1884-1908—Chicago’s Fire Boats

Chicago Tribune, February 14, 1884

A Fire-Boat Needed.
A petition is in circulation on La Salle street asking the Council to appropriate money (it will cost about $30,000) for a fire-boat to protect vessel and other property on the river. Those in favor of the project say that Chicago is the only city in the country with a river front that lacks such an adjunct to the Fire Department. One agent, however, said he was in favor of an ice-boat, so that the agents could take a sail when the lake was frozen over.

Chicago Tribune, May 1, 1884

For ten years the Fire Department has asked the City Council in the annual appropriation bill to include a sum sufficient to build a floating steam fire-engine or fire-boat. This item has always been cut out by the Finance Committee on account of “lack of funds,” the demand for other city necessities seeming to be more urgent. The same request has been made by the Fire Department this year—to wit: for $25,000, to be appropriated to the construction of a fire-boat equipped with powerful engines to throw three or four streams, and with a water-power son that water might be thrown into the upper stories of buildings or elevators on the river-fronts where they might be inaccessible to the present apparatus. A petition signed by a large number of the leading firms, such as Farwell & Co., Armour, Dole & Co., Marshal Field & Co., Kirk & Co., C. M. Henderson & Co., and many other heavy taxpayers has recently been presented to the City Council and by them referred to the Finance Committee. We understand that the Fire Committee have again cut out the item. It is true that the necessities of the city for more police and for pavements are very pressing, but it is equally true that in the southwestern part of the city are practically inaccessible to the Fire Department, and it would seem the course of wisdom mot to wait until a large fire occurs (which such a boat might extinguish or keep from crossing the river) to emphasize more strongly the necessity for this apparatus, but to make the small appropriation of $25,000 mow asked for and be ready for such a contingency should it occur. Chicago has been a severe sufferer from fire, and we know of no taxpaxpayers who will object to making every provision the Fire Department thinks necessary to afford ample protection against disaster. New York has two such fire-boats, Boston one or more, and no city has a better opportunity to use such apparatus than this city. If it be said that the river os frozen up for a certain portion of the year, and that has not been the season where our large fires have occurred. Many portions of the West Side, where no pavements and very small water pipes exist, are inaccessible in muddy weather to the steam fire-engines. On the theory that prevention is better than cure, we strongly urge that the oft-repeated recommendation of the Fire Department and the petition be acted on this year, and that we have this fire-boat, the benefits of which no one can guestion.

Chicago Tribune, May 26, 1884

Dunham’s Fire-Boat.
For many years efforts have been made to secure a fire-boat for the Chicago Harbor, but without success. The Council would give the subject no consideration, as they deemed an appropriation for that purpose wholly unnecessary, notwithstanding the fact that the most inflammable part of the city is located along the river. New York has three fire-tugs, and Jersey City, Boston, Philadelphia, and New Orleans have each got one. This spring J. S. Dunham, a prominent tug-owner, conceived the idea of fitting out one of his boats with a complete fire-extinguishing apparatus, thinking that such an outfit might prove valuable in the event of a vessel taking fire. He secured a powerful four-inch rotary pump and placed it on the tug A. Mosher (US No. 1395). Until yesterday the boat had never been used for tire purposes, although it had rendered good service in pumping out waterlogged vessels. When the Sibley warehouse fire broke out yesterday the Mosher was several miles up the river, with the propeller Juniata in cow. Mr. Dunham at once dispatched another tug to relieve the Mosher of her tow, and the latter responded as soon as possible to the alarm of fire. She made fast to the dock directly in front of the burning building, and two streams from her pump played upon the fire until it was struck out. Chief Swenie expressed himself as highly gratified with the aid rendered by the first fire-boat Chicago ever had.

Inter Ocean, May 10, 1885

The Mosher’s Work.
Marine men are highly pleased with the performance of the tug Mosher at the lumber yard fire, because it has established the fact that a fire-tug is a necessity for such an emergency. As soon as the Mosher arrived at the fire Chief Swenie boarded her with a force of pipemen who proceeded to “rig” up the boat’s apparatus for service. She was stationed behind a number of towering piles which burned so fiercely that they threatened the lumber on the opposite side of the river. but the vast quantities of water which she threw on the fire prevented this catastrophe. Chief Swenie is very loud in his praises of the boat and her crew. Mr. J. S. Dunham, owner of the boat, originally placed the steam-pump aboard of her for just such an emergency is that of Friday, and her usefulness was fully proved. A year ago the Mosher also did splendid work when the Hiram Sibley building was burned down. She was kept at work on the blazing piles of lumber all Friday night and until nearly noon yesterday. The paint on her cabin and hall was nearly all scorched off by the heat to which she was subjected.

