Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)
Issue: 1940 October - Page 59
Son Francisco
WIRED M USIC, COUNTER AND WALL
BOXES, RAY GUNS GOING STRONG ..
PINBALL TAX DELAYED . . CONVEN-
TION DRAWS INTEREST . . . COIN•
TROLLED HOT DOG VENDOR LAST-
MINUTE FAIR- HIT
ROBERTS
DISTRIBS WURLITZER
By RONALD PATRICK
SAN FRANCISCO (RC)-A score of
things appear to be newsworthy at present
writing. First, perhaps, is the continued
progress of wired-music. No less than 50
locations have made the swing in this area
within as many days. There seems to be
no let-up in sight. All makes are sharing
about equally.
Standard counter and wall box installa-
tions are going forward at record pace.
Buckley, Keeney, Wurlitzer and Rock-Ola
are all doing a land-office business. Current
tabulation gives Bill Corcoran's Buckleys
the lead.
Wurlitzer's counter-model drive has been
a notable success. According to their new
regional sales mentor, Myrl Park, more than
200 machines were placed within the last
fortnight. Collections are extremely good
and plenty of operators are stampeding to
annex choice bits for their route.
Mills Novelty of Oakland claims busi-
ness is aces on every score. Warren Taylor
points . to a particularly encouraging up.
curve m the counter machine department.
All pinball games on their circuit are do-
ing top performance in quick turnover.
And, says Taylor with knowing pride "our
photovision equipment will be ready soon
for a business surge the likes of which
will scarcely be duplicated again this
decade."
. All ray guns continue to hold the pub-
he eye. Baily's Rapid-Fire has attained
first position, but the Mutoscope and Kee-
ney guns follow very closely.
Baily's Fleet is still pretty much the
game of the hour, with the same company's
Progress keenly anticipated by scores of
operators. Johnny Ruggiero of Jack Moore's
has almost moved his office to the corner
bar, which has a specially reserved booth
for what J. R. blithely calls the "Huddle
Club." Premises have insignia crest and an
adjacent Fleet installation for the gang's
personal edification ( that is, when the pub-
lic hasn't invaded the sanctuary).
Lou Wolcher has been doing the associa-
tion's main chore in trying to quash the
$3 pinball tax. It's been a tough fight and
trouble i's that no definite stance can be
taken. As soon as one phase is settled two
more crop up. At the moment of writing
tax has been delayed for another week but
it's impossible to tell how long the situ;tion
can be stalled, or how it may ultimately be
settled. All that is known is that $3 a
month appears to be a damnably stiff tariff
for each game on each location.
Natu:ally! operators have been holding
down m. view of the impending action.
What frightens them particularly is that
though the license consideration has been
before the supervisors more than a dozen
o!her times, never has there been such per-
sistent effort on the part of t he city board
to have the legislation enacted. There is
considerable question as to whether the en-
forcement is being conceived as a tax-
raising measure solely, or whether their is
a punitive aspect behind it. Incidentally,
a $2 phonograph tax had come up a few
weeks ago and was definitely dropped from
consideration for the remainder of this year.
"."ance and Ed Mape have been touring
their western Seeburg territory during rt-
cent weeks. Result is that their SF office
shows much evidence of equipment crating
and movement. Numerous Seeburg wired
installa tions are being arranged for out-of.
town placement in such areas as San Jose,
Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. See-
burg remotes and standard boxes are ex-
periencing healthy acceptance from the
trade.
Squoits, the fast new competitive-actioned
game, is winning laurels locally, and may
soon be ready to spring into national prom-
inence as one of the year's biggest sensa-
tions. Only holdback is current lack of pro-
duction capacity. Possibility is that Squoits
will build in Chicago by showtime.
The November Convention i's being look-
ed to with unusual gusto. All regional dis-
tributors are seeing to their own represen-
tations with larger-than-ordinary space res-
ervations in a number of instances. Plenty
of new twists and equipment is being held
in whispered quiet for breaking with a
big splash at the convention. I'm slightly
in the know on two sizzlers Lou Wolcher
has up his sleeve.
And speaking of new items, it would be
very amiss to omit reference to one of the
most talked-about late debuts at the recent
SF Fair; namely, E. P. Ford's Electric
Thermic Automatic Reverse Control Hotdog
Vendor. Here's a machine that worked like
a charm, giving the operator a sweet piece
of last-minute Fafr change, and the public
RAPID-FIRE
COLLECTIONS
-DOUBLE WHAT
I USED TO GET IN
MY GUN LOCATIONS '
Distributors
Jock R. Moore Co.
104 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
introduction to what has every possibility
of becoming as much of a national device
as th.e Coca-Cola self-vending unit. Ford's
machine cooks single deliveries of com-
pletely wrapped and prepared hotdogs by a
system of induced radiation (from the in-
side out) in under 30 seconds from the
moment a ten-cent piece is placed in the
coin chute. Ford's operating organization
is called the Precision Engineering Prod-
ucts Company, with present offices located
at 315 Sutter Street.
