Chicago Tribune, January 6, 1872
Edwards’ New Directory.
Edwards’ Directors, in reduced form, is now out, and probably in a week every one will have a copy of it. It ie neither as comprehensive nor as extensive as tho last, but he never published one which was looked for with wore impatience. It contains about 5,000 names of business firms, and the advertisers’ directory at the end is reliable. Under the circumstances, Mr. Edwards deserves great credit for the volume, the disadvantages under which he has labored being manifold and great. Had business wen noticed him, as requested, of their whereabouts, he would have done better; but, as it is, he has done exceedingly well.
Chicago Tribune, August 16, 1872
For the fifteenth time Richard Edwards, historian and statistician for Chicago, has issued his annual report of the progress of the city,— a publication which flatters us all, and is acceptable to us all, since there we find that niche and that possibility of immortality which is denied us in the cyclopedias, the Lives of Great Men, and even in the papers. Therefore, the greater the disgust a man feels when he finds that he has been wrongly labelled, that his house number is incorrectly given, and that he will go down to the limitless future as having lived at No. 248 Smith street, instead of No. 258. It is like an incorrect epitaph on a tomb-stone. But there are a few such inaccuracies that, like moles upon a woman’s face, they really are a most serviceable foil.
In fifteen long years we have been under obligations to Mr. Edwards for directories which have enabled us to hunt up our debtors, and to get track of our friends. But besides that, his directories serve, from year to year, to indicate the increase of the population of the city, and also of the number of business houses. To have a set of them would almost be to have a record of the city for the length of time they cover. But no one cares for an old directory. It is dismissed like a superannuated horse. This last one is in many respects an improvement upon its predecessors.—not in typography,for they have all been excellent in that respect, but as regards the amount of matter furnished. The book contains 1,194 pages, of which 938 are occupied by the list of names, the directory proper, the business directory, street and avenue guide, and the city and county record. The latter, which is very full, and is always serviceable, gives all desired information touch, leg our societies, churches, schools, libraries, and hospitals, as well as the names of the members of our Common Council, Boards of Police, Health, Education, etc, ward boundaries, fire limits, hack ordinances, street railroads, public halls, theatres, United States offices, etc. It has evidently been prepared with care, but, owing probably to tbe early day at which the first pages went to press, le not, in all respects, correct. Since July 2, the Board of Education has been greatly changed, and Mr. Kiokke has been appointed Police Commissioner in the place of Mr. Rehm. The boundaries of the Ninth Ward are not correctly given, and James E McLean is not Collector of Customs. These are about the only exceptions to its correctness, and they do not harm this title’s annual of information, which Mr. Edwards has obligingly famished us in a condensed form.
The list of names is a pretty safe basis upon which to calculate the population of the city, and, upon examining it for this year, it proves a most gratifying increase. There are published 126,174 names, It is customary in Eastern cities to estimate five and a half persons to a name, but that proportion will hardly hold good here, owing to the proportionately smaller number of women and the recent great influx of unmarried mechanics, laborers, etc. We keep within bounds, however, in estimating it at three and a half to a name, which gives 441.609, or 91,000 more than in 1870, and 210,000 more than in 1866, at which time it was looked upon as quite a city. This list also snows that the effects of the fire of last October upon the population was very transitory, and that it has made remarkably rapid progress despite that set-back.
The following is a comparative list of names under each letter for the years 1866, 1870, and 1872:
The following is a detailed statement on the name point:
There are 3,320 names that begin with letter A. Of these there are 47 Abbotts, 185 Adamses, 58 Alexanders, 691 Andersons, 85 Andrews, 140 Allens, 62 Armstrongs, 78 Arnolds, and 51 Austins—which are the most popular names among the As; an increase of 604 names.