Inter Ocean, August 4, 1885

A proposition was presented by representatives of the Lumbermen’s Association to
FURNISH AND EQUIP TWO BOATS
with fire-extinguishing apparatus, and to furnish the fuel for the operation of the same, providing the city furnishes the necessary force of firemen to man the boats. Alderman Hildrech moved for a suspension of the rules for the passage of an ordinance to accept the proposition and to furnish the men asked, the expense to he borne out of any funds not otherwise applied, or out of the savings of the fire department appropriation. The order was passed by a unanimous vote.

Inter Ocean, August 22, 1885

City Hall Jottings.
The tug Alpha, the boat furnished to the city by the Lumberman’s Association as a fire-boat in the lumber districts and for the protection of dock property, was tested yesterday and found to be satisfactory in every respect. She will be equipped, manned, and placed in service as soon as possible.

Inter Ocean, August 28, 1885

The work of fitting out the tug Alpha as a fire-boat is being pushed forward with as much haste as possible. She will be ready for service before Sept. 15.

Inter Ocean, August 30, 1885

The new fireboat, the Alpha, was placed in service yesterday. It is expected that she will prove a very efficient aid in the protection of the lumber districts.

Fireboat Alpha.
Gouache on Paper
James E. Forsyth, Artist
1885

Chicago Tribune, January 13, 1886

A Fire-Boat.
Ald. Cullerton had a talk with the Mayor yesterday about a fire-boat, urging that the unexpended balance to the credit of the Fire Department, about $25,000, be expended for this purpose. The Mayor said he bad no objection. About $30,000 will be needed to construct the kind of boat required, and the Council will probably appropriate enough to make $30,000 available. The tug fitted up last summer for duty in the lumber district did excellent service at a number of tires. The business-men who have warehouses along the river and the lumbermen have been clamoring for years for a fire-boat, and it now looks as if their desires will be gratified.

The Geyser

Chicago Tribune, July 30, 1886

THE FIRE-BOAT LAUNCHED.
A Bottle of Champagne Broken Over Her Bows—She Is Named the Geyser—What She Is Capable of Doing and Chief Swenie’s Claim for Her.
A large number of firemen and other interested persons were present yesterday afternoon at the launching of the new fire-boat for the Chicago Fire Department from Miller’s ship-yard, on the North Branch, near the North Halsted street bridge. At 4:15 o’clock the fastenings about the boat were cast loose. She slid into the water sideways without mishap, a bottle of champagne being broken over her bow as she began to move by Miss Pearl Miller, the little daughter of the builder, who named her Geyser. After a brief inspection of the craft the crowd adjourned to the private office of Mr. Miller, where champagne was served to those present. Mayor Harrison was called on for a speech, and said the good the boat would do to lumbermen and their interests in Chicago would be incalculable. He eulogized Fire-Marshal Swenie, through whose efforts the boat had been built. I speaking of increased water facilities for fire extinguishment the Mayor said:

If I don’t put in more fire-plugs I hope the next Mayor will.

The Mayor regretted that the boat had not been launched the last day of his term of office.

Marshal Swenie was called on and said that one reason why be wanted the boat launched today was because it was the fifty-second anniversary of his birth. The need of a fire-boat had long been felt here, and a repetition of the big fire of 1871 had only been averted in September last duriag the fire in the lumber district by the fire-boat Alpha. If an eight-inch water main were placed in Jackson street he said he could throw a four-inch stream over the Board of Trade tower with the new boat lying 1,600 feet away. With the four-inch stream he could blacken any fire in ten minutes that could be reached.

Ex-Commissioner of Public Works Cregier thought Chicago was to be congratulated in having such a magnificent adaition to her fire department, and Capt. Van Schaick of the Lumberman’s Exchange said the lumbermen took especial interest in the new boat, and were greatly pleased that it would soon be in service.

The cost of the boat when completed will be about $35,000. She is 105 feet in length, 23 feet beam, and 9 feet bold, and will be furnished with two 18×20 propelling engines. She will be able to throw one four-inch stream 400 feet, two three-inch streams 400 feet, eight two-inch streams 200 feet, and fourteen one and one-half-inch streams 200 feet. Her station will be at the Throop street bridge, and in the department she will be known as Engine Company No. 37. The present crew of the Alpha, consisting of twelve men, under command of Capt. Cowan, will be transferred to the Geyser.