Biggest single highlight of the month
fr~m a local trade standpoint is the ap-
pomtment of Al Roberts (Wolf Riewitz's
son) to general distributorship of Wurlitzer
in the Southwest. Al's headquarters will
be in Denver, from where his administra-
tion and sales jurisdiction wiU extend to
include offices in Utah, Wyoming, and New
Mexico. As a poin t of historical interest
it may be indicated that Denver is the ter-
ritory where Al's father made his first sig-
nificant progress in the industry. We all
wish enterprising young executive Roberts
every bit of good fortune to which his fine
capabilities entitle him.
♦
San Franciscan Boosts
Western Co,n vention
LOS ANGELES-Typical of the reaction
of the western coin machine industry to
the Western States Coin Machine Conven-
tion to be held here, at the Biltmore Hotel,
next month, is this letter addressed to
the REVIEW by John T. Berdner of Aquatic
Amusement Games, San Francisco:
"Bravo to the Corn MACHINE REVIEW for
the confidence and effort put forth in the
advancement of our industry through the
medium of the ANNUAL coin machine con-
vention. We, as infants of the business are
behind you 100 per cent.
• '
"We have mailed all the reprints sent us
and are anxious to help some more by cir-
culating as many as possible if the supply
has not been exhausted. Please forward
another supply,
" 'Squoits' is coming along fine, and from
the interest displayed by the few who have
seen it, its li'fe is destined to be a long
an~ prosperous one. We have changed the
design to conform to the streamlined trend
of the day and believe we have reached the
peak in improvement. It's a knockout. We
intend to give the industry its first look at
this hit at your-and our-convention in
November.
"Looking forward to meeting you per-
sonally and assuring you of our utmost co-
operation, I am sincerely, John T. Berdner,
Aquatic Amusement Games."
♦
59
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
Daval Game Demand
Continues Strong
LOS ANGELES-"There hasn't been a
bit of letup in demand for Daval's Ameri-
can Eagle despite the fact that the ma-
chine has been on 1he market for a few
months," states Mac Mohr, Pacific Coast
representative.
"Operators are still asking for more
games than the factory can supply me
with. My orders are coming in as rapidly
as -the factory can turn them out but they
are still more -than a week behind on my
deliveries.
"Both American Eagle and Marvel will
be displayed at the 1940 Western States
Coin Machine Convention in the Daval
booth at the Biltmore along with other new
products which will be formally introduced
during the Show."
♦
https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com
WIRED M USIC, COUNTER AND WALL
BOXES, RAY GUNS GOING STRONG ..
PINBALL TAX DELAYED . . CONVEN-
TION DRAWS INTEREST . . . COIN•
TROLLED HOT DOG VENDOR LAST-
MINUTE FAIR- HIT
ROBERTS
DISTRIBS WURLITZER
By RONALD PATRICK
SAN FRANCISCO (RC)-A score of
things appear to be newsworthy at present
writing. First, perhaps, is the continued
progress of wired-music. No less than 50
locations have made the swing in this area
within as many days. There seems to be
no let-up in sight. All makes are sharing
about equally.
Standard counter and wall box installa-
tions are going forward at record pace.
Buckley, Keeney, Wurlitzer and Rock-Ola
are all doing a land-office business. Current
tabulation gives Bill Corcoran's Buckleys
the lead.
Wurlitzer's counter-model drive has been
a notable success. According to their new
regional sales mentor, Myrl Park, more than
200 machines were placed within the last
fortnight. Collections are extremely good
and plenty of operators are stampeding to
annex choice bits for their route.
Mills Novelty of Oakland claims busi-
ness is aces on every score. Warren Taylor
points . to a particularly encouraging up.
curve m the counter machine department.
All pinball games on their circuit are do-
ing top performance in quick turnover.
And, says Taylor with knowing pride "our
photovision equipment will be ready soon
for a business surge the likes of which
will scarcely be duplicated again this
decade."
. All ray guns continue to hold the pub-
he eye. Baily's Rapid-Fire has attained
first position, but the Mutoscope and Kee-
ney guns follow very closely.
Baily's Fleet is still pretty much the
game of the hour, with the same company's
Progress keenly anticipated by scores of
operators. Johnny Ruggiero of Jack Moore's
has almost moved his office to the corner
bar, which has a specially reserved booth
for what J. R. blithely calls the "Huddle
Club." Premises have insignia crest and an
adjacent Fleet installation for the gang's
personal edification ( that is, when the pub-
lic hasn't invaded the sanctuary).
Lou Wolcher has been doing the associa-
tion's main chore in trying to quash the
$3 pinball tax. It's been a tough fight and
trouble i's that no definite stance can be
taken. As soon as one phase is settled two
more crop up. At the moment of writing
tax has been delayed for another week but
it's impossible to tell how long the situ;tion
can be stalled, or how it may ultimately be
settled. All that is known is that $3 a
month appears to be a damnably stiff tariff
for each game on each location.
