Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-02
A REMARKABLE GROWTH.
Facts Witch the Records of the CUStsn
House DiScLnSe.

"A REMARKABLE GROWTH.
Facts WHic1s the Records of the Custom
House Disclose.
Chicago Daily Tribune, Oct. 3, 1858.
That Chicago ranks among the first of
American cities which extensively import
foreign merchandise is fact too obvious,
from the daily showing which the newspa-
pers publish, to evade notice. Year by
year, since an act of congress established
transportation, this feature of commercial
industry has expanded, until the records
now show daily receipts of hundreds of
cases of merchantsble 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
establishment to amazement at the
enormous number of cases which one ma
sic house alone is constantly receiving
from European manufacturers. The Incl
dent called TO the reporters retentive
memory time two or three years ago.
when he had published a statement of
the importation of the music house of Ly-
on q Healey for one year, ths dimensions
of which excited much comment among
the readers Of the city press. Upon look
ing over the files he found the issue to be
that of November 6, 1880, and the number
of cases for the entire year ending October
l, 760. This was, indeed, a large number
for the consumption of one house alone
cut of the many music houses which Chi
cago boasts of, and to satisfy personal
curiosity, the statistic hunter act himself to
the task of finding out how much, if any,
this enterprising house had increased its
importing business during the CORES
ponding year ending October l.,
1883. Commencing on Monday, October
1, he traced back through the dates of the
record, but before he had gone beyond q
quarter of year he stopped satisfied, for
from the LIST of July to the LIST of October,
q period of barely three months, it was
shown that the firm had imported 712
cases or nearly as many as were imported
during the entire fiscal year ending Octo-
Der l, 1880. Such an increase was almost
incredible, but as Figures cannot lie," and
the reporters estimate was carefully made,
there was no avoiding the solid fact. Such
a development, however, caused press
representative to call upon Messrs. Lyon
& Healy with view to ascertain, if posi-
BILE, 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 their
headquarters in the large four story build
ing at the corner of State and Monroe
streets. Both members of the firm were
too deeply engrossed in their business
to spend much time in sat
isfying an inquisitor's curiosity,
bat he was able to learn that, in addition
to the immense stock which is display ed
in their large business house proper, they
have warehouse containing 1850 square
feet of floor room which is constantly
stocked with goods in bulk, good pro
portion of which is reshipped by them in
original cases, which are not opened until
they reach the consumers. In this store
house over 600 cases of musical merchan-
disc are kept constantly On hand to draw
from as the demands Of trade require.
The annual sales of Messrs. Lyon &,
Healy aggregate upwards of million
dollars, and they are the largest importers
Of musical goods in America by a consid-
cradle per cent. All this and much more
go to show that Chicago has uuquestiona-
bly, the largest general music house IN
the world. This is proud thing to be
able to say, and for the ability to say il
the city is in debt 10 the enterprise and
energy of Messrs. Lyon & Healy.