Another Chapter in the History of the Evanston Fire Department After Chicago took over Rogers Park, some residents of South Evanston, led by fiery 3rd Ward Alderman Pat O’Neill, pushed for Evanston to also join Chicago. Their reasoning was simple: a larger city like Chicago could provide better services—especially police and fire protection. Wealthier South Evanston residents, who paid higher property taxes, felt they deserved better municipal support. In 1894, Chicago made an official offer to annex Evanston, but voters rejected it. The issue seemed settled… until it resurfaced unexpectedly 15 years later. On Thursday, March 11, 1909, at 12:30 PM, the Evanston Fire Department responded to an attic fire at the Villa Celeste, the luxurious home of P. Leonard (“Guyâ€) McKinnie, located at 721 Sheridan Road. Chief Fire Marshal Carl Harrison, as he often did, initially ordered firefighters to use soda-acid from a chemical engine to minimize water damage. But the fire had spread deep into the walls and ceilings, making it nearly impossible to locate the source. Firefighters used over 3,000 feet of hose—two 2.5-inch lines from Engine 1, one from a nearby hydrant, and another from the chemical apparatus—to try and control the blaze. Despite their efforts, the fire continued to grow, and water damage began to affect the lower floors. With the fire department fully engaged, local neighbors enlisted children from Lincoln School to help the McKinnies move their priceless art collection and antique furniture out of the house. As hours passed, it became clear that the fire was not being controlled. Frustrated, Guy McKinnie insisted that Chief Harrison bring in the steam fire engine “City of Evanston No. 1,†which was kept at Fire Station #2 on Chicago Avenue. He even offered to send his own livery team to retrieve it. Harrison refused, explaining that the problem wasn’t a lack of water, but the fire's location within the structure. For six hours, the EFD fought the fire with all their might. By nightfall, the Villa Celeste was completely gutted. Six firefighters were injured during the operation: As if the destruction wasn’t enough, the fire rekindled at 11:30 PM, five hours after the EFD had left. Firefighters returned and spent another hour dousing the remains. The total damage was estimated at $40,000—the fourth-highest in Evanston’s history up to that point. Only three previous fires had caused more damage: the Mark Manufacturing Company fire in 1905, the Lincoln Avenue schoolhouse fire in 1894, and the Willard Block fire in 1872. Chief Harrison later remarked, “Dozens of engines couldn’t have saved the house… the only way to put it out would have been to submerge it in Lake Michigan.†Though a dramatic statement, it highlighted the difficulty of the situation. The fire may have been extinguished, but the controversy sparked by the event lingered. Guy McKinnie and other wealthy South Evanston residents once again called for Evanston to seek annexation by Chicago. However, Fire Marshal James Horan of the Chicago Fire Department dismissed the idea, stating that Chicago had limited resources and would prioritize areas like the Stock Yards. His warning proved tragically accurate when he and 20 other firefighters were killed in a wall collapse at the Stock Yards on December 22, 1910. Strontium Chloride,Strontium Chloride Hexahydrate,Strontium Chloride Anhydrous,High Purity Strontium Chloride Shenzhou Jiaxin Chemical Co.,Ltd , https://www.jiaxinbaso4.com
The Villa Celeste
Â
In 1892, the Village of Evanston annexed the Village of South Evanston, forming the larger City of Evanston. Supporters of the merger argued that without uniting, both villages would likely be absorbed by the City of Chicago. This fear was soon realized when South Evanston’s neighbor to the south, Rogers Park, was annexed by Chicago in 1893, reinforcing the “domino theory†of annexation.