Another chapter in the history of the Evanston Fire Department unfolds with intriguing details. By the summer of 1903, Evanston's population had reached 21,621, though this number didn’t account for the turkeys being raised in the basement of Fire Station No. 3 by Captain Carl Harrison. Around that time, two fires broke out just four days apart in March 1904, leading to close calls for three firefighters. On the morning of March 10, Captain Jack Sweeting was overcome by smoke while trying to control a blaze at the Blanchard Flats on Grove and Oak streets. He was saved by Captain Carl Harms and firefighter William Pruter. Moments later, Harms himself suffered broken ribs after falling through the floorboards and landing in the basement. A few days later, Mary Kelly, owner of a “blind pig†(illegal tavern) at 503 Chicago Avenue, and her daughter leapt out of a second-floor window to safety just as flames engulfed their building. Rookie firefighter William Ludwig was found unconscious inside the tavern and was pulled to safety by fellow firefighters. Fortunately, all these men recovered and returned to active duty.
Two months later, in May 1904, a late-night fire spread through the B.B. Noyes Coal & Feed Store at 1003 Church Street. Due to concerns about potential explosions from coal and grain dust, firefighters had to attack the blaze externally using multiple hose lines, including those supplied by the new Eastman Deluger. Although they managed to contain the fire to its source, the intense water pressure—more than double the usual residential level—damaged plumbing in some Evanston homes. City council members, particularly prominent residents, voiced complaints about the fire department's tactics, specifically the use of direct plug pressure. Chief Ed Mersch explained that until additional steam-powered fire engines could be procured, such measures were necessary.
In May 1905, Chicago Fire Department Captain Norman Holmes took over as chief of the Evanston Fire Department after Mayor John Barker dismissed Mersch, allegedly for political reasons. Holmes' tenure was short-lived, lasting only seven months before he left for a position as Fire Marshal at Sears, Roebuck & Company. His brief stay was marred by controversy, largely due to the hostility he faced from South Evanston residents who viewed Mersch as one of their own. A group from South Evanston even attempted legal action against Holmes, arguing he hadn’t lived in Evanston for a full year prior to his appointment. The courts ruled that the one-year residency requirement applied only to candidates seeking elected office, but Holmes had grown weary of the political drama. Around the same time, veteran firefighter Edwin Whitcomb, who had also served as chief’s buggy driver and secretary, left for a new role as chief of the Kewanee Fire Department.
Before stepping down, Holmes introduced several innovations, including 1.5-inch hose lines and smaller nozzles, techniques widely used by the Chicago Fire Department during his time there. These narrower hoses were easier to handle and reduced water damage in smaller fires. Holmes also advocated for establishing the position of Assistant Chief Fire Marshal, tasked with overseeing Engine Company No. 1 and serving as acting chief in the Fire Marshal’s absence. Captain Jack Sweeting was promoted to this new rank in July 1905.
Tragedy struck again on December 13, 1905, when two Evanston firefighters died while battling a fire at the Mark Manufacturing Company plant on Dempster Street. Just over a year later, on December 23, 1906, a worker was killed in an explosion at the Northwestern Gas Light & Coke Company near Clark and Maple Streets. Isaac Terry, the unfortunate worker, mistakenly dumped burning ashes into a tar and coal pit, triggering an explosion. The resulting fire took eight hours and nearly a million gallons of water to extinguish, with assistance from the Wilmette Fire Department and two Chicago engine companies.
The story of the Evanston Fire Department is filled with challenges, innovations, and moments of tragedy, reflecting the broader evolution of firefighting practices in the early 20th century.
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