Among those present at the launching were City Clerk Plautz, Superintendent of Buildings Kirkland, Fire Marshal Shay, and Ald. Clarke, Tiedemann, and Eisteldt.

Inter Ocean, September 26, 1886

The Geyser a Success.
A test was made yesterday afternoon of the pumping capacity of the new fire-tug Geyser under the supervision of Fire Marshal Swenie, who expressed himself highly satisfied with the action of this new acquisition to his department. Four two-Inch streams were thrown over the North Halsted street bridge, after which she steamed down to the main branch. Returning up the North Branch, a single two-inch stream was thrown on the roofs of the highest elevators—a distance of 250 feet, and in the face of a strong breeze. Marshal Swenie is positive that her eight streams can throw enough water in five minutes to float any lumber yard on the river. A test of her speed will be made some day this coming week.

Chicago Tribune, September 27, 1886

Within two weeks Geyser (US No. 200602), the most powerful fireboat in the world, will be placed in commission by Chief Swenie and stationed at her dock in the lumber district.

The necessity for some sort of protection along the river, aside from the regular fire engines, has been long appreciated by the heads of the Fire Department. The enormous risks in the shape of lumber-yards and huge elevators have always been a bugbear to the officers, who feared that if a fire were to get a fair start anywhere in the southwestern part of the city it would be practically impossible to keep the flames from sweeping a large residence district. For a number of years the water supply throughout the lumber district was entirely inadequate to furnish a large number of engines in case of an extensive fire, and in addition to this the lumber in many places is piled so close to the river bank that when in the od days the flames got around to the water side there was no way to fight them except from the rear—placing the firemen at a manifest disadvantage that was bound to result disastrously in time unless something were done to provide a means of working from the river.

In view of the fact that all of the Eastern cities with valuable dock property have maintained fireboats for years, it is strange that Chicago, usually the first to embrace anything of value in the way of fire apparatus, did not have a boat years ago; but it was not till eighteen months ago that, at the request of a number of lumbermen, who had consulted with Chief Swenie, the Council authorized the expenditure of several thousand dollars for the transformation of one of the river tugs into a fireboat that should fill the gap until the city felt able to have a regular boat built for the service. The tug Alpha (US No. 106036), the most powerful one on the river, leased at $10 a day by the lumbermen, equipped with three sets of powerful pumps, and placed in commission. She was stationed in a slip in the heart of the lumber district, and last summer was instrumental in saving the entire district, a fire having obtained a headway too great for the regular engines to check. Alpha, with her nose shoved into an immense blazing pile of lumber, poured thousands upon thousands of gallons of water into the very heart of the fire, while the glass in the pilot-house cracked and the paint on her sides blistered, smoked, and finally burst into flame. With one side of the vessel afire, the dauntless crew held their position until it was seen that they had gained the upper hand and had saved the day for the department.

After this fire Chief Swenie set himself about working up the Aldermen on the subject of a fireboat that should be built for this purpose, and the result of his agitation of the subject was the appropriation of $32,000. Having obtained this, the Chief accompanied by the department engineer, Charles Petrie, went East, took in the fireboats of New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Boston, and then sent over to Capt. Shaw of the London brigade for any descriptive pamphlet he might have on the subject. The good points of the craft they saw and read about were treasured up, and when they let the contracts last spring they felt confident that when the boat was finished it would be the best of its kind in the world. In this they were not disappointed, for Geyser as she rides the water at Miller Bros.’ dock, receiving the finishing touches of the painter and upholsterer, is the largest and most complete craft of the kind afloat.

In selecting a model for the hull a number of unusual matters had to be considered, not the least of which was the fact that in winter on the Chicago River the boat would be called upon to force her way through ice from eighteen inches to two feet in thickness. For this reason the draft forward is light, so that when driven against the ice, instead of cutting into it, the boat will run up on the surface, and, by its weight alone, break down the barrier. It has been found that this way of getting through an icebound stream is superior to any other.

It was noticed in some of the Eastern boats that the streaming capacity seemed inadequate, as the engines and pumps could not be run “wide open ” simultaneously. This seemed a serious defect, and the Chicago officers remedied it by having built a huge “Scotch” boiler that will supply steam for pumps and engines in such quantities that both may be run at full speed at the same time. This will make it possible to use Geyser for towing purposes while she is throwing water, so that, if an elevator were on fire, half a dozen streams could be kept playing while propellers or grain-laden vessels alongside the burning pile could be drawn away into a safe position. This, with many other things, was noticed and carefully provided for by the heads of the department.

