From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment about History of Evanston Fire Department
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
May 29, 1925, was the 50th anniversary of the Evanston Fire Department, which is to say the EFD was legally established by town ordinance on that date in 1875. More specifically, the Evanston Village Board passed “An Ordinance Concerning the Fire Department of the Village of Evanston” at the village board meeting on Tuesday night, May 25, 1875, but by law it did not become legal and take effect until it was published in the weekly Evanston Index newspaper on Saturday, May 29.
However, the “Fire Department Ordinance” did not really change anything, other than to make the Evanston Fire Department official and legal. The day-to-day work of Evanston firefighters was no different on May 29, 1875, than it was a week, a month, a year, or even two years earlier. In reality, the actual founding date of organized firefighting in Evanston was Tuesday, January 7, 1873, when the Pioneer Fire Company of Evanston was chartered with the State of Illinois and accepted for service by the Evanston Village Board.
EVANSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT – MAY 29, 1925 (THE EFD’S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY)
PERSONNEL (59 firefighters / two platoons)
NOTE: Assistant chief or captain was the company officer, and the lieutenant was the assistant company officer and worked the opposite platoon from the assistant chief or captain.
STATION # 1 (809 Grove Street) – four-bay firehouse (plus a fifth bay for the police ambulance) completed March 1897 as Police / Fire Headquarters, the EFD relocated here from three-bay firehouse at city hall at northwest corner of Davis & Sherman (city hall was built in 1893)
CHIEF FIRE MARSHAL:
Chief Albert Hofstetter (hired 1901, promoted to Lt 1903, promoted to Capt 1914, then was appointed chief two hours after being promoted to Capt)
NOTE: Chief was technically always on duty, although he spent evenings and Sundays on-call at home. When at home, he responded only to confirmed working fires and other significant incidents or situations requiring his presence.
CHIEF’S DRIVERS: (2)
Fireman John Wynn (hired 1920)
Fireman Frank Sherry (hired 1924)
NOTE: Chief’s drivers were assigned administratively to Truck Co. 1. When at a fire, the chief’s driver was responsible for communication from the scene of the incident, either by driving to & from the nearest fire station, or by use of a nearby telephone if available, or by telegraph from the nearest Gamewell fire alarm box.
TRUCK Co. 1: (12)
Assistant Chief Ed Johnson (hired 1902, promoted to Lt 1909, promoted to Capt 1914, promoted to Ass’t Chief 1918)
Lieutenant Carl Windelborn (hired 1910, promoted to Lt 1923)
Fireman Walt Boekenhauer (hired 1915)
Fireman Michael Garrity (hired 1918)
Fireman Henry Dorband (hired 1919)
Fireman Jerry Moriarty (hired 1919)
Fireman George Thompson (hired 1919)
Fireman Martin Jasper (hired 1920)
Fireman Fred Godeman (hired 1920)
Fireman William Rohrer (hired 1923)
Fireman John Lee (hired 1924)
Fireman Ed Voight (hired 1924)
NOTE: In addition to being company officer of Truck Co. 1, Assistant Chief Johnson was in charge of the EFD whenever Chief Hofstetter was absent from the city or otherwise unavailable
TRUCK Co. 2: (10)
Captain Tom McEnery (hired 1902, promoted to Lt 1914, promoted to Capt 1918)
Lieutenant Henry Tesnow (hired 1914, promoted to Lt 1924)
Fireman John Gaynor (hired 1912)
Fireman Anthony Steigelman (hired 1915)
Fireman John Schippman (hired 1918)
Fireman John Lindberg (hired 1920)
Fireman Herman Peters (hired 1923)
Fireman Dominic Bartholome (hired 1924)
Fireman Joe Donahue (hired 1924)
Fireman Fred Korn (hired 1924)
ENGINE Co.1: (12)
Captain J. E. Mersch (hired 1905, promoted to Lt 1914, promoted to Capt 1920)
Lieutenant Dan McKimmons (hired 1911, promoted to Lt 1924)
Motor Driver John Wilen (hired as Asst Motor Driver 1918, promoted to MD 1924)
Assistant Motor Driver John Monks (hired 1911, promoted to AMD 1918)
Fireman William Wilbern (hired 1901)
Fireman John M. Mersch (hired 1906)
