Evanston Fire Department History – Part 12

Another Chapter in the History of the Evanston Fire Department

By the summer of 1903, Evanston’s population had reached 21,621, though it was not uncommon for Captain Carl Harrison to be found raising turkeys in the basement of Fire Station #3. Meanwhile, in March 1904, a series of fires tested the bravery and resilience of the department. On the early morning of March 10, Captain Jack Sweeting was overcome by smoke while fighting a fire at the Blanchard flats on Grove and Oak streets. He was rescued by Captain Carl Harms and firefighter William Pruter. Just minutes later, Harms suffered broken ribs after falling through the floor into the basement. Four days later, Mary Kelly, a “blind pig” owner, and her daughter leaped from a second-floor window into the arms of a passerby as their home on Chicago Avenue caught fire. Rookie firefighter William Ludwig was found unconscious inside and was pulled to safety by his colleagues. All injured firefighters recovered and returned to duty. Two months later, a late-night fire engulfed the B. B. Noyes coal and feed store at 1003 Church Street. Due to the risk of explosion from coal and grain dust, firefighters had to attack the blaze from the outside using multiple hose lines, including three lines connected to the new Eastman Deluger. Although the fire was contained to the original structure, the increased water pressure—more than double the normal residential level—caused damage to plumbing in several homes. This led to complaints from prominent residents, but Chief Mersch defended the tactic, stating that without additional steam fire engines, such measures were necessary. In May 1905, Chicago Fire Department Captain Norman Holmes replaced Ed Mersch as chief of the Evanston Fire Department. Mersch had been fired by Mayor John Barker, and Holmes served only seven months before taking a job as Fire Marshal for Sears, Roebuck & Company. His tenure was short and controversial. Many South Evanston residents, who saw Mersch as one of their own, believed he had been unfairly dismissed for political reasons. They directed their anger toward Holmes, making his time as chief difficult. Soon after arriving, a group from South Evanston filed legal action, claiming Holmes hadn’t met the one-year residency requirement for the position. The court ruled that the rule applied only to candidates running for office, not to political appointees. Despite this, Holmes left Evanston shortly after, frustrated by the local politics. Before resigning, Holmes introduced a significant improvement: 1½-inch hose lines and smaller nozzles, which he had used extensively with the Chicago Fire Department. These smaller lines were easier to handle and helped reduce water damage during smaller interior fires. He also advocated for the creation of the Assistant Chief Fire Marshal position, which included acting as company officer for Engine Co. 1 when needed. Captain Jack Sweeting was promoted to this role in July 1905. On December 13, 1905, two Evanston firefighters lost their lives while battling a fire at the Mark Manufacturing Company on Dempster Street. A little over a year later, on December 23, 1906, a worker named Isaac Terry was killed in an explosion at the Northwestern Gas Light & Coke Company. He had mistakenly dumped burning ashes into a tar and coal pit, causing a deadly explosion. The resulting fire took eight hours and nearly a million gallons of water to extinguish, with help from the Wilmette Fire Department and two Chicago engine companies.

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