The Next Chapter in the History of the Evanston Fire Department
Following the devastating Lincoln Avenue schoolhouse fire in March 1894, the city of Evanston took decisive action to improve its emergency response system. At a cost of $4,000, a Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph system was installed over a three-month period between November 1894 and February 1895. Initially equipped with 20 fire alarm boxes, this system marked a major advancement in public safety. By 1905, the number of active boxes had grown to 37, and by 1935, it reached 51. In 1958, the system was replaced by a more modern network of 80 emergency telephones from Western Electric, signaling the end of an era.
Beyond allowing citizens to report fires, the fire alarm telegraph served as a vital communication tool for the department. Firefighters, typically company officers or the chief’s buggy driver, could send updates from the scene directly to the chief’s home, fire stations, the waterworks pumping station, or the police switchboard. This two-way communication allowed for real-time coordination, ensuring that firefighters could be alerted to new emergencies or receive critical information while on duty.
In the months following the installation of the fire alarm system, the Evanston City Council approved an additional $4,000 to acquire the department's first steam fire engine. Built in Cincinnati by the Ahrens Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of the American Fire Engine Company, the engine was named “City of Evanston No. 1.†It was a second-size Metropolitan steamer, equipped with a two-horse hitch and capable of pumping 600 gallons of water per minute. The engine was deployed at Station #1 in April 1895, just two months after the fire alarm system became operational.
Since no new horses were purchased for the steam engine, the two horses assigned to the Babcock chemical engine were reassigned to the new steamer. As a result, the chemical engine was placed in reserve until more horses could be acquired—something that didn’t happen until 1899.
J.A. “Dad†Patrick, a former Waterworks engineer, was hired as the fire department’s engineer in 1895. He was responsible for operating the steam engine, while Edward Mersch joined as his assistant in 1896. During the steam era, skilled engineers were highly valued. In fact, the engineer position was among the highest-paid roles in the EFD, second only to the chief. Even as late as 1904, the salary of the assistant engineer for Engine Co. 1 was comparable to that of the company officer—a testament to the importance of their role.
Civil Service was introduced for all city employees in 1895, including the fire department. Only five firefighters—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, and five new firefighters, including Assistant Engineer Ed Mersch, were hired after passing Civil Service exams. Like soldiers on duty, all firefighters were always available, though they were allowed to take meal breaks and occasional furloughs at home.
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 by voters in 1896, the building housed four large apparatus bays and a fifth bay used as a garage for the city’s first horse-drawn police ambulance. The facility was abandoned in the summer of 1949, and the structure was eventually 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 known as One American Plaza. Construction began in December 1975, and the 18-story building was completed in 1977.
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