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Wm. Dunn
[6?]/25/84
re patents

I.B. McQuesten Esq
Hamilton Ont.

Dear Sir

I regretted that I was unable to get back from Newark in time to meet you at the hour appointed. The timing was late and I reached the "Cooper Union" a very few minutes after you had left.¹ I should have gone to the 5th Avenue Hotel & Lexington Ave. But thought you might possibly return so waited until the Building closed. I can assure you I used every exertion to keep the engagement. I omitted mentioning to you (I think) that I had to meet a party in Newark at 2 P.M and was delayed so long as to prevent taking an earlier train at a nearer Depot and went nearly 2 miles to take advantage of the next train reaching here.--

In my last letter I stated that I had made arrangements with a party to manufacture the Forge and put it on the market. Since then I have deemed it not advisable to carry out this arrangement because it might complicate matters in the event of finding a purchase for the entire business. I have not got the Forge Patented for two reasons, first because I had determined not to expend any more in Patents until there was bona-fide evidence of the article paying for itself without much outlay. I have brought this last article to perfection at a considerable expense both of time and money. And have reduced it to a minimum in cost through careful manipulations of the Patterns etc. I have sold in Newark to almost every Band Saw user there large and small and with much satisfaction. One machine selling another, I have not canvassed New York much because here I have the German element to those I never shall waste time in the attempt to get them to buy anything especially anything new. In a word I have [brought??] this machine to a more satisfactory result than I expected at the outset and have everything in workable shape without further outlay then actual material and labor in the making up.

I know that I have consumed time and money on this that perhaps ought to have been expended in the disposing of those that preceded it. My object in completing this has been given before although my course in this may not be satisfactory. I have done it for the best and am certain that the result will prove so. I am now getting a large number of the Forges made and have some orders ahead. And a couple of parties want to go out to sell them. One from Newark especially who has been advised and recommended by a Firm who purchase. I have reduced the cost of the machine to about $2.50 and perhaps a little less and shall sell to the trade $9.00 [30 %??] and retail at $10 [10 %??] for spot cash. I have thus gone over the whole of this matter. I know that considerable work is now in delaying applying for a Patent but I have not got the money to spare for that at present, the proving the advantages and the getting the machine ready for the market has consumed considerable as well as the expenditure on the other articles. The object of going over the present at such length is for advice. I can get a party to take this Patent for an interest in [??]. 4 [sic] this will to a certain extent or possibly may to a certain degree operate against the sole object I had in getting out the machine to assist in disposing of it and the "Sett" together. Taking the view that the one might not be considered a sufficient business the two would be. The Forge is now not only adapted for Brazing Band Saw but for other purposes where a quick and [??] [??] required.--You having, I consider, as much interest and right to this matter as myself, portion of the money advanced by you having been devoted to the developing the article. I do not feel warranted in taking my decisive action towards the disposal of it,or allowing any other to become interested if there is a possibility of such arrangement conflicting with the object for which it was constructed without your consent and approval. My earnestness in the subject is the only excuse for writing such a letter.

¹ Dunn had a tendency to miss or reschedule meetings with Isaac and Calvin Brooks McQuesten and although by 1885 he had promised to send them the train car coupler models, the trunk containing them was delayed (see W1728). For more on Dunn, see W2554a.