10
T he A
WHO
u t o m a t ic
A ge
IN D IV ID U A L L Y OPERATES TH E
LARGEST N U M B E R OF G U M
V E N D IN G M A C H IN E S ?
J. W . Graves, Large Gum Manufacturer and Form er Operator Tells o f His
Having Operated 16,000 Ball Gum Machines
A reporter o f the A U T O M A T IC
AG E during the past month inter
viewed Mr. J. W . Graves, President
o f the Flatbush Gum Company. Dur
ing the conversation, Mr. Graves was
asked about the number o f machines
he operated before he organized one
o f the largest ball gum manufactur
ing plants in the country. A fter con
sulting the records it was learned
that Mr. Graves some three or four
years ago had in operation over 16,
000 ball gum machines at one time.
T h is p r o m p t s
th e
in te r e s tin g -
qu ery
as t o w h o is th e la r g e s t o p e r a t o r o f
vending machines. W e would like to
hear from the many larger operators
as to the number o f machines ser
viced. In th e m e a n tim e , we are g o
ing to tell you a little about the inter
esting Mr. Graves.
He is now 42 years o f age and until
about eight years ago when he
started his present gum manufactur
ing business in the Bush Terminal
Building in Brooklyn, N. Y., Graves
had fo r twenty-five years travelled all
over the United States, operating dif
ferent machines in various sections,
so he can be truly called a pioneer
operator. His life as an operator
was not entirely without experiences.
When he decided to put a new ball
gum machine in New Y ork City and
adjacent points, there was consider
able opposition to his plans and even
sabotage was resorted to. One inter
esting incident is reported about an
over-anxious competitor suggesting
to the supply houses that a letter be
© International Arcade Museum
sent to all operators in the New York
City territory telling how the new
ball gum machines could be easiest
put out o f order. In spite o f this
opposition Graves plugged ahead and
soon had over 15,000 machines in
operation.
It soon became apparent to Mr.
Graves that he was using a sufficient
amount o f ball gum to profitably
manufacture it himself and about this
time he started the Flatbush Gum
Company. Since then the demand fo r
the Flatbush ball frum has constantly
increased until at the present time
they claim to operate the largest
plant in the world devoted exclusively
to the manufacture o f ball gum.
Just the Thing
Enclosed please find check fo r one
dollar ($1.00) for subscription to the
A U T O M A T IC AGE. W e feel that
it is just the thing' that the vending
machine business has been in need
o f fo r a long time.
TH E YU -CH U CO.,
Newark, N. J.
When a steam cap exploded in the
engine o f the Empire State Express
on the New York Central recently,
the engine ran pilotless, enveloped in
scalding steam fo r more than an
eighth o f a .mile while the engineer
and his fireman clung to the side o f
the swaying monster waiting a chance
to bring it under control.
In India it is considered bad luck
fo r a man to marry an educated or
a widowed woman.
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