The Detroit Gas Companies, Tired Of

furnishing light ut lesa tban cost, hav corapromised their difficulties, and from July lat the price will be $2.50 pe thousand feet, with a doduotion of 2 cents for payraent by the lOth of eac month. Flint olaims to be a larger city tha Ann Arbor by several thousands, anc also to have more business and enter prise, yet the assossed valuation of Flin for the curront year Í8 but $1,246,83( Tho asse8sed valuation of this city fo 187G was $1,551,721, and the asse6smon of the present year will vary but littl from that aggregate either way. We hav not had time to look up the soveral su porvisors and obtain the exact fig uros. Hon S. D. Binoiiam, of Lansing who prefers to continue to write post mastor after his name to the empt honor of boing chairman of the Eepub lican State Central Committee, has re signod the latter position. As otho membors of the committee hold loca offices undor tho General Governmen it is anticipatod that they will follow Mr. Bingham'8 example at an early da; And then what disinterested and patr otic Republicaus will run the party ma chine 'i We shall see what we shall fee The Republicans of the New Hamp shire Legislature don't take kindly t tho Southern policy of President Haye or to hia secrot orders to minor office holders (we presumo it was ainiod onl at minor office-holders, for Secretary o War McCrary went to Iowa to manipu laso a convention) to abstain from th management of caucuses and other po litical bodies or organizations, and s thoy followed the example of the Mich igan Republican legislators and by strict party vote buried a sot of coiu mondatory resolutions in the Comnútte on National Affairs. A cautious set ar these once aggressive liepublioan poli ticians. Geouoe William Curtís, the em nent civil service reformor of llarper Weekly, who for yoars has clamored fo roforin while continually supportin Grant and his administration, shout over the recent order of Presiden Huyes after this olear and lucid style " This is the spirit of patriotism tha girds the commonwealth with the re sistloss splendor of the moral law, th invulnerable panoply of the States, th celestial secret of a great nation and happy people." And just because th postmasters and custom-house officer and employés are not to "manage" eau cuses and conventions, - ofenly, that is Is n't Goorge W. " ploased with a rattl mil ticklod with a straw." The Dotroit Post is novor so happy as when it can find fault with tho Presidont's policy, or mako tho President personally tho butt of " a joke." Hore is one of the Post'n latest : " When the Bostonians invitod the President to visit the Big Organ, he said that he had firnily resolved, in which resolution he was backed by the entire Cabinet, not to havo any organ during his administration. Tliere was a paper in Chicago which was ajubitious to be the big crgan ; but he could not allow such a thing. The reception the people had given him in Boston was convincing proof that he did not need any organ there. At this point Secretary Devens whispered in his ear, and tho party rotirod to an inner room to consult." The J'ast evidently is n't a Ilayes organ. A few weeks ago the Republican journals went on the rampage over the announcoment tbat a couple of Louisiana postmasters, recently appointed by President Ilayes, had been refused possession, in short had been iutimidated, bull-dozad, or driven from tho locality. Tho matter was roferred to a special agent of the department, Gon. George A. Sheridan, who now reports that CLapman, who was appointed postmastor at Clinton, had no residence in the parish, resided at Now Orleans, and tended to continuo his residouce thero, running his distant postoflioe by deputy. Purtheritioro, that no violono9 was usod or throatened against him and that ho might have taken personal possession of the office at any time. Tho other appointeo, Drury, was frightened at his own shadow, and could havo obtaincd possossion of his postónico by a littlo show of pluck. Ho was nppoiuted to Bucccod a colorod man, and the opposition to him camo neitber frora race, prejudico, nor political causes. Gen. Shoridan further pronounced both Chapraan and Drury incompetent, but recommendod their formal instalment in office, - to bo followed by inmediato reinoval, which caused tho rosignation of both claimants. And thus onds another " foul conspiracy to block the wheels of govornment " iu Louiaiana. Col. Wilkins, hite Collector of Customs at the port of Baltimore, declined to resign for the accommodation of the President who considered it " his duty to restore John L. Thomas to that placo, and therefore becamo the late Collector by virtuo of an order of suspension. Kecretary Sherman, in inviting his rosignation, cortifiod to tho President's " sincere respoct for your character and position," which gavo Col. Wilkina the opportnnity for this happy retort : " Sinco I havo held the offico I have endoavored to disohargo its duties fuithfully and to tho best of uiy ability. The Presidont, in liis inaugural address, in calling attention to civil service reform, said that a public officer should bo socure in his tenure a long as his personal character remained uutarnished and the performanco of his duties satisfaotory. Your letter gives roe the gratifying assuranco of tho Prosident's sincoro respect for my charactor, and I appeal to the records of your department for ovidonco of my satisfaetory performance of official duties." Which novertholess failed to chango 'the Presidential niind and a faithfulofHcer's hoad rolled in the wuote basket. Vorily, civil service reform