Evanston Fire Department history – Part 2

On May 2, 1875, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) responded to an early-morning fire at the First Presbyterian Church located on Lake and Chicago streets. Although firefighters arrived quickly, the building was lost due to a communication error between those on the scene and the engineer at the Waterworks engine house. The firefighters thought they heard an acknowledgment from the engineer when in fact it was just a whistle from a C&NW RR train. By the time a messenger was sent by horse to the engine house, the church had already been destroyed.

Later that same month, a telegraph line was installed between the village hall and the Waterworks. Even with improved communication—eventually replaced by telephones in the 1880s—the EFD would face more issues with poor coordination between firefighters and Waterworks engineers. In fact, the First Presbyterian Church was rebuilt on the same site, only to be destroyed again by fire in February 1894.

The EFD was officially established by ordinance on May 25, 1875, and took effect on May 29th after being published in the newspaper. However, this was more of a formality, as the department’s true beginnings can be traced back to January 7, 1873, when the Village Board of Trustees accepted the Pioneer Fire Company for service.

In January 1875, the C.J. Gilbert Hose Company was formed. After a six-month evaluation period, it was accepted into service by the village board in August 1875, becoming one of Evanston’s two volunteer hose companies alongside the Pioneer Hose Company No. 1.

Each company was given a hand-drawn, two-wheeled, one-axle hose cart (one built by Silsby, the other by G.W. Hannis), 1000 feet of 2½-inch hose, nozzles, tools, and equipment. William Gamble, foreman of the Gilbert Hose Company and a local grocer, served as village Fire Marshal from November 1876 to May 1878. W.R. “Bob” Bailey, the Pioneer Fire Company’s foreman and a butcher, took over as Fire Marshal from May 1878 to July 1883. His meat market was among the businesses destroyed in the Willard Block fire of 1872.

From January 1875 to April 1881, the EFD consisted solely of these two volunteer companies. All equipment and gear were owned by the village, and both companies stored their apparatus and held monthly meetings on the first floor of the village hall. Each company hosted its own annual Firemen’s Ball—Pioneers on St. Patrick’s Day and the Gilberts on New Year’s Eve. Which one had the better party is now a mystery.

Company officers included a foreman, three assistant foremen, a secretary, and a treasurer. These positions were elected annually by members, and new members had to gain approval from existing members before joining. Most members were local merchants or their employees.

The Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 was considered one of the top fire companies in Illinois and often participated in musters with other departments. They wore stylish uniforms—navy blue caps, red flannel shirts with black trim, and black belts with white accents—and usually got first pick of new equipment. They also often secured the position of village fire marshal. In contrast, the C.J. Gilbert Hose Company, formed by former members of the Pioneers, was seen as the “poor step-brother” of the EFD. They didn’t participate in state musters, had simpler uniforms, and were often left out of important decisions.

Like many volunteer fire departments of the time, the two companies were friendly rivals. They enjoyed dousing each other with water after putting out fires, racing to the scene, and trying to be the first to extinguish flames. The Village Board sometimes played them against each other, giving one company preference in appointments or equipment, which often favored the Pioneers.

Despite rare major fires, the Pioneers and the Gilberts had their share of challenges. On the night of January 2, 1879, they responded to a fire at Dempster Hall, a dormitory on Northwestern University’s campus. It was bitterly cold—reportedly minus 20 degrees. After three hours of battling the fire, the building was destroyed, and firefighters were exhausted. Students were away for Christmas at the time.

By 2 AM, another fire broke out at the Northwestern Gas Light & Coke Company (the “gasworks”) on Clark and Maple streets. Coal sheds, tons of coal, and 20 barrels of tar were destroyed. Once the fire was under control, the crews turned their hoses on each other. Fortunately, modern Evanston firefighters don’t behave this way anymore.

Two more significant fires occurred in early 1879 near Church and Wesley streets. One destroyed the home of Professor Kistler, where firefighters saved the furniture and library but not the house. Another fire destroyed the grand home of real estate magnate Charles Browne, founder of North Evanston, again saving the furniture and nearby homes. These fires sparked complaints from both companies about compensation, equipment, and proper gear.

The village eventually provided coats, gloves, and boots, but not enough for both companies. Chief Bob Bailey, then a former Pioneers foreman, was tasked with distributing the gear, and he gave everything to the Pioneers. The Gilberts were upset, and the situation worsened when the village acquired a new play-pipe. The Pioneers offered to compete with the Gilberts at a muster on July 4, with the winner taking the new equipment. The Gilberts refused, likely to avoid setting a precedent, so the Pioneers kept the play-pipe.

By refusing to compete, the Gilberts became the subject of jokes around town. To restore their reputation, they challenged the Pioneers to a muster later that summer. The match was set for August 21, 1879, drawing hundreds of spectators. Bets were placed, and tensions ran high. Despite finishing the run in 63.5 seconds and breaking their own record, the Pioneers were disqualified for a technicality, and the Gilberts won. The Pioneers protested, claiming the judges either misunderstood the rules or were bribed, but the decision stood.

On December 31, 1880, the Pioneers and the Gilberts faced another difficult challenge: a second fire at the home of John H. Kedzie, a prominent resident, in seven years. Many firefighters missed the alarm due to the cold, and those who arrived fought a long battle to save the furniture, though the house was ultimately lost. Harry Housel, a member of the Pioneers, contracted a respiratory infection during the fire, which led to his death from tuberculosis at age 24 in 1882.

The Kedzie fire reignited demands for better pay and equipment. When these were ignored, the two companies resigned en masse on May 23, 1881, marking the end of volunteer firefighting in Evanston—not with a bang, but with a whimper.

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