Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-12

Richard A Mclean, floor superintend-
ent of the composing room of The Even
ing Star. and for more than twenty-five
wears foreman of the composing room.
today rounded out fifty years of service
with The Star He was the recipient of
hearty congratulations from his many
friends. ......
Mr.. McLean's family has been intimate
" connected with The Star almost from
its foundation His father. William r.
Mclean. was the first foreman of its
composing ROOM his uncle was at one
time assistant foreman of the composing
room, and his son. William II. Mclean,
is linotype operator on The star
Mr.. Mclean has seen The Star grow
from small newspaper of four pages to
a big metropolitan daily averaging more
than twenty pages day. He entered lts
employ when it was housed in ouiiolng
on the site of the present post once, anC
stayed with it when 1t moved INTO and
old Star building at 18th street ana
Pennsylvania avenue and then INTO 'he
present modern structure
When President Garfield was shot
part of The Star offices was on the south
side of PENNSYLVANIA avenue and part
on the north side On that occasion sew
eral eight-page papers were issued ana
this was considered remarkable IN those
days. when type was being set by mana.
Succeeds Father as Foreman.
Mr.. McLean's father died December l.
1879. and he Immediately succeeded MN
as foreman of the composing room, Po-
sition he retained until he voluntarily
gave it up several years ago 10 become
floor superintendent Of the composins
room He is still as active as ever
Mr.. Mclean was succeeded as foreman
by II. X Southland. who has been CON
tinuously in the employ of The Star for
twenty-seven years. and who for the last
seven years has been foreman of the COM
posing room. In its more tnan Sixty
years of existence Ihe star: .nereioIe'
has had only three foremen In It's COM
posing ROOM all of these having been APP
pointed from the papers own composing
room force.
The first cub" or apprentice, employed
bv Mr. Mclean after he became foreman
was August Bruehl. who is still mem
Der Of the composing room force of Inc
Star. at this time being one OF the
makeup men.
During Mr.. McLean's long service ne
has seen the business of newspaper max
ing practically revolutonized. he has
seen modern linotype machines take the
place CT the old hand-settinS process. lie
set up the first two-column advertise
ment appearing in The Star, an achieve
ment which was considered remarkable at
that time
Prize for Fast Typesetting.
Mr. Mclean first entered the employ
of The Star March II, 1864. and soon
became one of the fastest typesetters
in the city. having won as second
prize silver stick in competition
in 1874 Twice during his service The
Star office was burnt out. but an edi-
ton was never missed. He took the
type out and continued at work. Dur
ing the Spanish American war he lit
orally slept at his post. He has seen
the introduction of Sunday news
papers
His efficiency and steadiness have
won him the regard of air with whom
he has been associated.
Members of The Star chapel today
presented to Mr.. Mclean a handsome
bouquet in recognition of the golden
anniversary of his connection with the
paper The presentation speech was
made by w. J. Gallagher. who is the
next oldest member of the composing
room force in point of service. TO Mr..
Mclean. Mr.. Gallagher has been con-
tinuously in the employ of The Star
for forty-one years.