Fireman Ed Fahrbach (hired 1916)
Fireman Jim Geishecker (hired 1918)
Fireman Herman Windelborn (hired 1920)
Fireman Harry Jasper (hired 1920)
Fireman John Linster (hired 1924)
Fireman Herman Godeman (hired 1924)
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#1 by Phil Stenholm on July 24, 2021 - 7:51 AM
EFD GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY (continued)
STATION # 2 (750 Chicago Avenue) – three-bay firehouse completed February 1903, replacing the ex-South Evanston Village Hall with one-bay firehouse that had been constructed in 1888 (Village of Evanston annexed Village of South Evanston in 1892 and formed the City of Evanston)
ENGINE Co. 2: (12)
Captain Pat Gaynor (hired 1903, promoted to Lt 1914, promoted to Capt 1924)
Lieutenant Ed McEnery (hired 1908, promoted to Lt 1918)
Engineer Max Kraatz (hired 1904, promoted to Ass’t Eng 1906, promoted to Engineer 1919)
Assistant Engineer William Richards (hired 1908, promoted to Ass’t Eng 1912)
Fireman George Gushwa (hired 1901)
Fireman John Balmes (hired 1913)
Fireman Frank Didier (hired 1916)
Fireman Lawrence Ahrens (hired 1920)
Fireman Joe Becker (hired 1920)
Fireman George Paugels (hired 1922)
Fireman William Brundage (hired 1924)
Fireman Bernie Lindberg (hired 1924)
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STATION # 3 (2504 West Railroad Avenue) – two-bay firehouse completed January 1901
ENGINE Co. 3: (10)
Captain George Hargreaves (hired 1894, promoted to Lt 1902, promoted to Capt 1903)
Lieutenant Ed Newton (hired 1908, promoted to Lt 1924)
Motor Driver Frank Altenberg (hired as Engineer 1915, certified as MD 1918)
Assistant Motor Driver John Tesnow (hired 1911, promoted to AMD 1924)
Fireman John Wilbern (hired 1908)
Fireman Carl Dorband (hired 1916)
Fireman Henry Thoms (hired 1916)
Fireman William Elliott (hired 1924)
Fireman Mike Olk (hired 1924)
Fireman Walt Caple (hired 1925)
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EFD APPARATUS (MAY 1925):
AT STATION # 1:
CHIEF’S AUTOMOBILE (“auto-buggy”): 1917 Haynes touring car equipped with two fire extinguishers (one five-gallon water can and one chemical) and some miscellaneous hand tools and equipment (ax, pry-bar, rope, lantern, megaphone, fire alarm box key and repair kit, etc).
TRUCK No. 1: 1924 Seagrave tractor-drawn aerial-ladder truck equipped with an 85-foot wooden aerial ladder, multiple wooden hand ladders of various lengths and types, a life net, ten salvage covers, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon water cans and two chemical), and miscellaneous hand tools and equipment (pike poles, axes, pry-bars, rope, lantern, etc)
NOTE: Replaced the 1917 Seagrave city-service truck as Truck No. 1 on September, 1, 1924, as Truck Co. 2 was organized at Station # 1 and the city service truck became Truck No. 2.
TRUCK No. 2: 1917 Seagrave Model “E” city service truck equipped with a 50-gallon chemical tank, 150-feet of one-inch red line (chemical hose), a life net, a heavy-duty jack, multiple wooden hand ladders of various lengths and types (the tallest being a 55-foot extension ladder to be raised by four men using tormentor poles), ten salvage covers, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon cans and two chemical), and miscellaneous hand tools and equipment (pike poles, axes, pry-bars, rope, lantern, etc).
NOTE: Replaced the ex-Chattanooga F. D. 1891 LaFrance / Hayes 55-foot HDA (Truck No. 1) and the 1873 Babcock double-50 gallon chemical engine (Chemical No. 1) and four horses in November 1917.
ENGINE No. 1: 1917 Seagrave 750-GPM triple-combination pumper equipped with a 50 gallon chemical tank and 150-feet of red line (chemical hose), a hose load consisting of 500-feet of three-inch, 1,250 feet of 2-1/2 inch, and 100 feet of 1-1/2 inch hose, two lengths of hard suction hose, several nozzles of various sizes and types, one wye and one siamese connection, hose clamps, a hydrant wrench, a cellar pipe, an Eastman Deluger, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon cans and two chemical), one 25-foot wooden hand ladder, one 12-foot wooden hand ladder, and miscellaneous hand tools and equipment.
