More from Phil Stenholm – Part 1, Part 2
On May 23, 1881, the Village Board of Trustees received a letter that had been delivered earlier that day to the Fire Marshal. The letter came from the members of the Evanston Fire Department, specifically the Pioneer and C. J. Gilbert hose companies, who had met in joint assembly. Their message was clear: they were resigning from the fire department, effective immediately.
“To: W. R. Bailey, Esq.
Fire Marshal of the Village of Evanston
Sir:
It has come to the attention of the members of the Evanston Fire Department that the trustees of the village have not met the needs of the department. In response, the Pioneer and C. J. Gilbert hose companies, meeting together, have decided to resign as members of the Evanston Fire Department, and we hereby submit our resignations to take effect at once.
However, the members of these companies agree to respond to all fire alarms for the next 15 days—not as firefighters, but as concerned citizens.
A. Simpson, Foreman, C. J. Gilbert Fire Co.
A. Hallstrom, Foreman, Pioneer Hose Co.
May 23, 1881"
Chief Bailey delivered the letter as requested. According to reports, the board accepted it without comment. It seems the firefighters’ strategy to pressure the board into action didn’t work. But this wasn’t the first time the Pioneers and the Gilberts felt ignored by the village leadership.
Disputes over uniforms, equipment, and the board’s failure to collect the 2% tax on foreign insurance companies—money that could have compensated volunteer firefighters—had long frustrated the hose companies. The final blow came when the board officially accepted the Evanston Hook & Ladder Company into service on April 21, 1881.
This new company had only been training for a short time, yet the board rushed its acceptance after two children died in a house fire at the William Enders cottage on April 19th. This tragedy marked what is believed to be the first fire-related deaths in Evanston since the formation of the Pioneer Fire Company in 1873. Many believed that a properly trained hook & ladder unit might have saved the children.
The Pioneers and the Gilberts strongly opposed the new company, especially because it was integrated into the EFD rather than operating independently. The Pioneers, in particular, had proposed the idea of a hook & ladder unit back in 1875, wanting it to be called the "Pioneer Hook & Ladder Company." They wanted control over membership and training, but the board refused, likely to prevent either of the existing hose companies from gaining more influence.
The unity shown in their resignation letter was rare. Before this, the rival hose companies only met at fires. Now, they stood together in protest, signaling the depth of their frustration.
After the resignation, the Police & Fire Committee was tasked with creating a new fire protection plan. Chief Denis Swenie of the Chicago Fire Department was brought in as an advisor. Within a week, the committee submitted a report with several key recommendations:
1. Purchase 1,000 feet of high-quality 2-1/2 inch hose, a four-wheeled horse-drawn hose cart, and a horse that could also be used by the street department;
2. Replace the volunteer fire companies with a paid department of about four to six men, with additional reserve personnel for larger fires.
The committee noted that Chief Swenie believed the cost of a paid department would be similar to the current volunteer system, as fewer people would mean less need for gear and clothing. However, it's worth noting that Swenie may have had a bias against volunteer departments, given Chicago’s history of disbanding volunteer companies after conflicts over steam engines in the 1850s.
Despite the quick report, the plan was delayed for nearly four months. When the board finally met in September 1881, they initially agreed that volunteers should be compensated, but later changed their minds, deciding to keep the department fully volunteer. They claimed financial constraints prevented any changes until the next fiscal year.
The new volunteer fire department included a 15-man hook & ladder company, a 30-man hose company managed by the street superintendent (not connected to the Pioneers or the Gilberts), and a chemical company made up of local merchants using an old engine. But in reality, the new department was more of a paper plan than a functioning force.
The hose company lacked structure and training, while the hook & ladder team, though organized, wasn't equipped for firefighting. The chemical company never even formed. By November 1, 1881, after several failed responses by the department, Fire Marshal Bob Bailey offered to resign. He was convinced to stay, with promises of improvement in 1882.
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