Another Look at the History of the Evanston Fire Department
Following the devastating Lincoln Avenue schoolhouse fire in March 1894, the City of Evanston took significant steps to improve its emergency response system. At a cost of $4,000, a Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph system was installed over three months, from November 1894 to February 1895. This system initially included 20 fire alarm boxes, allowing residents to quickly alert authorities in case of a fire. By 1905, the number had grown to 37 boxes, and by 1935, it reached 51. In 1958, the old telegraph system was replaced with a more advanced network of 80 emergency telephones from Western Electric, marking another milestone in the department's evolution.
The fire alarm telegraph served not only as a public alert system but also as a vital communication tool for firefighters. Company officers or the chief’s buggy driver could send updates from the scene of an incident directly to the chief’s home, city fire stations, the waterworks pumping station, or even the police switchboard. This two-way communication allowed for real-time coordination, ensuring that firefighters could be alerted to other emergencies or receive critical information while on duty.
Soon after the installation of the fire alarm system, the Evanston City Council approved an additional $4,000 to acquire the EFD’s first steam fire engine. Built by the Ahrens Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, this 2nd size Metropolitan steamer was named “City of Evanston No. 1.†It featured a two-horse hitch and could pump 600 gallons of water per minute (600-GPM). The engine was put into service at Station #1 in April 1895, just two months after the fire alarm system became operational.
Since no new horses were purchased for the steamer, the two horses assigned to the Babcock chemical engine were reassigned, and the chemical engine was placed in reserve until more horses could be acquired—though this didn’t happen until 1899. This transition marked a shift in the department’s reliance on horse-drawn equipment.
In 1895, J. A. "Dad" Patrick, a former Waterworks engineer, was hired as the fire department’s engineer. He was responsible for operating the steam engine. In 1896, Edward Mersch was hired as his assistant, helping to manage the engine when Patrick was unavailable. Engineers were highly valued during the steam era, and their salaries reflected that importance. Before World War I, the position of engineer was the second highest-paid role in the EFD, behind only the chief. Even in 1904, the salary of the assistant engineer on Engine Co. 1 was equal to that of the company officer, highlighting the critical role they played.
Civil Service was introduced for city employees in 1895, and only five fire department members—Jack Sweeting, George Hargreaves, Carl Harms, Edwin Whitcomb, and J. A. Patrick—qualified under the new system. The position of fire marshal remained exempt. Jack Sweeting was promoted to captain of Engine Co. 1 around this time. Five new firefighters, including Assistant Engineer Ed Mersch, were hired in 1895–96 after passing Civil Service exams. Like soldiers on duty, all firefighters were required to be available at all times, though they were allowed to take meal breaks and occasional furloughs.
In 1897, a new fire and police headquarters was built at the northwest corner of Grove and Sherman. Funded by a $40,000 bond approved in April 1896, the building housed four large bays for fire apparatus and a fifth bay used as a garage for the city’s first horse-drawn police ambulance. The facility was eventually abandoned in the summer of 1949, and the structure was demolished. For over 25 years, the land served as a parking lot for the Valencia Theatre before becoming the site of one of Evanston’s first high-rise office buildings, originally called One American Plaza. Construction began in December 1975 and was completed in 1977, marking the end of an era for the old fire station.
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