Evanston Fire Department history – part 4

As promised, the trustees made an effort in May 1882 to establish a paid fire department. They allocated $850 to compensate the Fire Marshal and other firefighters for their service. The Fire Marshal was to receive a part-time salary of $100 annually, while each of the nine members of the part-time fire company would be paid $50 per year. Additionally, a full-time police/fire officer—serving as both night watchman and apparatus caretaker—was to earn $600 yearly, with half paid by the police department and half by the fire department.

Although Fire Marshal Bailey received his salary and Austin McDonough, a former member of the Pioneer Hose Company, was appointed as the full-time police/fire officer, the nine-man part-time fire company never fully formed. By May 1885, the position was eliminated, highlighting the ongoing challenges in maintaining a consistent fire response.

On May 1, 1883, after two years of unfulfilled promises by the village board, Chief Bailey once again offered his resignation. This time, it was accepted. By that spring, most of the original board members from 1881 had been replaced, leaving only President J. J. Parkhurst. New trustees, including former firefighter Alexander Drummond, recognized the need for a more effective fire company, one that could match the performance of the Pioneer and Gilbert hose companies and ensure fair compensation for its members.

On July 17, 1883, the Village Board of Trustees appointed Sam Harrison, a Davis Street merchant and former C. J. Gilbert Hose Company officer, as Fire Marshal. He was tasked with forming a part-time, paid fire company. Just over a week later, on July 28, Harrison—like his predecessor, Bob Bailey—owned a butcher shop and presented a 12-man company to the village board. It was officially approved on November 6, 1883. Each firefighter received $40 annually, while the Fire Marshal still earned $100.

The EFD’s first horse-drawn hose wagon, built by Evanstonian Gerhard Brienen and pulled by a horse named Dave, went into service in October 1883. The new fire company was based in a remodeled paint shop at the northwest corner of Sherman Avenue and the north alley of Davis Street—later the site of the first city parking garage.

In addition to the Fire Patrol, a one-horse, four-wheeled hose wagon, and a two-horse Babcock chemical-engine (converted to horse-drawn in 1884), a hook & ladder wagon from the Davenport Fire Apparatus Company was introduced in 1885. For nearly seven years, the horses used to pull the hook & ladder were also employed by the street department for garbage collection when not in use by the EFD. The Davenport truck remained in service for over 32 years before being scrapped in January 1918.

The fire company formed by Sam Harrison in 1883 became the foundation of Engine Co. 1, later known as Engine Co. 21. Harrison led the company for several years before handing over command to J. E. “Jack” Sweeting in 1895. Sweeting became the EFD’s first Assistant Chief Fire Marshal in 1905 and served as a member of Engine Co. 1 for all 25 years of his career. He died on Christmas Day 1912 from stomach cancer. His tenure set a longevity record that stood until George Hargreaves celebrated his 25th anniversary in 1918.

On the evening of September 25, 1883, the new fire company responded to a fire at the Dwight-Buell stable behind the Avenue House hotel. Upon arrival, they discovered 31-year-old coachman George Gale, who had fallen asleep inside. Despite efforts to rescue him, Gale died of smoke inhalation. The fire was ruled an arson, and the Cook County Coroner classified the death as a homicide. Some believed the fire was linked to recent arson incidents, but no one was ever charged.

On December 20, 1883, a fire broke out at Evanston Township High School, just three months after its opening. Due to unfamiliarity with the building layout, firefighters struggled to navigate the smoke-filled interior. Fearing for their safety, Chief Harrison requested help from the Chicago Fire Department—the first time the EFD had asked for mutual aid. Within 19 minutes, a train carrying equipment and personnel arrived, and the fire was extinguished within an hour, saving the school with minimal damage and no injuries.

Despite these successes, the EFD faced setbacks. On November 22, 1884, the First Congregational Church was destroyed after firefighters opened windows and doors, inadvertently letting in wind that worsened the fire. Though the neighborhood was saved, the church suffered $32,000 in losses. Rookie firefighter Tim Kelleher, injured during the blaze, later died of tuberculosis in 1888. While the direct cause of his death remains uncertain, the incident underscored the dangers faced by early firefighters.