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 grown to 21,621. Interestingly, Captain Carl Harrison was also raising turkeys in the basement of Fire Station #3—though it’s unclear if they were part of the emergency response team. Meanwhile, the fire department faced a series of challenging incidents in early 1904. On March 10, 1904, Capt. Jack Sweeting was overcome by smoke while fighting a fire at the Blanchard flats on Grove and Oak streets. He was rescued by Capt. 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" (a term for an illegal bar) owner, and her daughter leaped from a second-floor window into the arms of a passing citizen as flames engulfed their home at 503 Chicago Avenue. 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 broke out at the B. B. Noyes coal and feed store on 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, the increased water pressure caused damage to some homes' plumbing. This led to complaints from prominent residents about the fire department's tactics, but Chief Mersch explained that without more steam engines, the method had to continue. 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 many believed it was due to political reasons. Holmes served only seven months before taking a job as Fire Marshal for Sears, Roebuck & Co. His tenure was marked by controversy, especially among South Evanston residents who felt he was not a true local and resented his appointment. South Evanstonians had supported former Chief Mersch, believing he was unfairly dismissed. They directed their anger toward Holmes, even starting legal action to have his appointment overturned, claiming he hadn’t lived in Evanston long enough. The court ruled that the residency requirement applied only to candidates running for office, not to appointed officials. Despite this, Holmes left shortly after, frustrated with the politics. Meanwhile, veteran firefighter Edwin Whitcomb, who had also served as the chief’s driver and secretary, was promoted to chief of the Kewanee Fire Department in October 1905. Before leaving, Holmes introduced 1½-inch hose lines and smaller nozzles—tools used by the Chicago Fire Department. These smaller lines were easier to handle and helped reduce water damage during smaller fires. He also pushed for the creation of the Assistant Chief Fire Marshal position, which would oversee Engine Co. 1 and act as chief when needed. Capt. Jack Sweeting was promoted to this role in July 1905. Tragedy struck on December 13, 1905, when two Evanston firefighters lost their lives battling a fire at the Mark Manufacturing Company on Dempster Street. 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 dumped burning ashes into a tar and coal pit, causing a dangerous explosion. The fire took eight hours and nearly a million gallons of water to put out, with help from the Wilmette Fire Department and two Chicago engine companies.

Crystal X Multi-stone

Dongguan Anding Technology Manufacturing Co., Ltd , https://www.cn-moulds.com