Of the letter B, there are 11,579 names: 191 Bakers, 72 Baldwins 72 Barnseses, 110 Beckers, 90 Bells, 80 Bradleys, 73 Bradys, 690 Browns, 204 Burkes, 211 Burnses, and 95 Butlers. Beck, Bennett, Bishop, Black, Blake, Bowen, and Brook are also among ih« prominent names ia letter B; an increase of 2,183 names.
The letter C numbers 8,955 names. Of these 170 are Campbells, 90 Carpenters, 147 Carrolls, 115 Caseys, 410 Clarks, 100 Coles, 203 Collinses, 75 Connells, 81 Conways, 200 Cooks, 70 Coopers, 85 Cunninghams, and 76 Curtises; an increase of 1,389 names.
Under the letter D there are 5,700 names. Of these there are 271 Davises; Days, 70; Deans, 64; Donohues, 77; Doyles, 135; Duffys, 70; Dunns, 140; Dwyers, 70; among the most prominent names in this letter are Daleys, Danielses, Day, Dodge, Drake, Drew, and the Douglases; an increase of 1,060 names.
There are only 2,386 whose names commence with E. The Edwardses are 88 in number; the Egans, 60; Elliotts, 60; Ellises, 55; Ericksons, 125, and Evanses 105; an increase of 360 names.
The letter F includes 4,648 names. The Farwells are 105 in number; Fields, 40; Fishers, 396; Fitzgeralds, 175; Flynns, 90; Foleys, 95; Fords, 78; Fosters, 85: Foxes, 84; Franks, 93; Frenchs, 76; and the Fullers are 85. Fitzpatricks, Fowlers, and Freemans are well represented in letter F. There is a gain of 211 names.
There are 5,899 names In the letter G. Gallaghers are 78 in number; Gardners, 76; Gleasons, 85; Gormans, 86; Grahams, 90; Greens, 147; Grays, 85; Griffins, 100; there are also 70 Grants, and several of the Greeleys, which comprise the most prominent names in the letter G. The increase in this letter is 1,067 names.
In the letter H there are 10,089 names,—189 Halls, 50 Hamiltons, 180 Hansons, 126 Harrises, 305 Harts, 170 Hayeses, 130 Hills, 125 Hoffmans, 105 Hogans, 100 Hugheses; an increase of 1,819 names.
There are only 436 names in letter I. Among the most numerous are the Ingersolls, Irwins, and the Iversons; an increase of 47 names.
Letter J numbers 3,088 names, 995 of which are Johnsons, 370 Joneses, and 145 Jacksons; an increase of 218 names.
There are 6,276 names under letter K, among which are 994 Kellys, 134 Kennedys, 170 Kings, 70 Kochs, while Kane, Keating, Kehoe, Kline, Knight are among the most prominent names in letter K; an increase of 1,694 names.
Letter L numbers 6,146 names, among which are 190 Lynchs, 130 Lyonses, 105 Longs, 131 Lewises, 195 Lees, and Lawrences, Lanes, Livingstones, Leonards are also prominent in this letter. There is a gain of 1,442 names.
Letter M numbers 11,589 names. There are 3,052 Mcs, 576 Millers, 427 Murphys, 357 Myerses, 264 Martins, 200 Moores, and 185 Mitchells; a gain of 1,994 names.
There are 2,639 names under the letter N. Nelsons, Nortons, and Newmans are the most prominent names in this letter; an increase of 789 names.
Under letter O, there are 2,892 names, 325 of which are O’Briens; O’Connors, O’Donnells and O’Neils, are about the the same. The Olsons number 280, the increase of 656 names.
There are 5,804 names under letter P. Parkers 160; Petersons 175 ; Phillips, 150; and Powers 320; a gain of 1,620 names.
There are only 39l names under the letter Q. A decrease 33 names. Quinns, 105, and Quinians 69, are about the only prominent names in this letter.
Letter R has 6,285 names. Of these there are 382 Ryanses. The Reeds, Rogerses, Russells are the most prominent names in this letter, making an increase of 1,620.
S is the leading letter in the Directory,-numbering 13,915 names, among which are 1,160 Smiths, 287 Sullivans, and 120 Stewarts; a gain of 3,115 names.