A Tribune reporter went over to the dock at the Halsted street bridge Saturday and looked over Geyser, which is known in tho department as “Engine No. 37.” Geyser is about half as long again as an ordinary tug and about twice as wide. The ample deck-room and great width of the deck-house are about the first things a stranger would notice. Two of the department engineers Nicholson and Ryan, are superintending the finishing touches to the engines and pumps. and Secretary Petrie spends a great deal of time in looking after his pet. The most interesting part of the boat, naturally, is the engine and dump room. In Geyser, as in no other large fire boat, the engines and pumps are so arranged as to be under the control of one man. The engine-room is spacious, about twelve feet square, and its floor is two and a half feet below the level of the deck. The pumps, standing side by side, athwartship, are in the forward part of the room, occupying the entire width of the space. Only their cylinders and a small part of the machinery are visible, the greater portion being between the floor and the hull bottom, six feet below. Together they weigh about nine tons. They may be worked independently or simultaneously. Leading forward from the pumps are two copper pipes, one on each side, ten inches in diameter, which are carried around the front of the wheel house and meet in a bug valve, from which rises a “stand-pipe,” so arranged as to be capable of throwing a stream in any direction. It will be fitted with & nozzle three inches in diameter. Just in front of the wheel-house, about two feet above the deck on each side, are seven hardwood doors, about a foot square. Upon opening them there are brought to view seven discharge gates three and one-half inches in diameter to which hose may be coupled. Thus it is provided that, in case of necessity, fifteen powerful streams may be maintained at the same time-fourteen of them from these gates and one through the stand-pipe. This is more than equal to seven engines of the ordinary kind, and it is easy to see what a treasure Geyser will be in a lumber-yard fire.

Water is admitted to the pumps through two suction ports ten inches in diameter, and the engines, when worked to their full capacity, will throw 4,000 gallons per minute, or in the neighborhood of 6,000,000 gallons in twenty-four hours. A little figuring will show that at this rate a building the size of The Tribune—say 72×120 feet and 92½ feet high—could be filled to overflowing la less than twenty-four hours. It is a regular young water-works of about one-twelfth the capacity of the North Side Pumping-Works.

The test of Geyser’s pumps, which will be made shortly, is as follows: For a period of four hours, with a steam pressure of eighty-five pounds above atmosphere, the pumps are to maintain eight streams of equal power, four from each pump. Each stream will run from the ten-inch copper pipe referred to through the three and one-half inch hose, then through 100 feet of three and one-half inch hose, and then be thrown through a smooth two-inch pipe or nozzle a horizontal distance of 200 feet. The pumps are not to be spurted, and the streams are to be thrown that distance continuously, and the distance is to be determined satisfactorily as follows: A white-oak block three inches thick, by twelve inches square, with square edges, is to be set on edge on 8 horizontal surface near the end of the stream, with its face at right angles to it, and the point where the water and spray bag sufficient force to knock the block over is to be taken as the end of the stream and must not be under 200 feet from the pipe. Chief Swenie says that from the standpipe he can throw a three-inch stream 400 feet, and thinks be will be able in case of lumber yard fires to wash the entire yard into the river.

The engines were designed by Charles Elms. a Chicago man, and built by him. They occupy the after part of the engine-room and are double, of the high-pressure pattern. The cylinders are 18×20 and the wheel which is eight feet in diameter, can be given a speed of 130 revolutions per minute. This, it is expected, will drive the boat at a speed of between eighteen and twenty miles an hour if it is deemed necessary to make such fast time. The wheel is not cast solid, like that of the ordinary propeller, but the blades are of steel and removable. In case one of them is broken. therefore, a new one can be inserted with an hour’s work. Tanks of pure water will be carried to feed the boiler, so that it will not be necessary to use the foul river water, and corrosion will, therefore, be largely avoided.
Two thousand feet of hose will be carried on two trucks, which can be easily handled by one man and wheeled all over the boat. Then there is a yawl which may be brought into service in carrying lines of hose across slips or the river as necessity may demand.

