Slot machines and boose bottles thrown into the river???

PhotoTJ

Jr. Member
Apr 12, 2005
69
4
The Pacific Coast, Southern California
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250, GTI 2500, Sea Hunter II. I like Garrett!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have strong evidence that there are at least 2 slot machines in the Pacific a couple of miles from me. I am working on the research that will put me right on top of them.

There is a great story in some of Charles Garrett's books about some slots that were dumped in a lake in Dallas. He's looked for them a couple of times, but thus far has had no luck.

Seems like a pretty cool treasure hunt item. Coinage and history. Good luck with yours!
 

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
339
Ozarks
In the roaring twenties, gambling and booze were available in the bars. Then in the thirties, prohibition stopped many of these practices in public, but the speak-easies were prominent on both the south and north shores of Lake Como and along roadside bars on Highways 12 and 36. Many gangsters and mob members could be found on the north and south shores of Lake Como due to our proximity to Chicago. Both Al Capone and Bugs Moran, opposing gang members from Chicago, could be found in our area. Gambling flourished also and was not curtailed until the election of Oscar Rennebohm as Governor of Wisconsin. The Como Hotel (currently the French Country Inn) was a very popular place, with lots of drinking and gambling, cards and slot machines. It has been rumored there are many slot machines at the bottom of Lake Como having been dumped there during a police raid on the Como Hotel.
The Town of Geneva is located in Walworth County in Southeast Wisconsin, approximately 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee and 90 miles northwest of Chicago.

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deepsix47

Hero Member
Jul 26, 2006
644
17
Detector(s) used
Fisher Impulse, Fisher CZ-21, Minelab X-Terra 70
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
gypsyheart said:
In the roaring twenties, gambling and booze were available in the bars. Then in the thirties, prohibition stopped many of these practices in public, but the speak-easies were prominent on both the south and north shores of Lake Como and along roadside bars on Highways 12 and 36. Many gangsters and mob members could be found on the north and south shores of Lake Como due to our proximity to Chicago. Both Al Capone and Bugs Moran, opposing gang members from Chicago, could be found in our area. Gambling flourished also and was not curtailed until the election of Oscar Rennebohm as Governor of Wisconsin. The Como Hotel (currently the French Country Inn) was a very popular place, with lots of drinking and gambling, cards and slot machines. It has been rumored there are many slot machines at the bottom of Lake Como having been dumped there during a police raid on the Como Hotel.
The Town of Geneva is located in Walworth County in Southeast Wisconsin, approximately 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee and 90 miles northwest of Chicago.

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Interesting Gypsy. Anyone want to use a Mag and attempt to locate them????
Deepsix
 

PRR 5406

Newbie
Jun 16, 2012
1
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In 1935, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia had the police confiscate 1500 slot machines and other coin operated devices, had them loaded on a barge and towed out into Long Island Sound. Money had been removed, many machines smashed with sledge hammers. They were thrown overboard into 108 feet of salt water. Most would be gone today, but some of the nickel plated iron front might still be intact. The machines are treasures today, but not in those times. I'm trying to locate where they went and I have narrowed it a bit, but the Sound is still a huge place. As for the machines pictured in the above post, I'd take those to a certified slot restorer. They are not beyond a rebuild and would be a great display item.
 

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