Letter T has 3,967 names: 200 Taylors, 170 Thomases, 315 Thompsons, and 100 Turners, making a gain of 1,234 names.
Letter U numbers only 415 names, of which the Undersons are the most prominent.
There are 1,218 names in the letter V, not many of which are spelled alike. The increase is 255 names.
W has 8,256 names under its head, of which 140 are Wagners, 125 Walkers, 170 Walshes, 125 Wards, 275 Whites. 406 Williamses, and 315 Wilsons, making a gain of 1,932 names,
In letter X there in not a single same.
Y has 499 names, 19D of which are Youngs, the most prominent name in the letter. An increase of 144 names.
The letter Z numbers 382 names, Zimmerman being the only name of any prominence. The last name in the book is Zwoll. No increase.
The following is an abstract of the business report compared with the one for 1872, which shows a very general increase. There is a gratifying dime in the number of dentists and physicians. The insurance companies have also fallen off:
These are the principal features of the Directory. Of course, everybody who has the money will buy one, and will see for himself a number of matters of interest which are not touched upon here.
Chicago Tribune, February 16, 1873
Edwards’ New Supplement Directory,
embracing thousands of changes and removals since the publication of the large Directory, has just been issued. This book is indispensable to business men, and is worth ten times its value to every purchaser. Price, $2. For sale by the agents and at the book stores.
Chicago Tribune, August 9, 1873
The Chicago Directory for 1873, compiled by Richard Edwards, will be ready for delivery in a few days. In the meanwhile, we have been furnished by the publisher with proofs of the preface to his work, and are thus enabled to lay before the public the valuable information relative to the population and growth of this city, which has been worked up and tabulated by Mr. Edwards. His constant comparisons with St. Louis are owing to the fact that Mr. Edwards has been personally attacked by the press of that city, and the accuracy of his work steadily denied.
The Chicago Directory of 1860 contained 28,708 names; that of 1860, 70,103; that of 1870, 100,555, and the new one, 133,043. Assuming that each name represents three and a half persons, the total population of the city would bo 465,170, or 168,738 more than was give by the Government census of 1870. This difference, however, is partly owing to the defective character of that census, as was shown by the one subsequently taken by Mr. Edwards. So for as his ratio of three and a half is concerned, every person who pays any attention to the population in his own neighborhood will find that all the private families around him so far exceed that number per household as to compensate for the unmarried people, and for those who are packed in boarding-houses and hotels, who constitute in this city only about ten and a half persons out of every hundred; while in St. Louis eighteen out of every hundred come under that category. Therefore, estimating by the names in the St. Louis Directory, that place has a population of 201,628, or a little less than was shown by the United States enumeration of three years ago.
The Rapid Increase of Chicago,
as shown by the now Directory, might bo questioned, were it not for the immense amount of labor which has been bestowed upon the collection of these data, and the care with which every fact has been sifted and arranged. The likelihood of fraud is really less in those Directory statistics than in the census figures of the Federal Government. The latter are filed away beyond all reach of verification. The former are in the hands of everyone. Any person who chooses can take the book and hunt up every firm or person mentioned in it. Until the Directory figures have failed to meet this test, they can bo relied upon.
In addition to the business catalogue and the Directory proper, this volume will contain a great amount of valuable information relating to the political organization of the city, county, and State, the 212 churches. 83 benevolent and public societies, 49 Masonic and 110 other secret societies, the 1,100 public streets, 80 odd newspapers, and 31 railroad companies, etc.
Chicago and St. Louis Compared.
In order to enable the reader to test the correctness of these statements relative to the comparative population of St. Louis and Chicago, Mr. Edwards gives the following table, by letters, of the number of names in the Directories of the two cities for 1860, 1866, 1870, and 1873:
Business Statistics.
