THE AUTOMATIC AGE
1_________________ CH ICAGO, F E B R U A R Y , 1926
N o. 7
N O V E N D IN G M A C H IN E STOCK P R O M O
TERS W IL L BE PERM ITTED TO
OPERATE IN C A L IF O R N IA
Sacramento, Calif.— Asserting that
he would not countenance any prop
osition that might result in violations
o f a state law, Edwin M. Daugherty,
■state corporation commissioner, to -
denied the application o f the
United Automatic Cigarette Corpany.
Vending machines which the company
Proposed to use would be accessible
to minors, the commissioner said,
calling attention to a section o f the
Penal code which provides that any
company which sells cigarettes to any
Person under 18 years o f age shall be
Punished. Daugherty declared the
Machines would afford easy opportun
ities fo r breaking this law. In addi
tion, he said, frequent convictions
"Would make the cost o f operation o f
the machines prohibitive.
The company applied to the depart
ment fo r a permit to sell $106,000
^orth o f stock. It proposed to in
stall 1300 machines in hotel lobbies,
cafes, parking stations, barber shops,
^°d other places. A number o f loca
tions were visited by an investigator
o f the department who discovered
that practically all occupants o f the
Premises were unprepared to watch
the machines so as to prevent minors
.om using them. A m ong the places
^sited by the ivnestigators were
sniall, dark lobbies, easy access to
Minors.
Records o f the department were
also given consideration showing that
pending machines have beep robbed
frequently and that slugs have been
**sed instead o f coins.
“ The records also show that the
© International Arcade Museum
cost o f servicing vending machines
has been prohibitive," Daugherty
adds, “ Recently the head o f a cake
company testified at a hearing in the
department that more than 800 o f its
vending machines were practically
junked while persons who invested in
them lost heavily. Still later w e were
told by a man who sold leases on a
pie and sandwich machine that he
took in nearly $2,000,000 and that in
vestors received about $15,000 in re
turn from their investment. Neither
o f these companies had permits from
this department. W ith showings o f
this character I do not believe widows
and others w ho cannot afford to
gamble should be placed in a posi
tion where they probably would lose
their savings. I f promoters want to
engage in ventures o f this kind they
must do so without the sanction o f
this department.”
Coming to the
Convention
Please send us a couple o f extra
copies o f the January issue o f the
Automatic A ge, we have an operator
friend who wants a little inform ation
on the Convention. He will com e up
with the writer.
JE N S E N -JE N S E N CO.,
Logansport, Ind.
New Operator
M. G. Finn, 4494 Colerain Avenue,
Cincinnati, Ohio, is a new operator.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/