About 3 o’clock, when Chief Swenie put in an appearance, it was determined to try the pumps and see how they would work. Steam was gotten up, three lines of three-and-a-half-inch hose were carried forward and connected with pipes two and a half inches la diameter. Then the valves were opened and three magnificent streams were washing the wood work of the Halsted street bridge, 250 feet away. “There is only sixty pounds of steam on her,” said “Charlie” Petrie, as he walked forward to where Chief Swenie was standing, and a broad smile spread over his face as he looked at the three streams. “That’s what we want for the lumber-yard fires, eh. Chief?”

“Yes it is: and we can have eight like these. If we had had them a year ago today when Alpha saved the day for us at the lumber-yards we might have done better than we did. But we’ve got her now, and can feel that we have the best boat in the word.”

“I’ll tell you what she will do,” said Mr. Petrie, “we can ‘Siamese’ two ot these leads Into a four-lnch pipe and throw a stream over 300 feet with it. That is what we have wanted these many years for the protection of our river front, and I think they will be so pleased with this one that they will not rest until they have her duplicated and the second boat stationed down in the business part of the city

After the pumps bad been worked for an hour or so Mr. Elms, the designer and builder of the engines, wanted to see what they would do, so Geyser’s head was pointed down stream and they steamed down as fur as a coal-dock at the foot of Market street.

Everything worked to a charm. Capt. Cowan ot Alpha who will be Master of Geyser, handled the wheel, and was tickled to death at the way the boat behaved herself.

There is something of a novelty in connection with the reversing gear of the engines that were sent on by an Eastern firm with its compliments. It is an automatic reverser. Attached to the starboard side of the engines is a pair of cylinders, one above the other, about ten inches in diameter. The piston of these is connected by a system of lever with the reversing gear. by moving a small handle conveniently arranged for the engineer to get at, the engines may be easily and instantly reversed even when running at full speed. This does away with the cumbersome old reversing lever. which required a good deal of strength to move. It was tried on the little trip yesterday and worked to perfection. In fact, everything about the new boat seemed to charm the officers of the department, and it is looked upon as an unqualified success.

The tests and inspecton of the Government officers remain to be made, and then there will be a public and official test of the pumps in the manner specified in the contract with the builder.

The boat will be valuable not alone for fires in the lumber district. In elevator fires, or in case of a blaze in one of the great warehouses that stand along the banks down town, or even should there be an unusually threatening fire tour or five blocks from the river in the business district, Geyser can be put to work with good effect. She will be stationed in the slip where Alpha has been, and, unless the lumbermen are anxious to keep Alpha in service at the rate of $10 a day, as they have done for something over a year, she will go out of service as a fireboat, and the crew will be transferred to Geyser.

Chicago Tribune, September 4, 1887

Life on the fire-boats is not what it used to be. Like many other things, it improves with age, and, considering that the marine fire service is not a year old, the improvement in the lot of the firemen is something pleasing to them and creditable to the city.

When Capt. Cowan, now of truck No. 8, and his crew took charge of the Geyser, the new fire-boat, nearly a year ago, the whole crew of ten men slept aboard the boat, which was located at Lake street. The officers had a neat little cabin aft of the pilot-house, while the men were stowed away under the forward deck. It was comfortable enough-this arrangement—during the winter time, but would have been anything but desirable during the hot summer months. The boat is one mass of machinery; her boiler has a heating surface of 2,780 square feet, and sixty to eighty pounds of steam are kept on at all times. The absorbing qualities of the metal and the glowing grates produce a sufficient amount of caloric to satisfy a Hotentot in the frigid zone. The firemen possess some salamandrine qualities, but they would have equaled the feat of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego if they had been compelled to live aboard the boat during the summer and attend to their duties.

The City Fathers have made such a test of the endurance of the men unnecessary by providing them with temporary quarters at the corner of Throop and Lumber streets, at which point the Geyser was placed after the big lumber fires of last June. The fathers have done more than this, for they have provided another boat, the W. H. Alley (US No. 80901), and how the Fire Department, which for the last fifteen years has been trying to secure fire-boats, is in a fair condition to attack any blaze that may start anywhere along the river-front.

The Geyser is one of the most complete fire-boats in the world. She lies in Sampson’s slip, the first slip west of Throop street and south of Main, and about 200 yards from the house occupied by her crew. The boat is commanded by Capt. David W. Evans, with the following complement of men:

Lieutenant, John W. Powers; Engineer, Robert Nicholson; Assistant Engineer, Charles S. Welch; Pipemen, James Tobn, John Cavenaugh, and Peter Phelan; Pilot, William Moore; Firemen, William Kearney and William Penn. Tobin is also a pilot, and familiar with the river.

