Document:

LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION                Exhibit 10.30
                      135 South LaSalle Street
                    Chicago, Illinois 60603-3499

                          October 15, 2000

CMC Heartland Partners
Heartland Partners, L.P.
CMC Heartland Partners, IV
330 North Jefferson Court, Suite 305
Chicago, Illinois 60661
Attn:  Richard P. Brandstatter

      Re:  LaSalle Bank National  Association  ('LaSalle')  loans to
           ----------------------------------------------------------
           CMC Heartland Partners, Heartland Partners, L.P., and CMC
           ---------------------------------------------------------
           Heartland Partners, IV (collectively, the 'Borrowers')
           ------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. Brandstatter:

      Reference is hereby made to that  certain  Amended and Restated
Loan and Security  Agreement  dated as of June 30, 1998 among LaSalle
and Borrowers,  as amended from time to time  (collectively  with all
amendments  thereto,  the  'Loan  Agreement').  Terms  not  otherwise
defined  herein shall have the meanings  assigned to them in the Loan
Agreement.

      Pursuant  to  the  request  of  Borrowers,  LaSalle  previously
allowed  Borrowers  to sell a  portion  of the  Mortgaged  Properties
securing   indebtedness  of  Borrowers  to  LaSalle  under  the  Loan
Agreement  (collectively,  the  'Releases'),  as evidenced by certain
releases  executed  by LaSalle  from time to time.  Concurrently  and
as a condition  of such  Releases,  LaSalle and  Borrowers  agreed to
reduce  the  Revolving  Credit  Commitment  under the Loan  Agreement
from  $15,300,000 to  $10,000,000.  Borrowers now have requested that
LaSalle  increase  the  Revolving  Credit  Commitment  under the Loan
Agreement from  $10,000,000 to $11,000,000,  which LaSalle is willing
to do, in accordance with the terms hereof.

      LaSalle and  Borrowers  hereby  agree,  as of the date  hereof,
that  the  Revolving   Credit   Commitment   shall  be  increased  to
$11,000,000.  LaSalle  and  Borrowers  hereby  acknowledge  that  the
Revolving  Credit  Commitment  expires  on  December  31,  2000.  The
Borrowers   hereby   acknowledge  that  the  amendment  to  the  Loan
Agreement  contained  in this letter  agreement is granted by LaSalle
only for the  limited  purpose  set  forth  herein  and each term and
provision of the Loan  Agreement  continues in full force and effect,
and  such  amendment  is  granted  only  for  the  specific  instance
specified  herein  and in no manner  creates a course of  dealing  or
otherwise  impairs  the  rights  of  LaSalle  arising  under  and  as
provided in the Loan  Agreement.  Borrowers  hereby  agree to execute
and  delivery  such loan  documentation  as requested by LaSalle from
time to time to evidence this amendment.

      None of the terms or  conditions of this letter may be changed,
modified,  waived,  or canceled,  except by writing signed by all the
parties hereto,  specifying  such change,  modification,  waiver,  or
cancellation.  Except as  otherwise  specifically  set forth  herein,
the  Loan   Agreement  and  all  the  Other   Agreements  are  hereby
confirmed  and  ratified  in all  respects  and shall  remain in full
force and effect according to their respective terms.

<PAGE>

      This letter shall be governed by and  construed  in  accordance
with the laws of the State of Illinois.
                                   Very truly yours,

                                   LASALLE BANK NATIONAL
                                   ASSOCIATION

                                   By:___
                                   Name:___
                                   Title:___
ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:
this 15th day of October, 2000.
CMC HEARTLAND PARTNERS, a
Delaware general partnership

      By:  HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY,
INC., a Delaware corporation and
an authorized general partner

      By:___
           Its President

      By:  HEARTLAND PARTNERS,
L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership and an authorized
general partner

      By:  Heartland Technology, Inc.,
      Its:   General Partner

      By:___
           Its President

HEARTLAND PARTNERS, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership

      By:  Heartland Technology, Inc.
      Its:   General Partner

      By:___
           Its President

CMC HEARTLAND PARTNERS IV, a
Delaware limited liability company

      By:___
      Its:___Exhibit 10.31

                                Promissory Note
                             Due October 17, 2005

      EDWIN JACOBSON,  of Chicago,  Illinois  ("Jacobson"),  for value received,
hereby  promises to pay to the order of CMC  HEARTLAND  PARTNERS,  a partnership
organized  under the Delaware  Uniform  Partnership  Law ("CMC  Heartland"),  or
lawful  assignee (CMC Heartland or lawful  assignee is referred to herein as the
"Holder"),  on October 17, 2005, the sum of Three Hundred Seventy-Five  Thousand
Dollars ($375,000) and to pay interest thereon, from the date hereof,  quarterly
on March 31, June 30,  September 30 and December 31 in each year, at the rate of
eleven percent (11%) per annum. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 365
or 366 day year and actual days elapsed.

