The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-04
"BAILEY,s MISTAKE"
After a Hard Fight TO Got Its Same This AEaine
Town Has to Fight TO keep Il.


BAnEY's MISTAKE, Me-, Dec. 3.-The old
saying about giving a dog a bad name doesn't
apply down here.onthc eastern point of Washing
ton county. They tried to give this village a
name that was commensurate with its reputa-
ton, tried for moro than fifty years-tried and
failed, because there was no word or combina-
tion CT words in tho language that would do
scribe the forsaken appearance and utter lone
someness of its environment. A century ago
1t was called "Skunk's Misery" a term which
implied that q skunk couldn't get a comforta-
"Puduch," 'iiardscrabble," Mink Hole and
d sucker baSous %ef fseS SpP diSa,t N be sdrn ia ana eon tnen
the prevailing idea. There was u new name
every year for a quarter of a century or so, and
came along and shut Off further debate.
Baileyis Mistake was named for Sam Bailey,
a "oasting trader who used TO sail into Lubeo
harbor as often as once a month. tho mis-.
take" part being added at the time OF Bailey's
last yo gS q so That kh future Sb nsSiE mio5ske and d
was. There arc two waterways that lead up to
Lubcc from the Atlantic Ocean. one a wide and
navigable ship channel. and the other a widc
and rocky shOal that affords excellent pastur-
age for tiounders.and other fish OF small draught.
loop up 10 Lubec anchorage and took the Wrong
way. He knew all about the shoal water and
the rocks, and had become SO familiar with the
course that he paid no heed, presuming that
his sloop could find her way without help.
There is where the mistake" came in. for trust
IHB 100 HuCu 10 INC lnlcllIRCHCt Vi MS hlOOp, inc
craft went aground on the rocks and was
chewed into toothpicks before morning.
AS nobody ever saw anything OF Bailey or
his crew, IL is inferred that the fishes took
what there was left OF them after the waves
had done their work. From that date the term
"Bailey's Mistake" was attached TO this reach of
water and the land on both sides oft, and now
the Coast Survey charts have recognized the
claims, SO that Bailey's Mistake has become u
geographical fixture.
The first settler who ever put up a house
on the shore Of Bsiley's Mistake was Nick
Curran, a fisherman farmer, VIII" had to work very
hard for a poor living. When no wasn't work
ing he was making complaints about his lot in
life, saying that not only Bailey, but every man
who came that way made the biggest mistake
OF his life. He continued to work and find
fault until somebody discovered that the youth
full behring's of Lubcc Bay, when embalmed in cot
tonseed oil and put mp in tin cases, were Just as
good as the French and Italian sardines. Two
years later the leading industry of PASSPORT
and Lubec was packing sariines. Curran. the
chronic GROWER, bought nets. and setting them
In the shoal waters OF Bailey's Mistake caught
millions OF herring every season. Owning land
on both sides of the water, he claimed the right
OF eminent domain over the Mistake and de.
Tended 1t so well with II shotgun that tho
other hshermen were compelled to respect him.
lie Is rich, now. owning fine houses, factories.
stores, and whole fleets of fishing craft. At
present his employees and friends are circulat-
Ing a. petition asking that the name Bailey's
Mistake be changed TO Curran's Inlet.