All of the men are young, strong, and fully alive to the interests committed to their care. The house to which they occupy was formerly the office of a lumber firm. It is a two-story frame structure, the lower part of which is used as a sitting-room, in which are located the alarm-boxes, gongs, and telephone. The closets and bath-rooms are also on this floor, while overhead are the sleeping-rooms of the men. Here, are the gongs for arousing the firemen. Everything about the place is neat and clean, but very plain. The men hope for permanent quarters soon, and therefore do not make such improvements about the place as they would if they were located in aq permanent home. The fact that they are so far from the boat makes it necessary to keep a double watch on all the time—one man at the boat and another at the house—but, not withstanding this drawback, the crew manages to enjoy life in average fashion at least. They have cards, checkers, dominoes, Indian clubs, base-ball, etc., for amusement, and likewise enjoy reading the daily papers and books. As they are located in the midst of tall lumber piles they are constantly supplied with exhilarating odors of the pine woods, mixed with the choice perfumes of the Chicago River and Bridgeport. But this bothers them but little. They keep the boat as clean as a headman’s ax and the pumps and cylinders as bright as mirrors. With her four piston pumps the boat can throw 2,245 gallons of water a minute from fourteen four-inch lines. At the recent fire at Fairbank’s soap works the Geyser easily demolished brick walls when the full force of her mighty pumps was turned on, and on other occasions she has thrown a three-inch stream of water through her stand pipe a distance of 527 feet. This will give some idea of her pumping capacity, and when it is stated that the boat can make eighteen miles an hour it will be seen that the power stowed away in the little vessel is something tremendous.

It was only a few weeks ago that the Geyser had her first experience in fighting a fire on shipboard, and the way she worked on that occasion was extremely gratifying to her Captain and crew. The steambarge Hayward (US No. 106488) was lying at Thirty-eight street, when fire wqs discovered in her cabin. An alarm was once given and a couple of land companies soon reached the scene, but found themselves well-nigh powerless. The stern line of the boat was loose, and she had swung out into the river. The cabin extended out flush with the sides of the boat. It was full of flame and smoke, and the seat of the fire was aft of the cabin, so that the land companies could make but little headway in fighting the flames. The Geyser, however, appeared on the scene, and running up behind the propeller, she turned four streams of water on the flames, and in a few moments had quenched the fire and driven the landsmen ashore out of reach of her batteries.

Capt. Evans, a few days ago said:

It’s all very nice when we can get to fight a fire that way, but such chances don’t often come. We work under great disadvantages generally, as can readily be seen. Look at these docks here as far as you can see up and down the river. They are covered with loose lumber, and whenever there is a fire any distance back in the yards we have to clamber over that stuff and lug our hose. It is no small job to carry a line of our four-inch hose ashore, and when you have to scramble over loose lumber and in the dark it takes valuable time. Still, we do the best we can, and thus far have succeeded pretty well whenever we have undertaken to fight fire. There is another thing that delays us somewhat, and that is the fact that all our alarms come to us by box numbers, and then I’ve got to look up the slip nearest to that number before we start. I’m trying to get up an arrangement so that we can get the alarm by slips, and then we will know just where to steer for, and will not lose any time. When we first began we had some little difficulty in getting through the bridges from time to time, and our progress was occasionally interfered with by vessels, but now everybody is disposed to give us right of way, and when our whistle blows a clear channel generally awaits us. By the way, did you ever hear our whistle?

At the request of Capt. Evans, the engineer opened the valve, and then began a sound beyond description. It was like the despairing wail of a thousand perjured souls, and it seemed to penetrate all space, and tp echo and reëcho with a “ghoulish glee” that would have made even Grover Cleveland tired.

The Captain added:

You’ll know it when you hear it again. We have about 100 boxes along the river front, and one block back, between here and Beach and Taylor streets, and south to the limits, that we answer on first alarm, and on second and third alarm we go the whole length of the river front.

The Geyser, so far as her arrangement is concerned, is about as complete as human ingenuity can make her, and if improvements are made they must apparently be in the way of shore aids to her work. It was suggested by a man who takes considerable interest in her work that something in the line of improvement might be done by keeping at the hose-houses in the lumber district reels of four-inch hose to fit the large streams which the Geyser throws. When fighting fire back from the river these large streams can only be used with great difficulty, owing to the necessity of clambering over the loose lumber which lines the docks. While the men are dragging a line of four-inch hose over these piles of lumber much valuable time is lost, and in a lumber fire “seconds are precious,” as Capt. Evans says. With a reel to drive up to the land side of the lumber a line of hose could speedily be attached to the boat and the deluge could begin with surprising alacrity.

