Daily globe., 1883-12-15
AREMARKABLE GROWTH.
Facts Which the Records Of the Custom
House Disclose.


House Disclose.
Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct. 2, 1888.
That Chicago ranks among the first Of
American cities which extensively import
foreign mer chandise is fact too obvious,
from the daily showing which the newspa-
pers publish, to evade notice. Year by
year, since anact of congress established
our custom house and arranged for direct
transportation, this feature of commercial
industry has expanded, until the records
now show daily receipts of hundreds of
cases of merchantable goods. In recent
review of these records city reporter was
astonished at the large proportion of
musical goods which appeared on the lists.
and closer investigation deepened as
tonishment to amazement at the enormous
number of cases which one music house
alone is constantly receiving from
European manufacturers. The incident
called to the reporters retentive memory
time two or three years ago, when lhe
had published statement Of the imperta-
tation of the music house Of Lyon &
Hesly for one year, the dimensions of
which excited much comment among the
readers of the city press. Upon looking
over the hles he found the issue to be that
of November 6, 1880, and the number of
cases Tor The entire year ending October
l, 760. This was, indeed, lsrge number
for the consumption of .one house alone
out of the many music houses which Chi
sago boasts of, and to satisfy personal
curiosity, the statistic hunter set himself
to the task of finding out how much, if
any, this enterprising house had Increased
its importing business during the oorres-
ponding year ending October /, 1888
Commencing on Monday, October 1, he
traced back through the dates of the
record, but before he had gone beyond a
quarter of year he stopped satisfied, for
from the LIST Of July to the 1st of October
& period of barely three months, it was
shown that the firm had imported 7I2
cases or nearly as many as ware imported
during the entire fiscal year ending Octo-
Der 1. 1890 Such an increase was almost
! incredible, but as s'6gures cannot lie," and
the reporters estimate was carefully made
there was no avoiding the solid fact. Such
development, however, caused press
representative to call upon Messrs. Lyon
| q Healy with view to ascertain, if posi-
bic. what their facilities were for storing
| and disposing of such an enormous guam
tity of goods. He was gratifed to find
both of these ambitious gentlemen at theil
headquarters in the large four story build
ing at the corner of State and Monree
streets. Both members of the firm were
too deeply engaged in their business tc
spend much time in satisfying an inquis-
itor's curiosity, but he was able to learn
that, in addition to the immense stock
which is displayed in their large business
house proper, they have warehouse con.
tanning 1880 square feet of floor room
which is constantly stocked with goods in
bulk, q good proportion of which is re-
| shipped by them in original cases, which
are not opened until they reach the con-
sumers. In this storehouse over 600 cases
of musical merchandise are kept con,
stantly on hand to draw from as She de-
mands of trade require. The
annual sales of Aessrs Lyon & Healy
aggregate upwards of million dollars
and they are the largest Importers of nusi-
cal goods in America by q oonsiasEable
per cent. All this and much moro 70 to
show that Chicago has upqusstionAbly the
largest general music heuse In the world
This is a proud thing 30 be able 10 say
and for the ability to be able to say it.
the city is indebted to the enterprise and
energy of Messrs. Lyon q Healy.