Manufacture of Pins. 3 



In 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- 

 dium — 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 a 

 duty to be laid on pins, equivalent to that to which brass wire is now 

 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 

 having 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 larger improved machines in operation, 

 each 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 

 to subscribe myself, 



Very respectfully and truly, yours, 



John I. Howe. 



Birmingham, (Derby,) Nov. 25, 1839. 