The Geyser has only been at her present quarters since the fires in the lumber-yards two months ago. The tug W. H. Alley, the second fire-boat commissioned, which has been in service since Dec. 31, 1886, was formerly stationed at Sampson’s Slip, but after the destructive fires above alluded to it was thought best to put the Geyser into the lumber district because of her superior facilities. The Alley was one of the largest tugs on the river, and she makes a splendid fire-boat. Her location is at the foot of La Salle street. She has the following crew:

Captain, A. W. Pendleton; Lieutenant, Patrick J. Falvui; Engineer, Charles W. Hopkins; Assistant Engineer, Patrick H. Quinn; Pipemen, John Flynn and Henry Huhn; Pilots, James F. Nolan and James Gallagher; Firemen, John Wein and George Miller.

All of them are old firemen or rivermen. Capt. Pendleton has been in the department twenty years, and Lieut. Falvui was for seven years on the river and is a licensed pilot, making three available pilots on the boat. The Alley can throw six large streams, which can be cut up—”Siamesed down,” the firemen say—into ten or a dozen, with but little diminution of force. She carries a life raft that will sustain twenty persons, a lot of cork life-preservers, and a small boat. The boat answers to fifty-six boxes on the first alarm, located between Beach and Taylor streets on the south, Division and Halsted on the north, and the lighthouse on the east. On second and third alarms the boat goes into the lumber district or anywhere else that she can work to advantage. Since put into commission the Alley has proved to be of great service, and when she is overhauled, as Capt. Pendleton fondly hopes she may this fall, she will be able to do even more than heretofore. The hundreds of valuable buildings which the boats can protect in case of fire makes it advisable for it to be provided with the best possible machinery, and this fact, will not be lost in sight of by the authorities.

The crew of the Alley are provided with new and substantial quarters at the foot of La Salle street, where their boat lies. The boys have scarcely got their quarters warmed up yet. They moved in July 18 from the Lake street engine-house, and have made the place as homelike as possible in so short a time. The building is of brick, 46×36 in dimensions, and one story high. In the east end of the building, which faces the river, are the sleeping rooms of the Captain and Lieutenant and the office where the alarms are received. The west end of the building is utilized as a sitting-room, bath-room, etc., while the centre room, 21×36, is the sleeping room of the men. The interior od the house is finished in polished yellow pine, and all the furnishings is of the same description. The place is exceedingly cozy, and the men feel highly elated at being so well settled. They have no pictures on the walls as yet, and the library needs a nucleus. These little things will come in time, and then the lot of the river firemen wake some people envious.

The tug W. H. Alley, the second fire-boat commissioned, has been in service since Dec. 31, 1886.

Inter Ocean, September 15, 1889

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.
“Geyser No. 2.”
Chicago is to have a new fire steamer. The bids were opened yesterday and the contract awarded a Chicago ship-building firm, said to be Miller Bros. The plans call for an exact duplicate of the tug Geyser, and the successful bidder agrees to build the boat for $12,350. This sum calls for hull and driving power, the city agreeing to put in the steering gear, prob. ably the Dunham patent.

Work will be begun at once, and it is calculated that the Geyser No. 2 will be ready for commission Jan. 1. The new bost will have one improvement over the old one. She will have a heavy iron-clad prow, constructed with a special view to ice-crushing. modeled somewhat after the Goodrich tug.

Inter Ocean, June 1, 1890

Launch of the Yosemite.
There wasn’t the slightest hitch in the launching of the city’s new fire-boat yesterday afternoon. Fifteen minutes before 4 o’clock Brice Miller said “all ready,” and twenty workmen began a tremendous pounding at several hundred wedges. These slowly raised the big black and red hull which stood hig above the ground on the ways in Miller Brothers’ ship yard at north Halsted street and the river. The props on either side of the bulk then fell away and everybody ran back. Then some one went aboard and took down a bright new flag that was fluttering from a staff at the bow. Everybody wondered what it was for and they knew when an equally bright pennant was run up in its place. It was the boat’s flag and it settled what she was to be named for Yosemite stood out in big red leters on a white ground surrounded with blue stars. There was another few moments of waiting and Builder Miller walked up the incline reaching to the bow. He had with him his bare-headed 10-year-old daughter, Pearl, in a white dress and a long blue sash. He had also a big bottle with a gold seal. For a few moments they stood while the men pounded some more, then Mr. Miller put the bottle in his daughter’s hand, looked carefully upon both sides of the boat and said:

Let her go,

A dozen men cut stay ropes.

