Norwich bulletin., 1909-11-13

Charles H. Klinck, owner of the three story brick building at the corner of State and Bank streets, known as the Stafford building is considering tempting proposition from tobacco concern with a chain of retail stores In nearly every city of importance in the country for the lease of the ground floor. which includes three stores. Should the offer be accepted, tho kce- ney store that has occupied the corner for half a century will cease to con- tinue as a prominent landmark Of the city. 1t is the most advantageous site for a retail business in the city and the enterprising tobacco company repre- sentatives realize that fact and expect to reap the benefit. Prior to the place beingNlxnown as Keeneys corner it was the Lyon corner. and as such it Is knowH,.today by the older residents.
 Tn those good old whaling days that We hear occasionally referred to by some of the old chaps about town the entire Stafford building and also the granite Lawrence building ad1otn- ing in Bank street and occupied in part by P l.. Shea, was utilized in the man ufacture and sale of clothing hats and caps. and gave employment to large number of tailors. addresses, hat and cap makers. cutters and clerks. This concern was conducted by Lyons and Robbins for years and finally Thomas M Lyon became the sole proprietor. With the decline of the whaling indus try this vast business dwindled and finally closed. Mir Lyon was one of the promoters of the old Pequot house and for a time resided in the little white house that used to stand on the now Billings P. Learned property ad- joining the Pequot property and pEor to that he lived in the house in Bank street nearly opposite the custom house and now occupied in part by Rudolph 1T. Seibler. All the family of Thomas NJ. Lyon have passed away but he has several nephews and nieces still resi-. dent in New London who are engaged in an active business life.
 Some of the prominent cutters Of that time who were in the employ of Mr. Lyon. only the name of Stillman and Stahleger can now be recalled. and also that of Dobbs. the natter. who afterwards became a leading manufac- turer of hats in New York city. In fact the only one that the writer can now recall who was in the employ of Mir. Lyon and now resident in this city is Benjamin A. Armstrong, president Of the Branerd and Armstrong silk com pany and father of ex-Mayor Benjamin T.. Armstrong. He was employed as a Clerk and at very small wages, for in those days while wages were low SO were the general conditions that went to make up a livelihood. The average pay Of the custom tailors was nine dol lars a week and it was a part of Clerk Armstrong's duties to hand the em- ployes their weekly earnings. In talk ing Of the old Lyons store not SO very many years ago Mir. Armstrong re- marked that when he was clerking fin the store and saw men step up to the desk and receive their nine dollars a week that he would have been glad of the privilege to have signed an agree ment to work for the firm as long as he lived for nine dollars a week. It was big money to him at that time.
 Since the retirement Of the Thomas M. Lyon business the Stafford building has been used for varied purposes. but only the older residents can recollect beyond the time when there was no Keeney store at the corner of State and Bank streets.