Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-15

But Nobody Would Suspect Il to Nee,
Him a. He Travels on His Own Steam.
boats.

Passengers on the Maine line steamer
| frequently notice in the pilot house tall
| slender man with long gray beard, and tn,
general aspect Of retired steamboat captait
| or something Of that sort. He seems to take
| q casual interest In the navigation Of the yes
| sci, and is evidently on familiar footing viii
| the ofiicers Of the boat. Occasionally hs
| may invite some curious passenger i.to thu
wheel house 10 see the compass Or to peer
through the glasses. With ,uch he will chat
entertainiuely about ships, the ocean or any
| other ordinary subject.
Incidentally il will probably come out ths,
he 10 president Of the line, and he may men,
ton that he 10 also in the oil cloth business
in New York, though his home 10 in Maine,
He is full of thoughtful sugges,ions about
the best way to avoid seasickness, the best
staterooms to try to get for the return trip.
and a. to other matters relating TO the com.
fort Of the trip. The passenger who has been
fortunate enough to fall in with him con-
cludes that the Maine line has . most accom-
modating gentleman for its president, and
thinks it would be good thing for the line
il it would hire its president to sail on every
trip and make things pleasant for the
patrons.
Going to stop over in Portland and come
back with US next trip, are your he said to
. couple Of voyagers recently. "Well now,
don't YOU stay in Portland, go over to Cush-
ings Island to the hotel there, the Ottawa;
it's the only one there is. and you cant miss
it. 1t II only take half an hour or 50 to 70
there, and you can spend one night and two
days there good deal more comfortably than
you can in Portland. Just mentien At the
hotel that told you to come-Mr. Bailey,
president of the steamship line; it won't do
you any HARM"
These two passengers were more than ever
Impressed with the geaialty Of the Maine
lines president, and they took his advice.
They had the best room in the hotel and re-
ceivei other attention that made them curious
as to where Mr.. Bailey got the pull that
he evidently had with the hotel proprietor,
They asked some one who this Mr. Bailey
was.
Bailey? Oh, president Of the steamship
lihey Why that's Charles NJ. Bailey. He's the
richest man in Maine. Worth Sl0, ,OOO. 900
or Sl5 900 600 and made it all himself. lie
was about the first oil-cloth manufacturer In
the country, and is the biggest one yet. He
owns the steamship line and . lot of other
things. Close AZ chestnut bnrr, too, about
business, but does an almighty lot of good
with his money on the quiet. He don't 90
much on churches, but he ha. fancy for
helping young men studying for the ministry
or young preachers. He'll put up all the
money they need right along until they get
to mixing in politics or temperance. Then he
shuts down on 'em right OF. Says . ministers
business is to do good to humanity, not to
talk politics or prohibition. He'll do most
anything for a man he takes fancy to.
know young man went to him once and
asked him for 5000. He got it, and was
going to give note for it. Never mind
that, he said, ''if you're honest you'll pay
me without it, and If you're Dishonest you
won't pay me anyhow; your word is all
want That's the kind Of a man be is,
though you'd never suspect it If you had any
business dealings with him. You don't
mean to say you were talking TO him and
didn't know who he was? Reckon you dent
know much alb out Maine; there amt many
pies down Eastways that he amt got finger
in"
The two travellers made up their minds
that they had reversed the usual form and
had been entertained by an angel unswares.
-Eep York Sun.