Evanston Fire Department history – Part 2

On May 2, 1875, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) responded to a fire at the First Presbyterian Church located on Lake and Chicago Avenues. 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. Firefighters believed that water pressure was being increased when they heard what they thought was an acknowledgment from the Waterworks engineer—only to find out it was actually the whistle of a C&NW RR train. By the time a messenger was sent on horseback to the engine house, the church had already been destroyed.

Later that month, a telegraph connection was established between the village hall and the Waterworks. Even with improved communication (telephones eventually replaced the telegraph in the 1880s), the fire at the First Presbyterian Church wasn’t the last time poor communication between firefighters and the Waterworks engineer would cause problems for the EFD. The church was later rebuilt but was again destroyed by fire in February 1894.

The Evanston Fire Department was officially established by ordinance on May 25, 1875, and took effect on May 29 after being published in the newspaper. However, this was largely a formality, as the department’s real 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, joining the Pioneer Hose Company No. 1 as one of Evanston’s two volunteer hose companies.

Each company was assigned a hand-drawn, two-wheeled, one-axle hose cart—one built by Silsby, the other by G.W. Hannis—along with 1,000 feet of 2½-inch hose, nozzles, tools, and equipment. William Gamble, the 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 foreman of the Pioneer Fire Company and a butcher, held the same position from May 1878 to July 1883. His business, Bailey’s Meat Market & Ice House, had been destroyed in the Willard Block fire of 1872.

From January 1875 to April 1881, the EFD consisted only of the two volunteer hose companies. All equipment was owned by the village, and both companies maintained their apparatus and held monthly meetings on the first floor of the village hall. Each company hosted its own annual Firemen’s Ball: the Pioneers on St. Patrick’s Day and the Gilberts on New Year’s Eve. Whether one was better than the other remains a mystery.

Company officers included a foreman, three assistant foremen, a secretary, and a treasurer—all elected annually by the members. 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 elite fire companies in Illinois, often competing in musters with others. They had stylish uniforms with navy blue caps, red flannel shirts with black trim and a “1” on the front, and black belts with white trim. They usually got first pick of new equipment and often had their members appointed as Fire Marshal. In contrast, the C.J. Gilbert Hose Company, formed by former members of the Pioneers who had left, did not participate in state musters, had simpler uniforms, and were seen as the “poor step-brothers” of the EFD.

Like many volunteer departments of the time, the two companies were friendly rivals. They enjoyed dousing each other with water after putting out a fire, racing to be first on scene, and trying to be the first to extinguish flames. Unfortunately, the Village Board sometimes played them off against each other, appointing one company’s foreman as Fire Marshal or giving new equipment to one company while neglecting the other. The Gilberts were often the ones left behind.

Although fires in Evanston were rare, the Pioneers and Gilberts had their share of challenges. On the night of January 2, 1879, firefighters responded to a fire at Dempster Hall, a dormitory on the Northwestern University campus. It was bitterly cold—reportedly minus-20 degrees—and after three hours, the vacant building was completely gutted. Students were away for Christmas, so no one was harmed.

There was no time to rest. Just a few hours later, the Pioneers and Gilberts were called to a fire at the Northwestern Gas Light & Coke Company, commonly known as the “gasworks.” Coal sheds, tons of coal, and 20 barrels of tar were destroyed. Afterward, the companies turned their hoses on each other—something today’s Evanston firefighters would never do.

Two more major fires occurred in early 1879, both on the West Ridge near Church and Wesley. One destroyed the home of Professor Kistler, where the furniture and library were saved, and another burned down the mansion of real estate magnate Charles Browne, founder of North Evanston. Again, the furniture and nearby homes were saved. These fires caused tension within the EFD, with both companies demanding financial compensation, better gear, and more protective clothing.

The village board eventually bought coats, gloves, and boots, but not enough for both companies. Chief Bob Bailey, who had once been the foreman of the Pioneers, was given the task of distributing the gear—naturally, all went to the Pioneers. The Gilberts were upset. When a new play-pipe was acquired, the Pioneers offered to hold a muster with the Gilberts at the town picnic on July 4, with the winner getting the new equipment. The Gilberts refused, likely to avoid setting a precedent of competing with the Pioneers. So the Pioneers kept the play-pipe.

By declining the challenge, the Gilberts became the subject of jokes around town. To regain their dignity, they challenged the Pioneers to a muster later that summer. The two companies met on August 21, 1879, drawing a large crowd. Despite completing the run in 63.5 seconds, the Pioneers were disqualified for a technicality, and the Gilberts won. The Pioneers protested, claiming the judges didn’t understand the rules or had been bribed, but the decision stood.

On December 31, 1880, the Pioneers and Gilberts faced another difficult challenge: a fire at the home of John H. Kedzie, a prominent resident. This was the second time his house had been burned in seven years. Many firefighters missed the alarm because of the cold, and those who arrived fought a long battle to save the furniture, though the house was lost. Harry Housel, a member of the Pioneers, contracted tuberculosis during or shortly after the fire and died at age 24 in April 1882.

This fire seemed to spark a wave of frustration among the volunteers. Demands for better pay, equipment, and protection grew louder, but the village board ignored them. Eventually, both companies resigned en masse on May 23, 1881, marking the end of the volunteer era in Evanston—with a whimper, not a bang.

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