The Portland daily press., 1890-12-20
ETTlNcER PREDICTED FIRES
ne Was Paid by the Insured and the
Insurance Companies.

According to the Chronicle, a weekly
insurance paper, the late William
Ettinger possessed a faculty for fortell.
Ing events that would have been
Invaluable If 1t could have been diverted into
the weather channel. his forte, however,
was tires, and 1t Is asserted that he could
locate them weeks ahead more accurately
than Sergt. Dunn can predict prevailing
weather. Mr. Ettinger was superintendent
OF Ettinger's Public Adjusting Bureau, No.
80 Nassau Street. New York. He Is said
to have led a peculiar species of double
business life. In his capacity as mana
ger OF the fre-predicting bureau he
gave certain insurance company ad-
vance information Of prospective fires and
as general adjuster he represented people
who had suffered from fires. For predicting
he was paid by the companies, and for ad-
lusting bis remuneration came from the in
sured, and depended largely on the amounts
collected from the insurance companies. Ac-
cording to the Chronicle each company sub
scribing to the Prediction Bureau paid Mr.,
Ettinger about $3.50 year, and as there were
twelve or fifteen of these companies his in
come was $1,000 or $4,000 a year from this
source alone. His mode OF reading the
fnturs is not given, but 1t Is asserted that the
companies subscribing to his bureau felt
that they were making a paying investment
and that they received his cautions without
asking questions. The companies are said
to have found these predictions" so trust
worthy that they promptly set about pro
tectlng themselves when they were received
by caDcelling policies.
Mr.. Ettinger appears to have surrounded
MS Prediction Bureau with considerable
mystery. Sometimes he gave oral warning
but usually adopted the plan OF writing the
street and number Of prospective fires on
slips OF paper and mailing them annony.
lnously, his clients understanding such no.
ices. 1t Is alleged that In many cases in
which he had predicted fires he afterwards
turned up an adjuster for the insured and
worked hard TO get money for his second
client from his first patron.
Representatives Of several of the comma
nles supposed to be subscribers to the Pre-.
diction Bureau have recently been sum-
moned before the fire marshal. An inves-
teaiion was being made Of fire MIR. Eltin-
ger Is said to have predicted, and In which
after the fire occurred he acted as adjuster for
the insured. The marshal did not obtain
much light from the insurance representa-
lives, as they considered their relation with
details
He did not undertake to specify In what
par OF building the fire was liable to oc-
cur or which OF the tenants would be a VIC
tim, He merely pointed out the building
ana let the insurance company fill In the de
tails through It's inspectors. His books are
said to have contained several hundred num- |
0ers, and the Chronicle prints a list of III |
buildings which figure IN his predictions in |
which ire occurred from Jan. 4, 1887, to April /
70, 1890. of which fifteen were In broadway. |
fhe paper also gives the names of ten COM |
Danirs and agents claimed to have been SUBJ /
scribers to the bureau.
The representative of one of the compan- /
les acknowledged TO New York World re- |
porter that his company obtained advance in
rmation as to probable fires from Mr. /
Ettinger, and the representatives of three
Dthers failed 10 avail themselves Of an Cd
portunity to denyit .
Il know where the story originated" the |
manager OF Wall street company said. San /
nicer OF one company gave II out for Spite
| won say whether we were in the scheme |
Or not, but am aware there was such an ar
rangement, and / consider IL perfectly legiti- /
mate. We want all the reliable information /
We can get. and as Mr.. Ettinger had large |
acquaintance among certain class OF peo-
ol- ne could often make valuable sugges-
lions His tips were based upon his knowl-
'dge OF the people, Of upon the conditions
existing, and they were so received. He was
good judge OF human nature and an indus
irious worker.