Automatic Age

September, 1934
Cleveland Seeks
Machine License
Cleveland, Ohio.— The city treasury
would collect from every coin-operated
machine used for “games of skill” and
every coin-vending machine in Cleve­
land under an ordinance which Coun­
cilman Vehovec introduced at the first
fall meeting cf city council Sept. 10.
The ordinance, drafted by assistant
City Law Director Crowley, proposes
an annual tax of $50 on every ma­
chine for which pennies are used, and
$100 a year on every machine using a
nickel or a coin of higher denomina­
tion.
Weighing machines would be taxed
under the proposed law, but coin tele­
phones would be exempt.
Mr. Vehovec estimates the tax
would produce at least $300,000 rev­
enue yearly.
“We ought to be able to find at least
two so-called ‘game-of-skill’ machines
in every beer place and candy store,”
he said. “Those people now are pay­
ing from $2.50 to $5.00 a week for
protection. The city might as well
get this rakeoff.”
The councilman pointed out that
regulation of such “games of skill”
would be possible under his ordinance,
but he said his primary purpose in
offering the ordinance is to provide
revenue for the city.
Mystery Gold Award
on Pin Game
No bets are being overlooked to in­
sure juicy collections from Bally
Manufacturing Company’s new auto­
matic pay-out pin-game, Champion.
In addition to the Extra Slot, where­
by players recover Out-Hole Balls 'at
5 cents each, and which is said to at­
tract 1 to 5 extra nickels per game,
the machine also has a novel Mystery
Gold Award Feature.
A supply of special perforated Gold
Award Tokens are furnished with
each machine.
Each token has a
“Free Game” value, ranging from 5
to 50 free games. Complete instruc­
tions for operating the Gold Award
plan are furnished with each ma­
chine. It is said to be simplicity it­
self, and less than a minute of the
operator’s time is required to arrange
for an intermittent pay-out of the
Gold Award Token in place of the
regular coin or token.
A neat but colorful display card is
also furnished calling players atten­
A U T O M A T IC A G E
147
tion to the Extra Special Gold Award,
and a clever operating plan has been
worked out which enables operators to
get the full benefit of the Gold Award
with a remarkably small increase in
pay-outs. Location tests, according
to Ray Moloney, Bally’s president,
show an increase in weekly collections,
due to the Gold Award feature alone.
Unlicensed Games
Open to Seizure
Madison, Wis.— Amusement devices
of the pin ball and crane machine
type operated hereafter without li­
cense will be picked up by police and
the operators arrested, it was an­
nounced recently. The new ordinance
licensing all such devices at $50 each
became effective recently and 24 li­
censes had been issued up to August
2nd, City Clerk A. W. Bareis an­
nounced. Licenses must be obtained
whenever more machines are in­
stalled.
Demands Distinction
in Machine Types
Columbia, S. C.— W. D. Barnett,
mayor pro tem of Columbia, has
handed down an opinion as to what he
considers the difference between
“slot” machines and machines that
operate in similar manner but which
“do not pay off (in rewards) auto­
matically.”
Mr. Barnet said:
“A slot machine is one, in my opin­
ion, that pays off, or is supposed to
pay off automatically. An amusement
machine is one that does not pay off,
and the only reward for the person
© I n t e r n a t io n a l A r c a d e M u s e u m
who plays it, is the amusement or
skill, just as other forms of amuse-t
ment, such as ‘checkers,’ or ‘old
maids,’ etc.
“Council recently authorized Chief
of Police W. H. Rawlinson to return
to the owners the amusement or ‘pin
machines’ seized by him, but not the
‘slot machines’ as would appear from
the heading of the article appearing
in tjhe Record recently.
“The amusement machine is in no
way a gambling device, and should be
distinguished from the slot machine.”
Goes to Bed with
Coin Machine
Mansfield, Ohio. — Police Captain
Tom Bell, who is on duty during the
early morning shift, still is laughing
today over an incident noted on his
beat.
While making his rounds, Bell went
into a business place where the owner
also maintained living quarters. The
owner still was asleep and in the bed
with him was a slot machine, which
apparently he had placed there for
safe keeping in view of the recent
thefts of a number of the machines
in this vicinity.
Although a member of the force
for more than twenty years, Bell con­
siders the incident one of the most
amusing in his experience.
Florida City Imposes
Pin Game Tax
Marianna, Fla.— Slot machines are
taxed $100 and marble boards $35 in
an ordinance passed by city council
last month. Taxes on other devices
were reduced in the same ordinance.
We Have
Every worth while
new machine made
Lowest factory prices immediate delivery.
Large supply of used machines. Shop, Office, and Display
Room located at Rocky Glen Park. Midway between
Scranton and Wilkes Barre.
Try Sterling Service
BENJ. STERLING, JR.
109 Franklin Ave.
Scranton, Pa.
24-HOUR
SERVICE
Rocky Glen Park
Moosic, Pa.
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