to vacate his present location. So Tri·
State, which specializes in pop corn ma-
chines, is seeking to buy a much larger
building, having outgrown present quarters.
Another new Launderette, equipped with
Bendix automatic machines, has started up
in Pittsburgh proper, making it the second
launched here. Frank H. Collins is the
operator, with a large store room at North
Negley Ave. and Harvard St. It is just on
the edge of East Liberty's business sec·
tion, but in a thickly populated residential
district. Collins has installed 41 Bendix
machines, with Mrs. F. Henry in charge.
Mrs. Henry says business is so good they
have to remain open from 9 a.m. to 8 :30
p.m.
The city of New Kensington, Westmore-
land county, near here, has been rest~ained
from enforcing an ordinance to license and
collect fees on phonographs, by a perma-
nent injunction granted by Westmoreland
county court, Greensburg. The court had pre·
viously issued a preliminary injunction in
an action filed, by William Adams a year
ago. ' The Westmoreland decision forms the
basis of an appeal to be filed in reverse
decision in Crawford county (Pa.) court.
A Meadville ordinance providing a li-
cense fee of $50 a year on phonographs was
upheld recently by Judge O. Clare Kent.
Counsel for the plaintiff, The Northwestern
Pennsylvania Automatic Phonograph Asso-
ciation of Sharon, has served notice that
an appeal will be filed in Superior Court.
COIN
MACHIN E
REVIEW
102
fOR
JU LY
1947
William R . Mitchel
Fort Worth
Phonographs and music operation con-
tinues to be the bright spot for the local
coin machine trade. The take for local
music operators, while as good or better
than this time last year, is slightly below
the level of ' the past few weeks. Fort
Worth coin machine distriliutors report
a severe shortage of cigarette vendors and
Ii short supply of other types of vendors.
Phonographs and marble tables are coming
through in good quantity.
Fort Worth operators are well pleased
wi th the closing of the fiftieth session of
the Texas State Legislature on Friday,
June 6. The state lawmaking body closed
its 1947 session without passing any new
tax laws . and without adding any new
state levies on coin machines. This gives
the local coin machine trade another year's
business operation without the fear of
added state taxes.
The Panther Distributing Co. has finally
finished an extensive remodeling job on
their office headquarters. Both its former
location and the firm's new office and ware-
house space next door have been com-
pletely remodeled. The firm's general office,
done in a natural pine finish, is a practi·
cal and artistic layout, equipped with full-
view glass windows. New offices have been
added at the old location for the firm's
wholesale restaurant and hotel supply busi-
ness. In addition to its extensive music
operations, the Pan ther firm has added a
string of marble tables.
Allen Wallace, coin operator of Mineral
Wells, was purchasing new equipment from
local jobbers recently.
E. C. Stanley, owner of the Ideal Novelty
Co. says that the local coin machine busi-
ness is now in the leveling off stage.
Friend Stanley says that it is now up to
t he operator who wants to be successful
to get out and go after business. As proof
of his go-getter policy, Stanley's firm made
six nice music installations in one week.
Doyle Hightower, of the H & H Sales
Co. was in Dallas last week conferring with
officials of Commercial Music Co., WUT-
litzer distributors. Plans for expanding
1947 business were discussed.
Clarence Cleer, head of Cleer Distribut-
ing Co., coin machines and Trinity Distri·
butors, wholesale tobacco and candy firm,
has returned from a three week's business
trip to Old Mexico. While he would not
talk for publication, it's our guess that
CIeer is contemplating entering the coin
machine and wholesaling business south
of the border. With both Ft. Worth and
Dallas becoming the merchandising and
financing headquarters for Mexican mer-
chants, it's an attractive field for an up
and coming firm like that headed by Cleer.
Frank W. Wood
Salt Lake t;ity
Warren I. King, in charge of cigarette
machines for Hemengway & Moser Co.,
reports the shortage is over as far as new
machines is concerned and his organiza-
tion is receiving a better quality than ever
before. "We are replacing our oldest ma-
chines and are reconditioning them to put
out in new loca tions." Hemengway &
Moser is concentrating on Crusader ma-
chines and expect an exceptionally good
play at the Centennial Exposition at the
Utah State Fair Grounds throughout the
summer.
R. F. Vogt Distributors are anxiously
awaiting arrival of Keeney's one-ball which
advance reports suggest will be a big fa ·
vorite everywhere.
The situation with respect to one·ball
games in Ogden .has been clarified and
the machines are in operation again after
a sh utdown in May, Vogt reports. In
Provo one-ball games are operating with
free plays.
.
"There is still plenty of business for
bell machine distributors in Idaho, but the
saturation point will be reached in the
next 30 to 60 days."
This was the observation of T. M. Doug-
lass, manager of the Yellowstone Specialty
Co., who said the smaller towns and vil-
lages are following the line of the bigger
cities and are now passing their ordi-
nances legalizing slot machines. This was
made possible through a bill passed by
the 1947 legislature.
An interesting development is that many
locations are buying their equipment out-
right. However, there are still a lot ,o f
operators. The high license fee is causing
the change and property owners and less-
ees think they can payout their licenses
in the two years the machines are assured
of being legal. The law cannot be changed,
if at all, until the 1949 legislature.
Douglass reports the new Mills Jewel
Bell is coming through in quantity now
and that Yellowstone is able to supply any
requirements of operators.
Operators are taking good ca~e of the
resort locations in northern Utah, but with-
out any letdown on their service to the
year-around spots.
A survey of the situation indicates there
are amusement rooms at two principal
Great Salt Lake beach areas-Blackrock
and Sunset Beach.
Ray Samuelson is operating the amuse-
ment room at Sunset Beach, while Rollie
Wagstaff is running the setup at Blackrock.
The two beach resorts are on the shoreline
20 miles west of Salt Lake.
Saltair, a pioneer pavilion located a few
miles to the north of the beach resorts, has
a well equipped penny arcade as does