      Jacobson shall be entitled, at his option, to prepay all or any portion of
this Note,  including all accrued  interest  thereon,  by providing  irrevocable
written notice of his election to prepay this Note. Such notice shall be sent to
CMC Heartland at its principal  office in Chicago,  Illinois,  and shall include
the date on which the Note (or any portion thereof) shall be paid and the amount
(if less than all of the Note) to be prepaid.  In the event CMC  Heartland is to
make any incentive  compensation payment to Jacobson pursuant to Section 3(b) of
the Employment  Agreement  between CMC Heartland and Jacobson dated December 20,
1999,  as amended,  Jacobson  shall be obligated to apply forty percent (40%) of
the incentive compensation payment to a prepayment of this Note. Upon payment in
full of this Note, the Holder of this Note shall  surrender the Note to Jacobson
at the  principal  office of CMC Heartland in Chicago,  Illinois.  To the extent
that less than all of the Note is prepaid at any time,  the Holder shall mark on
the face of this Note the amount of  principal  prepaid.  All  repayments  shall
first be applied to accrued interest and the balance to principal. Once prepaid,
no interest shall thereafter accrue on any principal which is so prepaid.

      Payment of the  principal of and interest on this Note will be made to the
Holder  of this  Note at the  principal  office  of CMC  Heartland  in  Chicago,
Illinois,  in such coin or  currency  of the United  States of America as at the
time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

      Jacobson  represents  and  warrants  to the Holder that (a) this Note is a
valid  and  binding  agreement,  enforceable  according  to his  terms;  (b) the
execution,  delivery and performance of his  obligations  under this Note do not
create any default under any other agreement to which he is a party;  (c) he has
paid all  applicable  income and property  taxes of whatever kind which are due;
(d) immediately  following the borrowing under this Note, he will be able to pay
his known and reasonably  anticipated  debts as they mature and will have assets
which  will  have  a  fair  saleable  value  greater  than  the  amount  of  his
indebtedness;  and (e) the loan evidenced by this Note is a business loan and is
transacted  solely  for the  purpose of using the loan  proceeds  for a business
purpose.

      All sums due hereunder  shall, at the sole option of the Holder (except in
the case of the  occurrence of an event  described in clause (4), (5) or (6), in
which  event  such sum  shall  automatically,  without  further  action,  become
immediately due and payable),  become due on demand and  immediately  become due
and

                                     -1-

<PAGE>

payable upon such demand,  upon written notice to Jacobson,  upon the occurrence
of any of the following events (each, an "Event of Default"):

                  (1)  Jacobson  shall fail to make any  payment of  interest on
      this Note at the time such  payment  is due and such  failure to pay shall
      continue  for five days or  Jacobson  shall  fail to make any  payment  of
      principal on this Note at the time such payment is due; or

                  (2)  Jacobson  shall  default  in  the  due   performance  and
      observance of any term,  covenant or agreement  contained in this Note and
      such default shall  continue  unremedied  for a period of thirty (30) days
      after  notice  thereof  shall have been given to  Jacobson  by the Holder,
      provided, however, that if such default cannot be cured within such 30-day
      period,  all sums due  hereunder  shall  not  become  due and  payable  if
      Jacobson is diligently  and in good faith  proceeding to cure such default
      and such default is cured within sixty (60) days after the notice  thereof
      from the Holder to Jacobson; or

                  (3) Jacobson  shall  default in any payment of principal of or
      interest on any loan to Jacobson by banks or other financial  institutions
      ("Bank Debt") beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or
      shall  default in the  performance  of any  agreement,  term or  condition
      contained in any agreement under which any Bank Debt is created (or if any
      other default under any such  agreement  shall occur and be continuing) if
      the effect of such default is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders
      of any Bank Debt (or a trustee  on behalf of such  holder or  holders)  to
      cause,  such Bank Debt to become due prior to its stated maturity and such
      default shall continue for more than 30 days without being cured or waived
      by the lender under the applicable Bank Debt; or

