The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-19
THE ALLURING SLOT MACHINE.
III SOLD 10000 EXTRA CIGARS A
WEEK IN PATTERSON.
PrOnts II Made in Saloons Enormous and
II Paid From Is to 40 Per Cent. TO the
Saloon Keeper-Its Use in Paterson
Abolished n Week Ago by Police Order.

ETbIltS IL WI III u HI IUUuS anu
II Paid From IS to 40 Per Cent. to the
Saloon Keeper-Its Use I'm Paterson
Abolished n Week Ago by Police Order.
PATERSON, N. j., March 1S.-At the close
Of the first week OF doing bushes without
the aid of cent and nickel slot machines
tobacco dealers and saloon keepers Of this
city estimate that the sales Of cigars for
the six days have decreased more than
10, 700. One dealer who has a prominent
place in Main street said that since Monday
last his cigar sales were $500 less than a
week ago. Another cigar dealer who had
packages Of CONNECTIONS to give to those
who got tired Of taking cigars as their part
Of winnings from the machines has given
up the candy end OF the concern altogether,
His bill for candy packages alone was SEQ
Il week. He estimates his loss by Chief OF
p lice Bimson's order to stop the Use OF
slot machines as over 5000 n week. Barber
shops. too, are feeling the loss OF this petty
form of gambling, which had got to be SO
prevalent throughout the city that even
the larger pool and poker rooms we're be-
nR affected by it. A number of dealers
nave been operating the machines in secret
but as soon as their whereabouts is learned
by the police the machines will be oon-
fscated and placed in the hell hole OF
the police station, a place where all such
articles are kept awaiting destruction.
Most OF the machines in use here were
operated by n man, who purchased them
outright from a Western concern. 1t is
said that his profits were almos 500 a day
after turning over Is TO 20 per cent. Of the
profits to the owners Of the places where
the machines were operated. When Capt.
Bimson's order was promulgated he inn
mediately collected his property together
and got out Of town.
AT the police station yesterday the talk
arose as to the profits made on each machine
A test was made on one of the oontiscated
ones. A penny was dropped through the
slot of one of the ordinary card machines
which shows the winning OF a cigar when
two pairs turn up. The penny was dropped
twenty times before one cigar was won, and
again fifteen times before another winning
was shown. At this rate the profits for the
owner were enormous on the money invested
as it costs nothing TO operate the machine
and the original cost was not more than $40.
Bartenders generally are bewailing the
loss of the machines. One man who dis
penses cooling draughts at the principal
, place in the city said:
THE loss 10 me personally in this machine
business was $40 to 500 a week. Every
time the owner of tho machines came in
here to collect from the kitty he threw me
a five spot. Sometimes he visited the place
four times a week. | expected soon TO live
with the silk manufacturers on Broadway
Legitimate graft like that comes to a mar
only once in his life and if | can find a town
within a hundred miles where the chief OF
police will permit the machines that's my
Eldorado.'
1t is said that no protest would have beer
made by the police had 1t not been for the
fact that many of the cigar dealers were
apnntirnu inn yOiDD hDVG TO Use the