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Nov. 29, 1893.

Mr. D.H. Moffat,
Pres’t, First Nat. Bank,
Denver, Col.

My dear Sir:

Mr. L.D. Sweet spent the greater part of yesterday in our office, showing the models of the Sams automatic car coupler and discussing its qualities. I invited Messrs. Hecker, McMillan, and Plumb to look into the matter with me, and we came to the conclusion that it is the best designed link and pin coupler we have yet seen. The model seems thoroughly automatic, extremely simple, and comparatively inexpensive. The question of its financial value however is a difficult one to estimate. As you know, legislation in several states has of late been strongly in favor of vertical plane couplers. You also probably recall the action of Congress last winter in the same direction. If legislation and public sentiment can be changed so as to permit the use of the best device regardless of its type, we should think the Sams coupler could be made a valuable patent, not however without strong management and progressive advertising. You well know from personal experience how loth railway managers are to specify the use of any untried device. By “untried” I mean anything not in pretty general use.

Mr. Sweet asked us our advice in reference to the introduction of his coupler, and we urged him to continue and enlarge his acquaintance with railway managers and state railway commissioners. We furnished him letters of introduction to Mr. Robert Miller, Gen’l Supt. of the Michigan Central, Mr. John Newell, Pres’t of the L.S. & M.S.R’y, and Mr. Billings, Railroad Commissioner for this state. We also suggested that perhaps the simplest method for the collection of royalty would be to manufacture and sell the pins to

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