                  (4) a receiver,  liquidator  or trustee for Jacobson or of any
      property  of  Jacobson  shall be  appointed  by court order and such order
      shall  remain  unstayed  and in effect for more than 60 days;  or Jacobson
      shall  be  adjudged  bankrupt  or  insolvent;  or any of the  property  of
      Jacobson shall be restrained,  attached,  or sequestered by court order or
      become  subject  to any levy of any  court  and such  order  shall  remain
      unstayed  and in effect  for more than 60 days;  or a  petition  under any
      bankruptcy, reorganization,  arrangement, moratorium, or insolvency law or
      code or other debtor relief  proceedings  shall be filed against  Jacobson
      and shall not be  dismissed  within 60 days after such  filing or an order
      for relief shall be entered against Jacobson; or

                  (5) Jacobson shall file a petition in voluntary  bankruptcy or
      requesting  relief under any provision of any bankruptcy,  reorganization,
      or insolvency  law or shall consent to the filing of any petition  against
      him under any such law or code; or

                  (6) Jacobson  shall make an assignment  for the benefit of his
      creditors  or  consent  to the  appointment  of a  receiver,  trustee,  or
      liquidator for Jacobson or of all or any part of the property of Jacobson;
      or

                                     -2-

<PAGE>

                  (7) final judgments for payment of money aggregating in excess
      of $100,000  shall be  outstanding  against  Jacobson  and any one of such
      judgments shall have been  outstanding for more than 60 days from the date
      of its entry and shall not have been discharged in full or stayed.

      The  existence  or   continuation   of  any  Event  of  Default  shall  be
irrespective of whether such Event of Default or the underlying facts shall have
come about voluntarily or involuntarily or shall be beyond Jacobson's control or
shall have come about or been  effected by operation of law or pursuant to or in
compliance with any judgment,  decree, or order of any court or any order, rule,
or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.

      The obligation of Jacobson  hereunder to pay the principal of and interest
on this Note at the times,  place and rate, and in the coin or currency,  herein
prescribed is absolute and unconditional.

      Jacobson  acknowledges  and  agrees  that CMC  Heartland  has the right to
off-set against his obligations under this Note forty percent (40%) of incentive
compensation payments under Section 3(b) of Jacobson's Employment Agreement with
CMC Heartland, dated December 20, 1999, as amended.

      This Note is transferable, in whole or in part, by the Holder hereof.

      Jacobson may treat the bearer of this Note,  as the absolute  owner hereof
and thereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note or any payment thereon be
overdue, and he shall not be affected by notice to the contrary.

      If any provision of this Note or the  application  thereof to any party or
circumstance  is held invalid or  unenforceable,  the remainder of this Note and
the application of such provision to other parties or circumstances  will not be
affected  thereby and the provisions of this Note shall be severable in any such
instance.

      Jacobson agrees to pay all costs,  including  attorneys' fees,  reasonably
incurred by the Holder hereof in enforcing  payment  hereof and hereby waives to
the  fullest  extent  permitted  by law,  all  right to  plead  any  statute  of
limitation as a defense to any action hereunder.

      Jacobson hereby waives presentment for payment, demand, notice of dishonor
and protest of this Note and agrees that none of its terms or provisions  may be
waived,  altered,  modified or amended  except as the Holder  hereof may consent
thereto in writing duly signed by such Holder or its authorized agent.

                                     -3-

<PAGE>

      This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance  with the laws
of the State of Delaware in all  respects,  including  matters of  construction,
validity  and  performance,  without  giving  any effect to any choice of law or
conflict of law,  rules or  provisions  (whether of the State of Delaware or any
other  jurisdiction)  that  would  cause  the  application  of the  laws  of any
jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. Any dispute relating hereto shall
be heard in the state or federal  courts of  Delaware.  Jacobson  and the Holder
agree to jurisdiction and venue in the State of Delaware and with respect to any
judicial proceeding in the State of Delaware may be served with legal process by
registered or certified  mail,  return  receipt  requested,  postage and charges
prepaid,  addressed,  with respect to the Holder, to the Holder at the principal
office of CMC Heartland in Chicago,  Illinois and, with respect to Jacobson,  to
him at his address set forth below or such other address  designated by Jacobson
by written notice delivered to the Holder.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  Jacobson has caused this Note to be duly executed as
of the 17th day of October, 2000.

                                          ___________________________________
                                          Edwin Jacobson

                                          Address:    161 East Chicago Avenue
                                                      Apartment 43H
                                                      Chicago, Illinois 60611

L:\Share\HPLP\Jacobson Promissory Note-10-17-00.wpd

                                     -4-

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