My dear Brother

Sorry I have delayed so long in writing you; but after fighting it out had to go to bed with bronchitis. When I thought I was well, went to a [funeral??] then 10 degrees below zero. Then went to bed for balance of week. Will take care of myself now, [as??] I do not like that [better??]. I return your drawings &c letter from Dunn & [??] copy of my answer of same today. I have looked over these drawings. While I can take a thing in easily from a Model I cannot from a diagram. As far as I can see while a number of these come as you say, alarmingly near in some points yet I should think all have one serious defect, except this "Baldwin," and that is that all the hooks or whatever you choose to call them that hold the link in place require a long open slit along the top of the drawhead. This both weakens the draw-head and in this country of ice & snow, renders the whole apparatus liable to be frozen solid. With Dunn the shank covers this. With Baldwin there is none atall [sic], the attachments seem perfectly simple. The defect would seem to be the large angle or sweep of a circle required to uncouple. This would necessitate the [lock??] being very loose & far back in the draw-head. Of course I shall be glad to see anything come out of the affair. But so many are interested wires have to be pulled & dirty work done that I have at most despaired. If you succeed in making a good thing I will give you credit for a good deal of push and you are welcome to the profit.¹ Chisholm has filed away my letter of last-year. He is not in & I do not know where to find them. If that sketch is of value will try & hunt up & send to you. I do not think of any other point your letter can, for word will such you find shortly kept week in large & they give me all I can do. Yours as ever,

I.B. McQuesten

¹ Isaac had been investing money into Dunn's efforts to sell patents for several years but with little profit. Here he discusses the patent drawings for an improvement on a train car coupler Dunn was in the process of patenting (see W1707, W1711, W1712, W2656, W2667, W1532, W2671, W1714, W1716, W1721, W1741) and comparing it to a drawing for another type of coupler, the "Baldwin." Isaac was frustrated with Dunn's lack of results and in April of 1885, he and Calvin Brooks had considered suing Dunn for money and materials he owed them (W1734, W1745). For more on Dunn, see W2554a. James Chisholm was one of Isaac's law partners at this time and on at least one occasion he financially assisted Mary after Isaac's death in 1888 (W-MCP2-4.089). See W2520, Box 10-002 for more information about Chisholm.