Evanston Fire Department history Part 28

Pat Gaynor, Marriage Counselor

The winter of 1920 was particularly challenging for the Evanston Fire Department. Over a span of just two days, January 4th and 5th, the EFD responded to four fires within a 24-hour period.

On Sunday morning at 9:19 AM, Engine Co. 1 and Truck Co. 1 were dispatched to a fire at the C. M. Haugen residence on Oak Avenue. A furnace spark had ignited the basement woodwork, but the crew quickly brought the fire under control. Just two hours later, they were back on duty responding to a second fire at the L. H. Kashgarian home on Elmwood Avenue, where chimney sparks had set the roof ablaze. Truck Co. 1 used a ladder to access the roof while Engine Co. 1 quickly extinguished the flames with a 1.5-inch hose line.

The next day, Monday, Engine Co. 2 and Truck Co. 1 arrived at 904 Michigan Avenue after sparks from an unattended fireplace in the second-floor apartment of C. W. Hopkins ignited nearby furniture. Truck Co. 1 evacuated the building and began ventilation efforts, while Engine Co. 2 worked to put out the fire. Unfortunately, the apartment was completely gutted. Meanwhile, Engine Co. 1 and Engine Co. 3 responded to another fire at an apartment building owned by E. Pulfrey on Ridge Court, where chimney sparks had also caused a roof fire. Despite their best efforts, the flames spread to the second floor before being contained. The total damage from these four fires was estimated at $11,500.

About two weeks later, on the night of January 17th into the early morning of January 18th, the EFD again faced two fires within twelve hours. The first occurred at the home of Arabelle Outlaw on Dodge Avenue, where an overheated furnace caused a fire that spread through the entire house. It was a total loss. Later that same day, Engine Co. 3 and Truck Co. 1 responded to a fire at the Simonsen residence on Orrington Avenue, where chimney sparks had ignited the roof. The fire spread to a second-floor bedroom before it was finally controlled. Together, the damages from the Outlaw and Simonsen fires totaled around $6,000.

On March 28, 1920, a tornado swept through Chicago and the northern suburbs, including Evanston. Twenty homes near Central Street and Lincolnwood Drive were either destroyed or severely damaged, though no injuries were reported. In Wilmette, martial law was declared, and the Illinois militia was called in after 100 structures were damaged in the village’s business district.

A few months later, on May 9, 1920, a barn fire broke out at the Wilson farm at the end of Emerson Street. This was one of the most remote locations in Evanston at the time, with no bridge over the North Shore Channel and the nearest hydrant over a thousand feet away. Engine Co. 3 arrived on a second alarm, providing an additional 2.5-inch line. Despite their efforts, the fire claimed a second barn and many animals. However, firefighters from Truck Co. 1 managed to save the horses and cows.

On June 25, 1920, Lt. Pat Gaynor was riding a streetcar on his way home for a 12-hour furlough after a 24-hour shift at Fire Station #3. While passing the South Boulevard “L” station, he noticed a crowd gathered around a man beating his wife with a revolver. After the gun jammed, Gaynor jumped off the car and intervened, disarming the attacker and protecting the woman from the angry mob. He then waited for the police to arrive and assist in arresting the man. The wife was taken to the hospital and eventually recovered. The couple reconciled, and Gaynor was credited with saving their marriage.

In October 1920, the Evanston Fire Department became the 387th department in the nation to adopt a two-platoon system with an 84-hour workweek. This required increasing the force from 41 to 49 men, with 24 on each shift plus the chief. The structure included 14 men in Truck Co. 1, 12 each in Engine Co. 1 and 2, and 10 in Engine Co. 3. Firefighters now worked 24 hours on, 24 hours off, and meals were served in new kitchens at the stations instead of at home. They received two weeks of paid vacation annually, but none between November and March. Only one person per company could be on leave at any given time.

If a firefighter missed a shift due to illness, they would have to make up the lost time later. If the absence left a unit short, a replacement from the opposite platoon would take their place, working an extra day in return. Firefighters could volunteer for this, or the officer would assign someone else.

In addition to the new schedule, the city council approved a 25–35% pay raise for all EFD members in 1920. The Chief Fire Marshal's salary increased by 25% to $3,000, and by 20% in 1921 to $3,600. Assistant chief salaries rose from $1,530 to $2,100, and captains and lieutenants saw increases of $510 per year, reaching $1,980 and $1,920 respectively. Engineers, motor drivers, and firemen also received raises, with salaries jumping to $1,890, $1,830, and $1,800 respectively.

With the removal of stable facilities from the three firehouses, the last two horse-drawn units—both from the 1890s—were finally scrapped. Although ex-EFD horses were still available for temporary use, there was no space to stable them, marking the end of an era for the department.