NOTE: Replaced the 1911 Robinson Jumbo as Engine No. 1 in January 1918.
ENGINE No. 4 (RESERVE): 1911 Robinson Jumbo 750-GPM triple-combination pumper equipped with a 50-gallon chemical tank, 150 feet of one-inch red line (chemical hose), a hose load consisting of 1,250 feet of 2-1/2 inch and 100 feet of 1-1/2 inch hose, two ten-foot lengths of hard suction hose, several nozzles of various sizes and types, one wye and one siamese connection, hose clamps, a hydrant wrench, two salvage covers, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon water cans and two chemical), one 35-ft wooden hand ladder, one 25-foot wooden hand ladder, and miscellaneous tools and equipment.
NOTE: Placed into reserve at Fire Station # 1 in 1918 as the EFD’s lone reserve automobile apparatus, this rig was the EFD’s first automobile fire engine — and only the second triple-combination pumper ever built — and it ran as “Motor Engine No. 1” at Station # 1 from November 1911 to January 1918.
EVANSTON POLICE AMBULANCE: 1916 White / Erby ambulance equipped with a stretcher, first aid gear, and an inhalator was kept in the bay east of the firehouse. Two police station officers and one fireman from Station # 1 (if available) would be detailed to staff the police ambulance and respond to inhalator calls city-wide. A second reserve inhalator was kept at Station # 1 and could be loaded onto any rig in the firehouse — Engine No. 1, Reserve Engine No. 4, the chief’s automobile, or even the city service ladder truck — if the police ambulance was not available.
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AT STATION # 2:
ENGINE No. 2: 1906 American LaFrance Metropolitan 700-GPM steamer pulled by a 1918 Seagrave Model “J” one-axle tractor, equipped with two ten-foot lengths of hard suction hose, hose clamps, a hydrant wrench, two fire extinguishers (one five-gallon water can and one chemical), a shovel, and a load of coal
NOTE: The EFD’s last three horses were taken out of service on February 23, 1918, and then the steamer was out of service for about a month after that while it was being modified (“tractorized”) at the Seagrave factory in Columbus, OH.
HOSE No. 2: 1917 Seagrave 300-GPM chemical & hose booster-pumper equipped with a 50-gallon chemical tank, 150-feet of one-inch red line (chemical hose), a hose load consisting of 1,250 feet of 2-1/2 inch and 100 feet of 1-1/2 inch hose, two ten-foot lengths of hard suction hose, several nozzles of various sizes and types, one wye and one siamese connection, hose clamps, a hydrant wrench, a cellar pipe, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon cans and two chemical), one 25-foot wooden hand ladder, one 12-foot wooden hand ladder, and miscellaneous hand tools and equipment.
NOTE: Replaced the 1902 Seagrave combination chemical-engine / H&L / hose tender and two horses in January 1918 as the second apparatus assigned to Engine Co. 2. Even though it was essentially the hose-wagon and chemical engine for the tractorized-steamer, it was known as Truck No. 2 prior to September 1924 because that is what the Seagrave combination truck it replaced was called in the horse-drawn era.
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AT STATION # 3:
ENGINE No. 3: 1917 Seagrave 300-GPM chemical & hose booster-pumper equipped with a 50-gallon chemical tank, 150 feet of one-inch red line (chemical hose), a hose load consisting of 1,250 feet of 2-1/2 inch and 100 feet of 1-1/2 inch hose, two ten-foot lengths of hard suction hose, several nozzles of various sizes and types, one wye and one siamese connection, hose clamps, a hydrant wrench, a cellar pipe, four fire extinguishers (two five-gallon water cans and two chemical), one 25-foot wooden hand ladder, one 12-foot wooden hand ladder, and miscellaneous hand tools and equipment.
NOTE: Replaced the 1895 Ahrens Metropolitan 600-GPM steamer (Engine No. 3) and the 1885 Davenport H&L / hose-tender (Truck No. 3) and four horses at Station # 3 in January 1918.