So much concerning the population. As regards business statistics, Mr. Edwards’ figures aro full and very satisfactory. The following table shows the number of business houses, by an actual count, as reported in the commercial reports issued in July, 1873, by the three mercantile agencies of R. G. Dun & Co., Tappau, McKillop & Co., and J. M. Bradstreet & Son:
These figures show, when averaged, that the number of business houses in Chicago is 68 per cent greater than the number in St. Louis. The commercial agencies do not, however, claim to bo exhaustive in their reports. The two Directories, when called into requisition upon this point, show totals as follows:
The details of these business statistics follow, in a table which has been prepared with great care, and which will prove both interesting and useful.
From these figures it will be seen that, while St. Louis, by dint of reckoning over several times each of her dealers who have several businesses, slightly excels Chicago in the number of her savings banks, shoemakers, foundries, wholesale grocers, ice-dealers, iron-workers, lithographers, tin and copper workers, white lead makers, upholsterers, and undertakers, Chicago overwhelmingly excels St. Louis in every one of a hundred and thirty other branches of business. Against her 29 banks and banking offices, Chicago shows 70; against her 187 retail dry goods houses, Chicago shows 239; and in wholesale dry goods houses Chicago has 20 firms to balance her 10, and one of Chicago’s firms would offset the biggest half-dozen of St. Louis’. In retail groceries—a good test of the number and character of consumers—Chicago has 1,107, St. Louis 541; in flour and food. Chicago 137, St. Louis 72; in retail hardware, Chicago 139, St. Louis 34; in hotels, Chicago 105, St, Louis 74; in real estate firms, Chicago 642, St. Louis 85; in furniture, Chicago 230, St. Louis 104: and so on through the list.
It appears by the Directories that there are 28 railroad companies located in St. Louis, and 81 in Chicago; but the proportion between the railroad facilities of the two cities is at least times in favor of Chicago,—a ratio which is more than sustained by the latest statistics on the subject of railroads. Taking Poor’s Manual for 1873 as authority, and leaving out of the count all of the great trunk railways to the seaboard (in which Chicago has the advantage of her “rival” at least three to one), we find there are 8,483 miles of railroad converging at Chicago, and 2,745 miles—less than one-third—converging at St. Louis. This footing gives St. Louis the benefit of one-third the mileage of the Illinois Central and Chicago & Alton Roads, and leaves to Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado their own local roads, except such as are operated directly by Chicago or St. Louis corporations. This makes no account of the thousands of miles of railroad already under contract into Chicago, as the Chicago & Northern Pacific Air Lino (150 miles), the Chicago, Omaha St. Joseph (210 miles), the Chicago & Paducah (200 miles), the Chicago, Hamilton & Western (coal road), the Chicago & Wisconsin Midland, etc., etc. We find by the same authority that the name of Chicago appears in the title of 15 railroads, and St. Louis in that of 15.
The records of the Post-Office Department at Washington show that there were collected and delivered in Chicago and St. Louis during the month of June, 1873, letters to the following number:
The aggregate daily newspaper circulation of Chicago is about 98,000; that of St. Louis, 40,000.
In reference to the delay which has occurred in the issue of this book, Mr. Edwards says that the canvass began on the 1st of May, with a larger force than was ever before employed, but that the marked growth of the city, the confusion and frequent change of localities arising from the fire, and the desire which the author felt to make the canvass exceptionally thorough, will probably be regarded as satisfactory reasons for the extra time consumed.
The remainder of the preface is devoted to a very animated defense of Mr. Edwards against the charges made by the St. Louis papers, and he is able to show from their own columns that up to a recent period he was held in high favor in their city, and became obnoxious there only because his Chicago census report showed that the latter city was, in population, far ahead of the rival one on the Mississippi.
Chicago Tribune, May 3, 1874
Lakeside City Directory.
On Monday, May 4, we commence the active canvass for directory information. To insure correctness, we would ask the public to give canvassers information promptly. Advertisers are reminded that their favors must be handed in within ten days.
