Automatic Age

6
T he A
u t o m a t ic
A ge
BIRD’S-EYE V IE W OF A BU SY ROUTE
By Harvey Carr
The illustration which accompanies
this story is a comprehensive map or
diagram o f all the street coin oper­
ated vending machines and scales
located in the principal business sec­
tion o f Woodlawn, Chicago. The map
embraces that pai*t o f Sixty-third
street, which is the W oodlawn thor
oughfare, from its eastern extremity
at Stoney Island avenue, to White
City at South Park avenue. There is
a total o f 188 machines on this route,
including the large number which are
located in White City proper.
Each machine on this map is desig­
nated by a character or combination
o f letter and numbers, which tells
what kind o f machine it is and the
name o f the operator. In most in­
stances the manufacturer o f the ma­
chine is designated particularly so in
the case o f the scales.
Each machine is, fo r the most
part, duplicated throughout the route
which shows that the route is worked
systematically by the operator. It is
noteworthy that there is no evidence
o f unfair competition by overlapping
interests. That is, one does not find
two different peanut machines stand­
ing side by side on a single corner.
There are, however, competitive ma­
chines located on opposite sides o f
the street, which, o f course, do not
conflict.
There are other startling character­
istics o f the route business indicated
by this map which are pointed out by
the investigator who furnished this
diagram to the A U T O M A T IC AGE.
One o f the outstanding features is
the absence o f machines near thea­
ters. W hy? There are six good
theaters on this route, and with one
exception there are no machines near
these theaters. This one exception is
a peanut and ball gum machines
which is next door to one o f the
theaters at the entrance to a shoe
© International Arcade Museum
shine parlor. The question has been
asked— do not the people play ma­
chines near theaters, or is there some
objection on the part o f the theatre
operators? And if there is, why is it
that there is a pop corn popper or
confectionery which sells bulk goods
within a few doors o f every theater
in this section?
It was pointed out that the ma­
chine which is indicated in the circle
in this illustration is located in an
out-of-the-w ay corner, which plays
$8.00 eveiy ten days. It is a peanut
and ball gum machine and is a money
maker so we are told. The diamond
represents a single peanut machine in
a billiard hall which plays form $6.00
to $9.00 per month according to the
information given us by the investi­
gator.
W hite City, as will be seen by the
map has a number o f peanut and stick
gum, or flat gum, machines located at
advantageous points throughout the
grounds. The Penny Arcade has a
large number o f striking bags, elec­
tric machines, picture machines, foi--
tune machines and other devices.
However, they are operated on pri­
vate property, and the play is seas­
onal, while the other machines on the
street get a year around play and are
operated fo r the most part on routes
by recognized operators and are on
public property, where crowds pass
and give them constant play. E le­
vated machines are indicated in heavy
black, but no attempt is mado to give
the number or kind.
When an insect plague swept over
the region near Essen, Germany, de­
foliating all the trees, the estate o f
Hans von Berlepsch, which has over
a thousand birds nesting on twelve
aci-es o f land, remained green, stand­
ing out like an oasis in a desert.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/