Real power for high rise and long distance concrete conveying, versatile and inexpensive solution.
S-transfer tube enables continuous concrete conveying and a quite delivery line at high pressure.
Patented pump switching technology based on full two-way plug-in directional valves, less pulsing and long service life.
Special design to achieve a high suction efficiency.
Low maintenance and less prone to wear and tear.
Efficient lubrication system to ensure long-time continuous operation.
Convenient one-button switching between high-and low- pressure operations.
Intelligent electronic control system regulates the engine to the perfect speed to minimize fuel consumption,ear and noise.
Mortar Pump,Slurry Mortar Pump,Mortar Concrete Pump,Concrete Pump Machinery Fangyuan Group Co.,Ltd. , https://www.fygcorp.com
Evanston Fire Department history Part 24
**From Phil Stenholm:**
Another chapter in the **History of the Evanston Fire Department**:
**The Tale of the Lucille McQuade**
On January 12, 1915, a fire broke out at the Nally livery stable next to the Greenwood Inn, then called the "French House," at Greenwood and Hinman. Guests were enjoying dinner at the Greenwood Inn, one of Evanston's two hotels at the time, when the blaze ignited on the second floor of the stable. Bessie Gallagher, disregarding police orders, rushed into the burning building to retrieve her belongings and was later rescued by firefighters. However, she was arrested afterward for disobeying officers and faced charges of disorderly conduct. Though the livery stable incurred $3,000 in damages, the firefighters' swift action saved the hotel, and no one was hurt.
Two weeks later, on January 28, 1915, around 3 a.m., the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) responded to a fire at Mrs. I. C. Danwood's boarding house at 1925 Sherman Avenue. A boarder named C. C. Firman fractured both his ankles jumping out of a second-floor window before the firefighters arrived. Upon their arrival, the EFD found fire shooting through the roof. Although they managed to rescue all the residents safely, a broken hydrant delayed their efforts to connect a suction hose. While firefighters eventually switched to a hydrant further away, the initial setback led to a total loss of the house and its contents, amounting to $7,000. Nevertheless, the EFD managed to save neighboring buildings using an elevated water stream from their aerial ladder and a high-pressure hose.
On April 20, 1915, Wilmette voters approved a $20,000 bond to buy a motorized fire engine and build a combined police and fire station on the west side of Railroad Avenue, south of Lake. Later that year, Wilmette received an American-LaFrance Type 75, 750-gallon-per-minute triple-combination pumper. This vehicle served as their primary engine for over 25 years, and the station remained operational for five decades.
Fast forward to May 15, 1915, when chemicals exploded in the film-developing room of the Will E. Horton camera shop on Davis Street. All three of Evanston's engine companies worked together, but despite their efforts, the camera shop was gutted, and the neighboring C. H. Morgan grocery store suffered heavy smoke damage. The total loss amounted to $8,500.
On July 3, 1915, firefighters responded to a report of a fire on the roof of Mrs. Margaret Patterson's home at 529 Lee Street. Sparked by a rogue Fourth of July bottle rocket, the flames spread to nearby homes. Fortunately, firefighters extinguished the blaze before further damage occurred, though the Pattersons’ home, along with two neighbors’, sustained significant roof damage. Firefighter William Wilbern suffered minor injuries when the roof collapsed while he was fighting the fire from inside.
Later that year, EFD Chief Albert Hofstetter attended the International Association of Fire Engineers Convention in Cincinnati. He reported back to the city council that horse-drawn steamers and ladder trucks were becoming obsolete, with no such equipment showcased at the convention. He noted that automobilized firefighting equipment had greatly advanced since Evanston bought its Robinson Jumbo in 1911, predicting the nationwide transition to motorized vehicles. Additionally, Hofstetter highlighted a new automated aerial ladder demonstrated at the convention. Constructed by Ahrens-Fox with a Couple Gear chassis and featuring a Dahill Air Hoist system, the ladder could be raised in just 11 seconds—a vast improvement over the 1907 American-LaFrance model in Evanston's fleet, which required two men to crank a spring-loaded ladder.
On January 8, 1916, a fire destroyed Rosenberg’s Department Store at 820 Davis Street. As in the Heck Hall fire two years prior, two Chicago Fire Department engine companies—Engines 102 and 110—were dispatched to assist. Both companies brought modern gasoline-powered pumpers: Engine 102 had a brand-new Seagrave, while Engine 110 operated the 1912 Webb. Working alongside EFD Motor Engine No. 1 (the Robinson "Jumbo"), this provided a rare opportunity to compare the performance of these vehicles under real-world conditions. Thousands of spectators gathered at Fountain Square as firefighters battled the blaze until Sunday morning. When the fuel ran out for all three pumpers, additional gasoline was sourced nearby. Captain Ed Johnson of Motor Engine Co. 1 sustained serious injuries but recovered and returned to duty. The fire caused $58,700 worth of damage, marking Evanston's second-highest fire loss at the time.
The American-LaFrance horse-drawn 85-foot aerial ladder truck purchased in 1907 for $6,700 lasted only nine years. In a tragic incident on September 18, 1916, the vehicle overturned during a collision with an Evanston Street Railway Company streetcar while responding to an alarm on Hinman Avenue. Firefighters Dan McKimmons and Orville Wheeler were seriously injured.
The Evanston Street Railway Company denied responsibility for the crash, prompting the city to sue their insurance company to cover the cost of a new ladder truck. Since the original HDA wasn't insured, the city had no choice but to pursue legal action. During this period, the council decided to sell two of the four horses assigned to the HDA and lease a similar rig from American-LaFrance for $60 per month. This temporary solution lasted about six months until the city acquired a fully motorized Seagrave ladder truck in November 1917, funded by a recent bond issue.
The EFD briefly used an 1891 LaFrance/Hayes 55-foot aerial ladder truck from Chattanooga, rechristened the "Lucille M. McQuade." After serving 25 years in Tennessee, it was replaced by a newer model. Interestingly, the tillerman on this vintage truck rode below the aerial ladder, unlike other models. When the EFD retired this vehicle, they returned it to American-LaFrance, and the trio of horses that once pulled it were put out to pasture.
This account of Evanston's firefighting past reveals not just the evolution of equipment but also the challenges faced by early firefighters and the community’s resilience in overcoming them.