WILLIAMS, DONNELLEY & Co.,
Room 1, Lakeside Building.
Chicago Tribune, June 14, 1874
The publishers of City Directories in late years seem to misinterpret the real scope of such works. Instead of issuing their volumes promptly for the accommodation of the public, they concentrate their efforts on the preparation of statistics which are intended to strike terror into the hearts of municipal rivals, and which are generally a rehash of what the newspapers have already printed. While the subscribers are waiting for the new Chicago Directory, the publishers are pursuing the same course as their predecessors. It is very gratifying to know that nearly 19,000 additional names have been added since 1873; that a fair estimate on this basis shows Chicago to have a population of more than half a million; that we are a couple of hundred thousand ahead of St. Louis, etc., etc.; but it would be more gratifying to have a directory in hand which would tell us where John Smith lives when we want to find him. The sooner the publishers attain this practical end of issuing a directory, the better will they discharge their duty to their subscribers and the public.
The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874-75
No recent census has been taken, but the proportion usual in numbering from a good Directory corresponds in this case with every other hypothesis. The total number of names in this book is 151,918—which, multiplied by the usual figure (3½) shows our population to be 531,713; and adding, say, 30,000 of the suburban residents, at having daily business in the city, and we have a grand total of 561,713 residents. But the far greater question is whether the past rate of increase is to continue?
Chicago Weekly Post, June 18, 1874
THE NEW DIRECTORY
Important Pacts Gleaned From the Proof-Sheets.
A new business and city directory will soon be published by Messrs. Williams, Donnelly & Co., which contains some interesting commercial information. It claims that manufactures in Chicago have increased in ten years at the rate of 682½ per cent, while in New York the rate has been but 209½; the dealings in merchandise have also increased very much. The total receipts of grain for the entire year 1872, of all cereals, were equal to 88,426,842 bushels. For the entire year 1873, they passed a hundred million bushels. Ending with the shipments for 1872, and going back thirty-five years to the first 78 bushels ever shipped, there is found to have been an average shipment of 39,789,865 bushels a year, a grand total of 1,432,435,140 bushels of grain, equal two years ago to a bushel apiece for the human race.
There were in 1873, 4,603,362 hogs and cattle packed here to 463,793 for St. Louis in the same time The lumber trade for that year in Chicago shows the following receipts: Lumber feet 417,980,570; shingles number 436,827,375. There ware 12,824 vessels entered with an aggregate tonnage of 3,059,752 including 43,802 tonnage in 152 foreign vessels. There are only counting those lines which are tributary to this city 10,101 miles of railroad track used. Chicago is claimed to appear in the corporate names of railroads amounting to nearly a third of the whole in the United States. The debt of the city is fixed at $70,000,000.
“The present area of Chicago is thirty-five square miles in which in comparison with New York there is no crowded locality. As population increases, suburban area extends as business increases, the business centers multiply. The former is well shown by the fact that 40,000 people inhabit sixty-four suburban villages within twenty miles of the Court House; the latter by the fact that the best business lots seldom reach $20 per square foot, while in London and New York, ground on which no more business is done might be paved with gold for their price. Also, the fact that Potter Palmer’s Hotel stands on soil bought in 1866, below $1.50 per square foot, and similar facts. Of public pleasure grounds there are 2,353 acres more than an acre to every ten acres or 200 inhabitants within the city limits.” The business population is 151,918; the total 531,708.
On the basis of the rate of increase in Cook County, as compared with that of New York and Boston, the population here twelve years hence will be one million. The preface to Messrs. Williams Donnelly & Co’s Directory is well written and argues that the whole is carefully and thoroughly prepared.
