,

I wish to inform you that I hav [sic] heard nothing from our iron yet can not find out whither [sic] it has even been shipd [sic] or not & wish you to write as soon as you receive this and try and learn what time it was shiped [sic] what it was shiped aboard on &c. Our Cole [sic] has just arrived if we cant get iron below we must make calculations to get it at long point. I have engaged a large quantity of castings and we must get agoing [sic] as soon as possible. I have been pooling off people this some time and they say they can't wait much longer. Stiles has just Returned. Fisher I have heard nothing of yet [them?] going off has poot [sic] us back two weeks. Our chimney is to be bilt [sic] yet we have a good deal to do yet before we can start. I want you to giv [sic] us some advice concerning iron.

I am in want of some money to pay our duties to [get?] portion & can not collect any here. I have better than $200 dollars to make out on the 18^th and have only $25 at present--You will say to Backus that I have just rec'd the 8 machines together with the bellowses found all that belongs to them but old Mike and Judkins and say to him that I need from him concerning Patents how they was [sic] obtained &c. To make the story as short as possible tell him that no man can get a Patent unless he is a Subject [words blotted out] tell him I should meet him before this if he could of got a patent tell him I shal [sic] be at Brockport the last of this month and will bring him all the money I can.

I am Sir yours in [haste?]

[Joseph] Janes¹

¹ Mr. [Joseph] Janes was a business partner in the foundry and apparently he and co-founder John Knox Fisher had some difficulties working together. In 1838 Janes ran off, leaving his wife and numerous debts behind. For more details and links, see W-MCP4-6.237. For Fisher, see W-MCP5-6.240.

² In W-MCP4-6.206, Janes spells this name as "Zealand."

³ It is difficult to read what the original article says, but in another letter to Dr. McQuesten from November 22, 1835, Janes very clearly writes "Sacketts Harbour" (W-MCP4-6.206).