This blog is adopting Oscar L. McKinley (1866-1923) as its symbol (“mascot” sounds undignified). McKinley is best known to regular readers as the alderman who spoke these famous words to Alderman McKale during a “wordy tilt” about sidewalks: “You violated the ordinance, undoubtedly, and failed to put your name upon the walks. Your name is not upon the walk in the photograph.” Often when I see a new sidewalk laid without being properly stamped, I shake my head in disapproval and say, “Your name is not upon the walk!”

According to a report of his death in the State Journal of July 28, 1923, in addition to being the second ward alderman for 16 years, McKinley was also the manager of the Lansing branch of the Wynkoop, Hallenbeck & Crawford printing concern for 25 years, and for more than 30 years was involved with the Lansing City Directory.

The Capital Area District Library’s local history collection online has a booklet titled Pictorial Souvenir of the Police and Fire Departments (well worth perusing in full for the vintage ads) from which I have drawn the photo of Alderman McKinley that now decorates the blog. I am reproducing the pictures of the entire City Council below. The booklet dates from 1913, and the “wordy tilt” happened in 1914, so now you can picture the City Council as it was then. The two aldermen called out by McKinley for laying “bum walk” were McKale and Young.