Evening star., 1961-04-30
Limits Number
To35, Increases
License Fees

midnight tonight.
Although there now are 1929
OF the coin-operated gambling
machines IN about 200 eStab-
liShmentS, j. Earl Milstead,
county slot machine inspector,
says that only IL operators now
own more than IS machines.
Il expect 100 per cent CO.
operation from every one of
them" Mr.. Milstead said. "1
should be able to check all IL
Of them in five hours"
Screening Is Headache
Other provisions of the law,
requiring detailed information
for the first time, have been
causing Mr.. Milstead plenty
Of headaches, however. Screen
ing the three-page applications
has been a big task.
"1'll be plenty glad when this
part Of the job is over" Mr..
Milstead said in an interview
that was interrupted several
times as new applicants showed
up.
The law requires for the first
time that all licensees must
have been residents of Charles
County for two years and to
have been qualified voters for
the same length of time. This
applies equally to all persons
interested in the business of
operating the machines.
These statements are checked
against records of the Board of
Election Supervisors.
Details Required
Other details that must be
furnished for the first time are
such items as disclosure of
where the machines were OBJ
tanned, either by purchase or BY
lease from distributors; how
much was paid for the ma
chimes, the serial number of
each machine and how the
take" or profit is divided be-
tween the operator and the
owner of the machine.
Detailed listing Of all officers
and stockholders Of corpora
tions or partnerships are re-
quired, together with informa-
ton as to whether any has ever
been convicted of q criminal
offenSe.
Under the old system of Ii.
cnSe fees, each machine cost
$3.50 per year. Under the new
system, the fees are $3.50 each
for the first five machine: 5000
for the next ten: $3.50 for the
next ten and $500 for the next
ten.
Mr.. Milstead said he would
not estimate whether the
county would lose or gain reve-
nue. under the new law.
Early this month the county
commissioners approved a
budget for SIT million, of which
$300,00O was estimated as reve-
nue from slot machines. Last
year this source provided $s74,-
900.
THE twelve operators who
now have over 35 machines
each will have to give up about
500 machines in all, In order
to comply with the new law"
Mr.. Milstead said. I'VE don't
know yet, however, whether
other smaller operators will in
crease their operations to make
up the difference"
Big Operators Listed
|
He listed the IL larger op-
orators and the number Of ma
chimes they have had as Hap
pyland, 234 m achines, and
Pennyland, AZ, both at Mar
shall Hall Park; Shorter'S Place
at Benedict, As; Benedict Pier,
60, Club Waldorf on Route 3O1
has 144; Waldorf Motor Court,
So; 301 Ranch at Waldorf, Is;
Smitty'S Restaurant on Bryan's
Road, As; Aqualand at the Po-
tomac River Bridge, 86; South
ern Trails, "a; Crystal Door at
Bel Alton. SO; the Wiggam on
Route 301 had 40 prior to last
July, but 20 have been re-
moved.
There is no limit on the
number Of machines that may
be owned by distributors whose
license fees were increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 a years
But no distributor, or anyone
interested in the business, may
hold an interest in the opera
tion of machines.
One of the larger distribu-
tors, the Southern Maryland
Novelty Co., complained last
year when the new law was
put up to referendum that it
would have to go out of busi-
ness.
Yet, according to Mr.. Mil
stead, Southern Maryland
Novelty Co. is one Of the seven
distributor firms which have
applied for license and is one
,of fou (which have been ap-
proved. Other distributors who
have had applications approved
are E. Elwood Jones of
Hughesville, the Charles Coun-
ty Amusement Co. Of Indian
Head, and the MattaWoman
Restaurant, Inc.