The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1918-08-09
APOLLO OF THE NAVY

Here is story too good to pass up
Il Notwithstanding its length. 1t is an
Intensely interesting account of one
who is proclaimed to be the handsome
est man in the United States navy,
and that is an honor truly worth
+ while But aside from that claim the
story is one that will be read here as
a narrative of local interest as Minor
Mclean, the young man who has
& created such sensation and hps
come into such national prominence
3 10 a son of M. E. Mclean, the we'll
known conductor on the Oroville-
Wenatchee branch, and who is to be
congratulated upon the fame that has
come to his son. The article is taken
from the Seattle Times:
The Apollo of the Navy calls
Sesttle home. Celebrated artists and
famous stage beauties have declared
him the ideal American sailor boy. !.
His face soon will appear on thou
sands OF war posters throughout the
United States. His mother lives here.
Minor McClain-for that is his name
has been praised by Howard Chan
dler Christy as one of the most hand
some men he had ever seen, and
William Krieghoff, Philadelphia
artist, has painted a portrait of him
as the ideal sailor. Mary Garden and
Lillian Russell have expressed. ad-
miration for his charms and Mary
Garden kissed him in public. His
mother, Mrs. Fannie McLain, lives at
l7lS Minor Ave.
From third class stoker in the
nre room of United States battle
snip to being guest in the $4,000, 900
riverside Drive mansion of Charles
NJ Schwab, president of the Emerg-
ency Fleet Corporation, is only one
Of the astonishing features of the re-
markable career of Minor Mclean.
McLain was the subject of a full
page drawing in the New York World.
"nicn Is sponsor for the statement
On MS remarkable career.
L"'cidiueu ny ScnWaD.
nut the circumstances under which
oailof Mclean visited Schwab, the
natlons greatest self-made man,
were SO wonderful as the success of
'ne young sailor. Schwab gave a
private musical at his $8,O00,OOO home
anu the star of that occasion was the
great Madame Melba, who not only
niet McLain but joined with Schwab
III pralsing the young mans mechani-
.ai ability. For when Schwab had
peeh informed that McLain was a
splendid mathematician and possess.
Gu unusual mechanical talents he
slapped the sailor or the back and ex-
claimed: You are just the kind of
a young man that Uncle Sam has
need Of"
"cLaln was termed 'the Apollo of
.he Navy by Howard Chandler Chris
w. the celebrated illustrator, and
william Krieghoff, the noted Phila-
ueiphia artist, whose portrait of the
sai'or caused much favorable com
l'ent at the Quaker City. Lillian Rus
.eil designated McLain "the ideal
american sailor boy"
Born in This State.
McLain was born in the state of
Washington. While still an infant
us parents moved to Nome, Alaska
a. ana the future pride of the American
NaVy gained fame as the first white
oaoy to cross the Chilkoot Pass. His
eariy life was replete with exciting
auvehtures. He panned gold when he
was only 10 years old, crossed the
nerihg Straits to Siberia, rode behind
'edils OF raindeers and maneged his
aothers railroad. Eventually am.
o'''on urged him to broader fields and
ne came to Seattle.
~, inen followed trips through the
'uiadie West, where he entered ar
au'ohooile factory and became a gas
engine expert. Returning to Seattls
nc enlisted in the United States
army when Pershing entered Mexico
anu, after servingk one year in the
ihiantry, he bought his way out ant
'eturhed to Nome. Then he became
government mail carrier, travelling
thousands of miles throughout the
nrctic country on horseback.
ne was serving in that capacit,
wnen the United States entered the
war war Being government employe
'icLain was not subject to the draft