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."

DIY Utility Bill

This is a bill from the onetime Ypsilanti Gas Company, a municipal utility supplying coal gas to homes all over town for cooking and lighting. The gas generator plant stood at the northeast corner of Forest and Huron, where the DPW yard is now. The plant operated as a municipal utility from 1914, when the city seized control, to the late 40s, when it switched over to natural gas and external ownership.

Here is a DIY bill in case the meter reader couldn't come in your house--presumably meters were indoors in those days--and a lot of moms were at home to be able to let them in. If not, you could just fill in the numbers yourself and mail it in to be billed, as seen on this undated sample which I would guess is from the late 20s-ish (?). ETA: Reader Paul found a date: 1931.