The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1902-04-23

Money paying slot machines are
again running IN Seattle after nearly
Two years OF enforced iilcness.
Permission TO open up was given
the owners 81 the devices late yes
teriay afternoon by Mayor Humes
through chief % Police sullivan.
Before dark a dozen saloons had
their machines In operation. These
saloons FOR the most part We're the
ones In which the machines had long
been in operation as trade or mer-
chandlse payers. giving out slugs or
tokens instead OF cash.
rhsy All Hustled
Hut the saloons which had no ms
chimes ready 10 be placed Ia com
mission on short notice lost no time
IN getting into line. All through the
evening there was a great running
90 and fro OF liquor dealers and slot
machine experts aud express wagons
and draws worked overtime hauling
the machines from tho storage ware
houses to the saloons. BY midnight
at least Is OF the devices had been
set I'D and were uoisily gathering In
q harvest OF nickles.
Early this morning the work OF
Installing the machines was resumed
and IL is stated by the slot machine
agents and dealers that probably 100
OF the devices will be going BY the
end OF the week n present plans are
not interrupted. At SIS a month
each this number OF machines would
yield the city an annual revenue or
So, 600 IN fines.
Backed BY Basinese Men
AS was forecnstea by the Star yes
serday the re-eStablishment Of the
slot machines was brought about al
most entirely by the liquor dealers.
Backed up by Influential men In
other lines OF business. including
many prominent uptown mer-
chants. they brought such strong
pressure to bear upon the mayor that
he was unable 10 longer defer the
fulflilnent OF his Ante-election prom
tses to allow slot machines 20 run
during his third term in office.
The climax was reached with a
suddenness that startled even the
slot machine owners. Most OF the
latter had expected several days
more OF negotiation and were wholly
unprepared for the sudden with
drawai OF the mayors opposition 20
the re-establishment OF the ma
chimes. But there was no such de-
ognIzed the strength OF this last
movement he acted with character
istic promptitude. and without wait
ing for a formal appeal from the
Liquor Dealers association.
This Is the explanation OF the con-
fusion that followed tho issuing OF
the word TO reopen yesterday after
noon. Had the usual delay in the
negotiations occurred every saloon In
the city would have had Its ma
chimes ready for instant use. As II
was the machines were for the most
part stored away and many OF them
out OF repair.
One siot machine agent alone sent
cut 81 machines last night. keeping
a dray busy until nearly rnidnigh,
filling orders from saloon men.
Composition among the slot ma
chine agents is keen and there were
many amusing clashes between
rivals In the rush 20 install ma
chimes
where Does the couneiI stardr
While the slot machine owners are
toierabiy sure % their ground now
that the police department has re-
ceived instructions from the mayor
not 70 modest them, they are stiil
somewhat in doubt as 70 the attitude
Of the council. Mayor Humes and
Chief Sullivan are both "a uncom-
rnunicative as usual today regarding
the latest move in the gambling situ-
alton. The few members Of the city
council who had heard the news
were not. however. They express
ed much surprise at the sudden
change in the mayors attitude. and
at the fact that the council had not
been consulted.
Still there seems to be a general
inclination on the part OF the coun-
cilnen 10 refrain from interfering
with the mayor In his MANAGEMENT