Natu:ally! operators have been holding
down m. view of the impending action.
What frightens them particularly is that
though the license consideration has been
before the supervisors more than a dozen
o!her times, never has there been such per-
sistent effort on the part of t he city board
to have the legislation enacted. There is
considerable question as to whether the en-
forcement is being conceived as a tax-
raising measure solely, or whether their is
a punitive aspect behind it. Incidentally,
a $2 phonograph tax had come up a few
weeks ago and was definitely dropped from
consideration for the remainder of this year.
"."ance and Ed Mape have been touring
their western Seeburg territory during rt-
cent weeks. Result is that their SF office
shows much evidence of equipment crating
and movement. Numerous Seeburg wired
installa tions are being arranged for out-of.
town placement in such areas as San Jose,
Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Sacramento. See-
burg remotes and standard boxes are ex-
periencing healthy acceptance from the
trade.
Squoits, the fast new competitive-actioned
game, is winning laurels locally, and may
soon be ready to spring into national prom-
inence as one of the year's biggest sensa-
tions. Only holdback is current lack of pro-
duction capacity. Possibility is that Squoits
will build in Chicago by showtime.
The November Convention i's being look-
ed to with unusual gusto. All regional dis-
tributors are seeing to their own represen-
tations with larger-than-ordinary space res-
ervations in a number of instances. Plenty
of new twists and equipment is being held
in whispered quiet for breaking with a
big splash at the convention. I'm slightly
in the know on two sizzlers Lou Wolcher
has up his sleeve.
And speaking of new items, it would be
very amiss to omit reference to one of the
most talked-about late debuts at the recent
SF Fair; namely, E. P. Ford's Electric
Thermic Automatic Reverse Control Hotdog
Vendor. Here's a machine that worked like
a charm, giving the operator a sweet piece
of last-minute Fafr change, and the public
RAPID-FIRE
COLLECTIONS
-DOUBLE WHAT
I USED TO GET IN
MY GUN LOCATIONS '
Distributors
Jock R. Moore Co.
104 Golden Gate Ave.
San Francisco, Calif.
introduction to what has every possibility
of becoming as much of a national device
as th.e Coca-Cola self-vending unit. Ford's
machine cooks single deliveries of com-
pletely wrapped and prepared hotdogs by a
system of induced radiation (from the in-
side out) in under 30 seconds from the
moment a ten-cent piece is placed in the
coin chute. Ford's operating organization
is called the Precision Engineering Prod-
ucts Company, with present offices located
at 315 Sutter Street.
Biggest single highlight of the month
fr~m a local trade standpoint is the ap-
pomtment of Al Roberts (Wolf Riewitz's
son) to general distributorship of Wurlitzer
in the Southwest. Al's headquarters will
be in Denver, from where his administra-
tion and sales jurisdiction wiU extend to
include offices in Utah, Wyoming, and New
Mexico. As a poin t of historical interest
it may be indicated that Denver is the ter-
ritory where Al's father made his first sig-
nificant progress in the industry. We all
wish enterprising young executive Roberts
every bit of good fortune to which his fine
capabilities entitle him.
♦
San Franciscan Boosts
Western Co,n vention
LOS ANGELES-Typical of the reaction
of the western coin machine industry to
the Western States Coin Machine Conven-
tion to be held here, at the Biltmore Hotel,
next month, is this letter addressed to
the REVIEW by John T. Berdner of Aquatic
Amusement Games, San Francisco:
"Bravo to the Corn MACHINE REVIEW for
the confidence and effort put forth in the
advancement of our industry through the
medium of the ANNUAL coin machine con-
vention. We, as infants of the business are
behind you 100 per cent.
• '
"We have mailed all the reprints sent us
and are anxious to help some more by cir-
culating as many as possible if the supply
has not been exhausted. Please forward
another supply,
" 'Squoits' is coming along fine, and from
the interest displayed by the few who have
seen it, its li'fe is destined to be a long
an~ prosperous one. We have changed the
design to conform to the streamlined trend
of the day and believe we have reached the
peak in improvement. It's a knockout. We
intend to give the industry its first look at
this hit at your-and our-convention in
November.
"Looking forward to meeting you per-
sonally and assuring you of our utmost co-
operation, I am sincerely, John T. Berdner,
Aquatic Amusement Games."
♦
59
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
Daval Game Demand
Continues Strong
LOS ANGELES-"There hasn't been a
bit of letup in demand for Daval's Ameri-
can Eagle despite the fact that the ma-
chine has been on 1he market for a few
months," states Mac Mohr, Pacific Coast
representative.
"Operators are still asking for more
games than the factory can supply me
with. My orders are coming in as rapidly
as -the factory can turn them out but they
are still more -than a week behind on my
deliveries.
"Both American Eagle and Marvel will
be displayed at the 1940 Western States
Coin Machine Convention in the Daval
booth at the Biltmore along with other new
products which will be formally introduced
during the Show."
♦
https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).