The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-21
AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER.
QUEER PEOPLE ENCOUNTERED IN
THE COURSE OF BUSINESS.

The Curious Slue OI Euiudn INaIuHo-
valuo of Damaged Property-Absurd
Notions-IIonesty and Trlckcry.
"The more I como in contact with the
female representative of this day and gen.
GRAFTON, the more l am convinced that she
is q curious and remarkable phenomenon" !"
which remark from q blonde young man
who certainly could never have experienced
any very harsh treatment from the sex
naturally became tho subject for investiga-
tion.
"Don't get excited" continued he of the
yellow mustache, lazily lighting a cigarette,
"you are not to be treated to 'confidence.'
/ am considering lovely woman at the
present moment solely from business point
of view My position in the adjuster's de-
partment Of O fire insurance company af-
fords mo opportunities to study the female
character in a variety Of phase, and I re-
neat that it is O complex and remarkable
thing"
"You must strike queer fish of all sorts in
your line," suggested the reporter as the
young man paused.
lots Of them," was the quick response.
"Nothing but queer fish it seems to Inc some
times, OF else the business is peculiarly apt
to develop tho queer side OF human nature.
Our Office used to insure among tho foreign
ers over in tho Hester and Essex streets ten
ements There's where you run against
queer fish Such places as they are Ugh,
it fairly makes my nose ache to think OF
them now. They are mostly tailors and
fur sewers and the like; they are prolific
lot, and one room or two at most answers
for family Of from soven to ten to cat,
sleep and work in. You may fancy the
smells one would strike And ths cat! No
family over there is complete without the
cat. The cat does all the mischief, too.
The unfailing reason for all the fires is. the
cat tipped over the lamp 1t is an estab-
ished joke among the offices that take
these risks-this ubiquitous and perennlally
mischievous cat Of the cast side bohemian" !"
VALUE OF DAIAGED PROPERTY.
"Then arson is a common crimo in that
community" suggested the reporter.
larson improved, but not unuuestioned.
Curious, too, for they got very decent fur
nishings and excellent clothing, and then
damage them for the insurance"
"You insure anything and everything, I
SUPPOSE"
woman over in Paterson tho other day
showed me among tho debris of her fire
dead canary bird in Lluckened cage. She
wanted compensation for its loss, but the
company would not grant it 1t should have
been covered by special policy, as they
often are Parrots are very commonly In
sured, and woman not long ago asked mo to
write in hcr policy, as she put it, 'Frotec-
tion for them goldfish pointing to a couple OF
the little sinners luirming aboutln seven
inch gloi:e. / told her fire would never Kill
those animals-the creatures were gasplnS
then in their narrow quarters
Its always the women that have the ab-
surl notions about insurance, although the
Ynen are pretty nearly as bad about trying
20 increase the value Of damaged property.
A little storekeeper in tho wilds Of Brooklyn
was partially burned out last winter He
kept laces chioiy, and all that were injured
were of the cheapest quality, but his claim
for tie moicty OF stock burned was good
round one.
Now, you know, we don't make gifts to
Tho assured; wo simply indemnify, and l
said to our friend, 'How's this: these other
laccs all told won't sum up to what you
went for the two or thI CO boxes burned.
"Oh' said the old fellow, lowering his
voice conlidcntially, 4 tell you how dot
vas. In dose boxes keep my most ex-
ponsive luces. Dem laces vas fine like q
cobweb and all hairt-made,' and so Oil, till,
according to his elaboration, nothing short
of the value OF old rose point could COM
pensato hiiu, but the company thought diff
ferently," finished this young damage ap-
G;t
HONEST WITH HONEST MEN.
"Yct we don't hasgle; we are honest with
honest men, but when We tackle some one
trying to play sharp we arc apt to see that
he or she gets no moro than he or she is en-
titled to. What do you think, now, of the
check OF fellow down south who actually
sent us up his policy soaked with the lero.
sene with which, as it was aftcrward proved,
he had fred his proporty'
so return to tho women. 1t is co1u-
mon bcl!ef among them that they can get
no indcinnitication if their policy is burned
And if their property is not all destroyed
thcy think all claim for damages is nulli-
fed. Scores of them have come to the OF
fec explaining that tho fire burned the
house all up, but most OF tho furniture was
saved, and they don't suppose they can CO!
lect any thing, but they thought they d
come and see, because Mrs So-and'so,
some neighbor, said perhaps they could.
That's positive fact.
Yet women arc persistent insurers; and
how they treasure their policies! Why, out
in Connecticut farmhouse ono day llst
summer while l WAS waiting in tho best
room. what should SEQ hanging over the
nlslo.icon framed, and IL q companion piece
to the marriage certificate, but an Insurance
rclicy! That was an i,iea, wasn't II:
You insure hereditary ra!uaDies, heir
looms and tho like.
".At ttrir commercial value, yes. We
ray nothing fer th:ir association to an in
diyiIunI An autograph letter Of Gen.
WASHINGTON We would insure for good
sum, but Letter @r.ttcn by your ancestor
Of 100 yrlrs ago, however valuable it mi Int
b. TO yCu, the cojipany would praise at
t!o price OF tie ink anu paper, which would
be--nothing."
"Iiow a!,cut iewelry and art val;aJ!es::8
~ caring icwc!.y is incIu led i'll house,
hold goods: sicriu! arti los OF jewc.ry are
individually secured. laintinss, statlary,
AMI tie like ara also specially inairel."
".il:.n tho ptactbiow vase woud be en-
titlstl 10 q separate AMI particular policy:'
"i'r,!ol'tcllj-. bat not, my dear sir, in
Cur company Tor *iS,OJu New DIX
Tines
4 Distortion OF Natural Shape.
It i, well to study the style Of our fashion
ahlu Sisters nowadays, particularly because