The following are a few of the strange names with the number of people owning them: Ash, 15; Bass, 8; Birch, 7; Briar, 1; Burr, 18; Bush, 51; Greenleaf, 8; Greenwood, 19; Groves, 16; Heath, 26; Heather, 1; Hedges, 10; Blessing, 7; Bliss, 41; Blood, 6; Bloom, 15; Book, 2; Bootjack, 1; Boss, 5; Botch, 2; Bottles, 2; Beer, 8; Grace, 22; Guest, 6; Guinea, 1; Happy, 2; Hate, 1; Hazard, 11; Heldback, 3; “Peter Funk,” 4; Bacon, 20; Bean, 14; Berry, 85; Butter, 2; Egg, 2; Fish, 42; Flesh, 2; Grain, 2; Grub, 2; Ham, 12; Duck, 4; Goslin, 3; Heifers, 1; Doll, 17; Hat, 1; Hay, 13; Head, 11; Brick, 6; Buggy, 2; Buttons, 7; Battles, 5; Castle, 11; Drum, 4; Fife, 3; Gore, 10.
The number of houses engaged in various trades and occupations are as follows :
Agricultural implements, 19; architects, 95; banks and bankers, 84; boots and shoes (wholesale), 37; clothing (wholesale), 17; commission merchants, 519; dry goods (wholesale and commission), 32; furniture manufacturers, 85; foundries, 29; grocers, wholesale, 72; hardware, wholesale, 41; hotels, 117; iron works, 29; insurance companies and agencies, 223; lawyers and notaries, 857; newspapers, 132; planing mills, 44; real estate dealers and agents, 822.
Chicago Tribune, June 21, 1874
THE NEW DIRECTORIES.
The great aim of directory-makers in Chicago hitherto has been to prove Chicago a city of surprising importance. As this is already an axiom, the compilers seem to miss the point. What is wanted is, a directory which will give an unerring list of names with reliable places of residence. The wonderful growth and overpowering population dodge is a little old. St. Louis has learned it at last, and her directory-makers have jumped clear out of reason. We are content, therefore, in considering the first directory issued this year, to compliment the Lakeside Publishing Company upon their enterprise, the neat typographical appearance of their work, and their correctness, so far as can be ascertained from a dozen names chosen haphazard. Exclusive of advertisements proper, the directory has 1,432 pages very neatly printed, and solidly bound. The front cover has a good gilt stamp of the Tremont House, and is otherwise handsome. As the first directory issued by this popular house, the present is a great success. Competition is the soul of trade, and the Lakeside Company have made a leap of three weeks in advance of the ordinary date of issue.
In addition to the general directory, is an abbreviated business directory, on the London plan, printed and published by G. J. Roberts & Co.. 148 Clark street,—a very useful and carefully prepared volume. It contains a distance map of the city with a radius of eight miles from the Court-House, with half mile circles, showing the distance of almost any point from the centre of business. There is also a city and county record, and a schedule showing the arrival and departure of mails by different railroads, as well as the postage on foreign letters; a business directory of the streets, together with the number of prominent business houses on the street; the number of business offices and names of their occupants, and finally a classified business directory of the city.
The two volumes together are complete, if reliable. Time and experience only will show their value in this respect. Certainly no directory ever looked better or promised so well.
Inter Ocean, June 22, 1875
The Inter-Ocean has received from Messrs. Donnelley, Loyd & Co. advance sheets of the prefatory address to the patrons of the new city directory from which we excerpt the following statistics:
Assuming that each name in the directory represents a family of three, which is rather below than above actual average, the population of the three cities would compare as follows:
The following table of professions, employments, etc., is also of peculiar interest, as it shows that in nearly every department of business Chicago leads her ambitious rivals (advance sheet on left, actual published sheet on right):
Inter Ocean, June 27, 1876
THE NEW CHICAGO DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside Directory for the city of Chicago for the present year has just been issued to the public. It is quite voluminous, covering 1,310 pages with closely-printed matter, the names contained within its cover being 153,335. This gives the city an estimated population of 536,673, am increase over last year of 25,172. Of this number the M’s have added the largest number, 746, and the A’s have added only 34. I’s, X’s, and Y’s do not seem to thrive in Chicago, for they show a decrease below of last year of 24, 1, and 72 respectively. The Smiths, as usual, blossom out strong, there being 91 of the straight Johns. All the Ann Smiths named in the directory are widows, while the whole family, including the ones with a “y,” fill 17 columns of the volume. The O’s, beginning with O’Brien and winding up with O’Toole, take up 21 columns, and the sturdy race of Mc’s use 50 columns of space.