is a two-odged sword and cuts off the hoads of good and poor officors aliko. The Toledo and Ann Arbor Kallroad. Ann Arbok, Mich., July 6, 1877. To the Editor of the Argus: I requost the publioation in your columns, of the enclosed open letter, as an answer to tho numerous inquirios, personal and by mail, which are being made daily, about the " Toledo and Ann Arbor Eailroad." I have sen a oopy to each of the papers here, and at Toledo, so that all who are intorested in the early completion of this important line of communication with Toledo and the East, and the coalfields of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, may understand the kind of work to be done, and the necessity of prompt and praotical efforts as a condition to the completion of the road. Without it, the road cannot at present be built. Deserving the activa co-operation of the " Argüí' - and the ontire press at each end of the lino - and of all who can dónate money, or land, materials or labor in aid of this enterprise, I ain truly yours, J. M. Asiilky. To the citkens of Toledo and Ann Arbor, and all who reside on or neur the line of the proptsed Toledo and Ann Arbor liuilroad : Last week a deed was duly executed and recordod in Washtenw and Monroe counties, Michigan, which transferred to me all the property, real and personal, belonging to the Toledo and Ann Arbor Railroad, a bankrupt, as sold by order of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Michigan, öaid property includes the franchise and road-bed, the right of way and certain real estáte in Ann Arbor, 72,000 railroad ties, and 500 cords of wood, together with 39,000 dollars in notes payable in installments of onefifth for each 8 miles of iron laid down on suid rond. This property was not purchased (as has been erroneously published) either for Eastern capitalista or for a railroad corporation, but is niy individual property, and was perchased by me with the intention, if the requisite aid and cooporation could be secured at Ann Arbor and Toledo, and along the line, of completiug said road at the earliest possible day, and running it as an independent line, which should havo friendly business relations with each of the roads it crossed, and at the termini at Toledo and in Ann Arbor, without being owned or coutrolledin the special interest of anyone of the great rival linos. This purpose will be adhered to, provided the reqnired aid for its completion is pledged within a reasonable time at Ann Arbor and Toledo, and along the line of the road. Practical railroad engineers estímate that it will cost about three hundred and fifty thousand to complete and equip the road. Before purchasing thiu property, I made an arrangement for a loan of twothirds of the money required for the completion of the road, on condition that I secure oue-third of that amount by subsoription at Toledo and Ann Arbor, and along the line, so that I could bond the road, free of debt, as security for the loan. This arrangement makes it necessary for me to procure a subscription of 80,000 dollars in addition to the 39,000 dollars iu notes whioh I now have. As soon as pledges for that amount are given, and the right of way is secured on about three-and-one-ludf miles not yet donated, work on the road will commenco at once, and be prosecuted with vigor until its completion. In a few days I hope to meet with the people along the line of the road, and present such facts and fignres as I may have, showing thb practioability of the proposed enterprise, and the value of the rond to the farming interests along the line, and to all who reside within six or eight miles on each side of it. The benefits which the completion of this road will secure to Anu Arbor and Toledo, can hardly be overestimated. The country through which the road passes, is as desirable as any portion of Michigan, and is the richest part of the North-west naturally tributary to Toledo, unoccupied by a lino of railroad. I respectfully solicit the cordial oooperation and active personal aid of everyone friendly to the proposed road, whether at Toledo or Ann Arbor, or along the line. Without such aid, the needed subscriptions cannot be had ; and if they are not secured in the manuur and form requested, the road cannot, at present, be built. The form of note desired, is as folow8 : S ■ Mtch., .TulT , 1877. For the pnrpose of aiding in the compfetion of the Toledo and Arbor Uailroad, and in consideration of the benetíU to be derived therefrom, I hereby promise to pay to the order of the President of the Toledo and Ann Arbor Railroad Coinpany. dollars. Said sum shall be due and : y : 1 1 1 1 e in thirty days after the cars are regularly uuning on said road, from Toledo, in the State of Ohio, to Ann Arbor, in the State of Michigan ; ironded, that said road shall be completed on or xjfore the flrst dayof January, A. D. 1879 ; and if tot so completed, this obligatlon shall be nuil tind vold. [seal[ It will bo scon that this obligation is ilain and unambiguous, because it iKNins business. All who can aid in thie enterprise by onations in right of way, or materials, abor or tuoney, are rcspectfully invited o do so ; and I desireto add, thatl will )ó undor great personal obligations for ;he co-operation and friendly suggesions of those who havo had oxporience n railroad enterprises of liko charaoter. When at homo, I can be found at my office in Fort Industry Block, corner of Vlonroa and Summit strofits, Toledo, whero I shall be pleased to see those iuerested in this road, who may favoi me with a cali. All lettors addressed to me there, will eceivo prompt attention.