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Another Look at the History of the Evanston Fire Department
THE METROPOLITAN
In March 1906, the Evanston Fire Department received a new American LaFrance "Metropolitan" steam fire engine, a second-size model capable of pumping 700 gallons per minute. This was the first piece of equipment the department acquired that required more than two horses to pull it. The engine cost $5,500, with an additional $250 spent on a new horse to join the existing pair assigned to Engine 1. Compared to the older Ahrens Metropolitan steam engine, which had been in service since 1895 and used a two-horse team, this new model was heavier and more powerful. The plan was to send the older Ahrens engine to Elmira, New York, for a full overhaul and then return it to Evanston to serve at Station #2. However, the city council refused to fund the purchase of two more horses and the hiring of extra personnel needed to operate the second engine. As a result, while the old engine did eventually return from Elmira and was placed at Station #2, it remained in reserve for several years until more resources became available. The Metropolitan was one of the most popular steam fire engines of its time. Evanston’s new engine was built by American LaFrance, while the older one came from the Ahrens Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Metropolitan was invented in the 1890s by Chris Ahrens, who also founded the Ahrens company. Alongside Button, Clapp & Jones and Silsby, Ahrens was one of four companies that merged to form the American Fire Engine Company (AFEC) in 1891. This merger aimed to reduce competition, consolidate sales, and maximize profits. Although each company kept its own identity, production took place at the Ahrens plant in Cincinnati and the Silsby plant in Seneca Falls, NY. However, because Amoskeag and LaFrance were not part of the deal, the benefits of the merger were limited. While AFEC included four manufacturers, Ahrens was by far the largest and most successful. It produced the Metropolitan in various sizes, which were sold to fire departments across the country, including Evanston. Ahrens also made the “Columbian,†a heavy and complex machine designed for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The Columbian combined a steam engine and a hose cart in one unit, but most fire departments didn’t see the benefit of combining these functions, so it wasn’t widely adopted. Meanwhile, LaFrance was building a strong presence by acquiring key patents for aerial ladders like the Hayes and Babcock models, giving them control over the market. In 1900, AFEC merged with LaFrance, Amoskeag, and other manufacturers to form the International Fire Engine Company. By 1904, the company changed its name to American-LaFrance and moved all operations to Elmira, NY. But just like before, the merger didn't deliver the expected profits, thanks to a new competitor: Seagrave. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Seagrave specialized in horse-drawn chemical engines and hook-and-ladder trucks, as well as the popular "combination truck" that merged both functions. Starting in 1900, they also began making aerial ladder trucks that competed directly with American-LaFrance. Chris Ahrens, tired of retirement, re-entered the business in 1904, selling his stake in American-LaFrance and forming the Ahrens Fire Engine Company with his sons and son-in-law, Charles H. Fox, a local fire chief. In 1908, the company was renamed Ahrens-Fox, and under Fox’s leadership, it quickly became a major competitor to American-LaFrance. However, the company couldn’t build the Metropolitan due to patent restrictions. So, Ahrens created a new model called the "Continental," which avoided any legal issues and proved very successful. While it might have matched or even surpassed the Metropolitan in sales, the steam engine era ended abruptly in 1915.
In March 1906, the Evanston Fire Department received a new American LaFrance "Metropolitan" steam fire engine, a second-size model capable of pumping 700 gallons per minute. This was the first piece of equipment the department acquired that required more than two horses to pull it. The engine cost $5,500, with an additional $250 spent on a new horse to join the existing pair assigned to Engine 1. Compared to the older Ahrens Metropolitan steam engine, which had been in service since 1895 and used a two-horse team, this new model was heavier and more powerful. The plan was to send the older Ahrens engine to Elmira, New York, for a full overhaul and then return it to Evanston to serve at Station #2. However, the city council refused to fund the purchase of two more horses and the hiring of extra personnel needed to operate the second engine. As a result, while the old engine did eventually return from Elmira and was placed at Station #2, it remained in reserve for several years until more resources became available. The Metropolitan was one of the most popular steam fire engines of its time. Evanston’s new engine was built by American LaFrance, while the older one came from the Ahrens Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Metropolitan was invented in the 1890s by Chris Ahrens, who also founded the Ahrens company. Alongside Button, Clapp & Jones and Silsby, Ahrens was one of four companies that merged to form the American Fire Engine Company (AFEC) in 1891. This merger aimed to reduce competition, consolidate sales, and maximize profits. Although each company kept its own identity, production took place at the Ahrens plant in Cincinnati and the Silsby plant in Seneca Falls, NY. However, because Amoskeag and LaFrance were not part of the deal, the benefits of the merger were limited. While AFEC included four manufacturers, Ahrens was by far the largest and most successful. It produced the Metropolitan in various sizes, which were sold to fire departments across the country, including Evanston. Ahrens also made the “Columbian,†a heavy and complex machine designed for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The Columbian combined a steam engine and a hose cart in one unit, but most fire departments didn’t see the benefit of combining these functions, so it wasn’t widely adopted. Meanwhile, LaFrance was building a strong presence by acquiring key patents for aerial ladders like the Hayes and Babcock models, giving them control over the market. In 1900, AFEC merged with LaFrance, Amoskeag, and other manufacturers to form the International Fire Engine Company. By 1904, the company changed its name to American-LaFrance and moved all operations to Elmira, NY. But just like before, the merger didn't deliver the expected profits, thanks to a new competitor: Seagrave. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Seagrave specialized in horse-drawn chemical engines and hook-and-ladder trucks, as well as the popular "combination truck" that merged both functions. Starting in 1900, they also began making aerial ladder trucks that competed directly with American-LaFrance. Chris Ahrens, tired of retirement, re-entered the business in 1904, selling his stake in American-LaFrance and forming the Ahrens Fire Engine Company with his sons and son-in-law, Charles H. Fox, a local fire chief. In 1908, the company was renamed Ahrens-Fox, and under Fox’s leadership, it quickly became a major competitor to American-LaFrance. However, the company couldn’t build the Metropolitan due to patent restrictions. So, Ahrens created a new model called the "Continental," which avoided any legal issues and proved very successful. While it might have matched or even surpassed the Metropolitan in sales, the steam engine era ended abruptly in 1915.
