Manufacture of Pins. | a 
=e reference to this object, my wish to have some notice of the | 
undertaking appear in your well known and influential Journal, arises 
from a belief that information communicated through such a me- 
- diam—founded partly on your own observation—would be more — 
readily received and credited, than if communicated directly from 
_ Parties interested, or conveyed through any ordinary channel. We 
cannot expect Congress to legislate for our relief, unless members 
are first convinced that there is some reasonable prospect, that with 
such relief, our enterprise may succeed. We shall petition for ; 
duty to be laid on pins, equivalent to that to which brass wire is now oe 
Subject. In accordance with such a petition a bill was introduced, 
by Mr. Adams, from the Committee on Manufactures, at the last 
session, but it was not acted on in the House. 
I believe ours is the first successful attempt to manufacture pins 
entirely by self-acting machinery. I am aware of other attempts 
ed been previously made, but without success. Since we com- 
_ menced, another establishment has been started in this country, and — 
I understand is likely to succeed. 
_ We have now three of the Jarger improved aRechines in operation, 
ac of which produces about 24,000 pins per day. The intention 
of the Company is to put up fifty of them (in case we get the relief 
we seek from Congress,) which will produce about 2,000 packs (of 
12 papers each,) per week; and the establishment might afterwards — 
be enlarged, if the business afforded sufficient encouragement. I 
estimate that twelve persons (men and boys) would be able to keep 
fifty machines in full operation. But it would require the labor of 
one hundred or a hundred and fifty individuals, (women and girls,) 
to shut or paper the pins. At the present time we give the pins 
Out into families to be shuted; we have fifty or sixty hands em- 
ployed (more or leas steadily) in this department, some of whom 
reside ten miles from the manufactory. 
Allow me to express my sincere thanks for the kind and liberal 
: feelings ‘manifested by you towards our infant establishment; and 
a 
Se, subscribe myself, 
Very respect and truly, yours, 
g Joun I. Howe. 
Bena (Derby,) Nov. 25, 1839. 