The advocates of woman’s suffrage will find but little to meet their views in the pages of the book, as but very few women appear in the conductors of business, most of them being marked as widows. Thirty-one, however, appear as music teachers, 1 as a loan agent, 1 as a lawyer, 1 as a proprietor of a theater, 9 artists, 1 woman keeps a barber shop, and 2 are the engineers of bath rooms. Boarding houses, bakeries, and stationery establishments without limit are presided over by the fair sex, and they loom up well in the saloon line.
One Mr. Aal has the honor of opening the directory, and a gentlemen delighting in the cognomen of Zwisele closes the list. Of course nothing like a close analysis of the work is here attempted, for that would be the work of weeks, but in a cursory overlooking the above facts appear. The publishers have figured up that our suburb at the other end of the bridge is 163,981 behind us in the matter of population, and that while we have made the gain above noted St. Louishas lost 8,130 within the past year. Two thousand five hundred and one saloons furnish us with spiritual comfort, while the village just mentioned has but 1,135. This may account for the increase of population on the one hand and the shrinkage on the other. The 25,172 people which we have gained during the last year cannot be smooth-shaven men, for it takes only 34 more barbers to do the tonsorial this year than it did in 1875. Unfortunately, there are only 8 more life insurance agents here now than last year, but by a strict attention to businesses they can, in the course of a twelve month, get around to every one of the 25,172 at least once, which will satisfy the 25,172. There are 125 hotels in Chicago, while visitors to St. Louis have only 71 to choose among. There are 725 physicians and surgeons, and only 40 undertakers, a fact which it is unnecessary to comment on. It requires 804 milliners abd dressmakers to keep our feminine population “looking decent,” and 715 boot and shoe dealers to furnish understanding for the Chicagoans.
Chicago Tribune, July 1, 1877
Messrs. Donnelley, Loyd & Co. have just completed the Lakeside Annual Directory for 1877-78, and the books will be ready for delivery Monday. The publishers in their preface state that two important changes have been made in the general plan of the work,—the first, a continuation of their former policy; the second originating with their present volume. In the first place, they are compelled to adopt a more condensed style of giving the names and addresses. They have also cut down the floaters,—persons holding a residence of only a few weeks or months, such as those brought here by the opening of navigation, etc. In the next place it is stated that in large Eastern cities it is the custom to exclude such names as give only a business address, or place where employed without residence or boarding-place,—such as “John Manny, car-driver, Chicago City Railway.” This information is usually obtained from pay-roils of large establishments, and is the main source of names without addresses that appear in a directory. In all cases, however, where there are valid reasons for not giving the residence, or where persons are traveling and have a permanent business location instead of being merely temporarily employed by others, such information as can be had is always given. It is found useless to give the names of persons belonging to transitory trades, as for instance waiters in hotels and restaurants. The fact that the Chicago directory, notwithstanding this severe pruning, contains some 39,000 more names than the St. Louis one, which indicates the Chicago publishers reject, seems to seems to occasion no little vexation to the neighboring city. The St. Louis newspapers are filled with startling statements of that city, but give no figures. The Chicago publishers, more honest in their way of doing business, append a tabular statement of the actual number of names recorded in the directories of each city for the present year, and a table of the number of persons and firms engaged in the more prominent branches of business.
The following table shows the comparative number of names in the Chicago and St. Louis directories for the present year:
Total population as shown by number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name:
The following table gives the comparative number of persons following the principal professions and employments in this city and St. Louis:
These figures are eminently satisfactory, and are a good proof of the thoroughness with which the publishers have gotten up their book.
