Turning the Crank

This pic documents a major turning point in Ypsilanti utility history. FASCINATING. Here we see a bunch of white guys turning a crank. It is the crank to officially turn on the new natural gas system in town in I believe 1948. The old municipal coal gas plant at Forest and Huron was decommissioned and thus ended the three-decade era of municipal gas. Photo legend:

"DOING THE HONORS are Mayor D. T. Quirk (left) and City Manager N. G. Damoose (right), who are turning the valve releasing natural gas to Ypsilanti. Ceremonies were conducted at the gas plant on Clark Road. Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. officials and Ypsilantians watching the proceedings are (left to right) Walter Hochrein, assistant superintendent of the Liquid Petroleum Plant; Creston Myers, city councilman; Charles Henderson, general manager of the district; Will Kendrick, Ann Arbor, and Walter Butler, service department head."