I.
UDITED
STATES
{l
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
16
FOR
NOVEMBER
1946
New York
Boston
Baltimore
We had occasion to visit the 38th Na•
tional Business Show during its stay at
Grand Central Palace and found occasion
to marvel at the world of new gadgets de•
signed to make U. S. business more busi•
ness•like. One of the gadgets took our eye
at once--an electric typewriter with three
feathers (and they weren't rigged, either
-honest!) doing the typing. That was
fine until we _got to another typewriter that
was sitting all by itself typing away faster
than you can say "Boo." Then we got to
some of the really complicated stuff-
machines that will multiply 2965873 x
10466519 in a split second, and gadgets like
that, and it struck us at once that if only
he could cater to a trade made up of
mechanically•minded males he could do a
whirlwind business with a coin chute on
some of these things. Most men who
haven't seen 'em in action would drop quite
a number of nickels to see how they work.
AMI's vice•president DeWitt Eaton made
the New York papers with a story date-
lined Chicago wherein he said a nickel
wasn't enough, in these times, for coin•
trolled music. "What this country needs
is a good lO•cent juke box." he declared.
"The cost of making, operating and servic•
ing juke boxes has gone up like everything
else. Unless operators get out of the groove
and charge 10 cents they're going to lose
their shirts." Sad news for the teen•ager
. . . or for pop, if he has to fork ovar the
kids' allowance.
However that may be, there's an en-
couraging (for the public) report from
Statler Distributors, Inc. This firm has
With more equipment being produced,
resulting in a consequent greater revenue
for operators, the vending machine in•
dustry in New England is, in some respects
even in a better position than t.h at of a
month ago. The increase in prices of candy
and .chewing gum, however, is upsetting
to the divisions of the industry handling
this merchandise. Due to the trucking
strike, transportation difficulties between
New York and Boston prevent quick de•
livery. While in a normal situation, equip•
ment could be delivered over night by
truck, now two weeks is required by
freight.
The World Series was a magnet for a
number of operators in distant cities. They
were guests of distributors, who had done
their utmost to secure tickets for the base.
ball games. While here, they naturally
combined business with pleasure, looking
over machines. Among the hosts was Ed
Ravreby, of Associated Amusements, Inc.,
who entertained visitors from New York,
Cincinnati and Chicago.
The Membership Drive of NAMA in
Region l progressed in volume and speed
under the chairmanship of Edward E.
Adams, of Mills Automatic Merchandising
Corp. New England was tops during the
drive, but it was expected that the final
figures would be announced at the Conven•
tion at Chicago.
Edward M. Ravreby, chairman of the
Automatic Coin Machine Vendors section
for the Greater Boston Drive of the Sal•
vation Army for $1,000,000, as previously
announced, has David S. Bond, of Trimount
There have been some very interesting
developments in the tax picture during the
month, a full report of which appeared
in the last issue of THE REVIEW. Readers
will recall that C. Markland Kelly, presi•
dent of the City Council, announced that
he would advocate a tax on pinball ma•
chines and similar devices when the
Council reconvened. Since then, of course,
local coinmen have been keeping their
eyes on the papers for future happenings.
We are happy to report that things are
looking up. Here are a few of the factors
that have helped brush away the gloom:
1. Kelly has not come forth with his
proposal, although the Council is now back
in session.
2. The Board of Estimates has already
slashed over $1,500,000 from the $74,•
454,445 aggregate of 1947 general fund
budget requests of various city departments.
At subsequent meetings, the Estimates
boys hope to cut out an additional half
million, with further reductions in prospect.
The immensity of this budget request-
more than $14,000,000 in excess of 1946
appropriations was what prompted people
(See BALTIMORE, Page 47)
(See NEW YORK, Page 18)
(See BOSTON, Page 20)
WE TAKE ·THE GAMBLE
WHEN YOU BUY FROM US!
Any Machine We Sell Is Guaranteed to Satisfy or the Ship-
ment Can Be Returned Within Five Days After' Delivery for
Full Cash Refund of Purchase Price Less the Transportation
charges.
GET OUR PRICES
MILLS
MILLS
MILLS
MILLS
GOLD CHROME BELLS
MILLS
SILVER CHROME BELLS
MILLS
BROWN FRONT BELLS
MILLS
BLUE FRONT BELLS
MILLS
BAKERS PACERS
CHERRY BELLS
BONUS BELLS
MELON BELLS
CLUB CONSOLES
ALL MODELS-ALL COIN PLAYS
We Specialize In Rebuilding MIiis Slots and Paces Races
SEE .US FOR PACES RACES -
Service and Supplies
BAKER NOVELTY CO.
<.
1700 WASHINGTON BLVD., CHICAGO 12, ILL.
S1. Louis
Just as operators in general felt that
"things were opening up" distributors be.
gan reporting slow deliveries and ship-
ments again-and thus many location
owners who promised new phonographs and
pin games by October 1 are still struggling
with the old equipment.
The first "completely air.conditioned"
coin machine office in St. Louis opened up
in early October, when veteran operator
Lou Morris moved into his new quarters
at 3001 Olive St. Lou put thirty years of
experience into laying out his new offices
which include modern repair shops, sepa:
rate display rooms for Gottlieb and Genco
products distributed by the fi~. "It's time
I got down in the center of things," Lou
reports-after many years in a compara•
lively isolated location on Manchester Ave.
The weird situation in the National
League, which saw both the Dodgers and
the St. Louis Cardinals "back into a tie,"
(See ST. LOUIS, Page 21)
WANTED
TO BUY FOR CASH
Chester Pollard
Football Games .................... $75.00
Chester Pollard
Golf Machines ........................ 20.00
Need not be In working condition
but must have all parts.
IDEAL NOVELTY COMPANY
Phone, Franklin 5544
2823 Locust St.
St. Louis 3, Mo.