In typographical appearance, and so far in the completeness, it is fully the equal of previous publications.
Inter Ocean, July 2, 1877
THE NEW CITY DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside Annual Directors, which has just come out, more than equals its predecessors. A complete general and business directory, it is a volume which every business man in the city should have at hand. The publishers have very wisely omitted the names of persons belonging to the merely transitory classes that form a large portion of the population of all large cities, and which are published in and go to make up the directories of St. Louis. Notwithstanding. however, the omission of this considerable part of our own city, the new Lakeside Directory contains 39,000 names more than the St. Louis Directory, which, as above stated, contains the names of this transitory population. As these, 39,000 names represent the heads of families, they indicate a majority of 137,616 souls above the population of St. Louis. It is sufficient, in conclusion, to say that Donnelley, Loyd & Co., the publishers. have got up a very handsome and presentable volume.
Inter Ocean, June 27, 1878
VERY ROUGH ON ST. LOUIS.
The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago” will be issued by Messrs. Donnelly, Loyd & Co. in a day or two. Its compiler, Thomas Hutchinson, may be congratulated upon its apparent completeness. The increase of population during the past year, taking into consideration the excestionally depressing influences of the times. is very statifying. Altogether there are 153,607 names recorded, gain over last year 4,481. Comparing the Chicago and St. Louis directories of the past year with those or the present the following is the condition of the case:
- In 1877—Chicago, 149,126 names; St. Louis, 109,807 names; excess of Chicago, 39,319. In 1878—Chicago, 153,607 names; St. Louis, 108,120 names: excess of Chicago, 45,487. Thus during the past year Chicago has gained 4,481 names, while St. Louis has lost 1,687 names. The total population, as shown by number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name is: Chicago, 153,607×3½—537.624; St. Louis, 108,120×3½—378,420; excess of Chicago, 45,187×3—159,214.
Chicago Daily Telegraph, June 28, 1878
The New City Directory.
Donnelly, Gassette & Loyd have issued for the present the Lakeside Directory year. It is, as usual, a valuable work, attractive in appearance, and evidently thoroughly accurate.
The Commercial Advertiser, July 1, 1878
CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS.
The honest and reliable Chicago City Directory for 1878 is out. In looking through its contents we feel impelled to compliment its compiler, Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, for the careful and conscientious manner in which he has performed his arduous and responsible work. It is highly gratifying to observe that he is guiltless of the glaring monstrous deception practiced by Mr. Gould, the compiler of the St Louis Directory; for Mr. Hutchinson has not resorted to the infamous means of amplifying his work by canvassing the cemeteries taking down the names of long defunct residents; neither has he incorporated the name of every bellboy boot blacks, servant girl, transient hotel guest, peripatetic lightning rod peddler, and homeless tramp in the city.
Despite all these things, the Chicago Directory, on a fair and honest basis, makes a very creditable showing of the growth and prosperity of the Western metropolis. The volume contains 153,607 names, again of 4,481 over 1877. The compiler says: “Taking into consideration the exceptionally depressing influences of the times which particularly affect cities, this substantial addition to our population is very gratifying.
Comparing the Directories of Chicago and St. Louis for 1878, the following exhibit:
While Chicago has gained 4,481 names during the last year, St. Louis has lost 1,687. The total population of each city as shown by the number of names recorded, allowing 3½ persons to each name is:
Inter Ocean, June 28, 1879
FACTS FROM THE NEW DIRECTORY.
The Lakeside annual Directory of the city of Chicago for 1879 has just been issued from the press of the publishers, Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd. It is a handsome-looking, well-printed volume of over 1,700 pages, and is issued considerably in advance of former volumes. It contains 161,212 names, which, at the rate at which population is counted, is equal to 537,373 souls; a very handsome showing, and one which is no doubt nearly correct. The Directory shows an increase of 7,605 names over that of last year. As usual, the volume contains a large amount of carefully compiled general information touching the churches. schools, societies, and government of the city.
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