“Hit it,” said Mr. Miller. the little girl was nervous and the boat began to move. “Hit it,” he said again, and as the hull started by Miss Pearl held out the bottle: the bow of the boat smashed it to pieces and rushed down the ways. At the water edge it stood a second and turning almost on its side, fell into the basin. The water rushed up on the banks and with violent rocking back and forth the Yosemite righted herself jauntily and was afloat.

Her sister, the fireboat Geyser, ran the gamut of her shrill whistle unril the steam was almost exhausted and five hundred people cheered vociferously. Miss Pearl Miller, who acted in the same capacity four years ago when the Geyser was built, had successfully launched Chicago’s second fireboat.

The yards and slip shores were well lined with people. The City Hall representatives arrived on the fireboat Geyser about 3:30. This included the Mayor, Commissioner of Public Works Purdy, Engineer Northway, Fire Marshal Swenie, Chief of Police Marsh, Clerk Franz Amberg, Superintendent of Sewers Cheney, Inspectors Ebersold, O’Donnell and Hibbard, Aldermen Summerfield and Dunham and a score of others. They remained on the Geyser unti the Yosemite fell into the water and then steamed alongside and went aboard to look at the inside of the new boat. There was little machinery in her, and it didn’t take long to see it all. From the boat the official party was guided to a lumber-room over the office of the Miller Brothers. There was lunch here, and more bottles of the kind that was broken over the bow of the Yosemite. Marshal Swenie was guided to the head of the table, and Mayor Cregier sat down upon a coil of rope to his left. Then each one present made a speech. A few young ladies were present. Mr. Charles Elms is designing the Yosemite engines. He told what the boat is expected to do, and Marshal Swenie told how he proposed to use her. The Mayor said little, but encouraged the others.

The new boat will not be ready yo go into service until late this fall, and when she does it is expected that she will combine all the best qualities of the present Geyser and the big Milwaukee fireboat built by Miller Brothers. The Yosemite will not differ greatly from the Geyser except in pump capacity. If the proposed engines work all right she will throw one 4 inch stream 450 feet, eight 2 inch streams 300 feet, two 3 inch streams 350 feet, or twenty 1½ inch streams 160 feet. “In other words.” says Mr. Elms, “she will equal to 14 fire engines with 1½ inch streams at 160 feet.” The steam engines will almost duplicate the Geyser’s. There will be boilers 10 feet in diameter and 16 feet long, with 2,300 feet of heating surface nd 4 steam cylinders 16½x12 inches. There will be four pump cylinders 9½x12 inches. The boat is 105 feet long, 34 feet beam and 10 foor hold.

Yosemite Fire Boat
1890

Chicago Tribune, September 16, 1890

The new fire boat Yosemite (US No. 200604), to be known as Engine Company No. 58, will soon be placed in commission and added to the Fire Department. It will be ready for testing in about a week or ten days. The Yosemite is the same size as the Geyser, but its pumps have a half-inch more bore and two inches more of a stroke, which makes it a greater water thrower than the Geyser. With the new boat added, the city will have three large fire boats in commission, including the Chicago, which was transformed into a fire boat after being purchased by the city.

Chicago Tribune, June 26, 1892

TO PROTECT WORLD’S FAIR PROPERTY
New Fire Boat Being Built for Exposition Use—Other Precautions.
Fire Marshal Swenie was yesterday notified by the World’s Fair officials to proceed immediately with the construction of a light-raft fire boat, to be used in the lagoons and harbors of the World’s Fair grounds. Negotiations to this end have been pending for some time and Marshal Swenie several weeks ago submitted models and specifications for such a boat to the World’s Fair people. His plans were approved at a meeting of the committee yesterday, and he was asked to award contracts for the immediate construction of the boat.

It is proposed that the boat shall be an additional safeguard against fire losses, and it os only one of many precautions that are now being taken. Ten fire alarm boxes are being located on the grounds, and these will soon appear in the fire alarm directory. The numbers will all be above 9,000. Marshal Swenie has already prepared a running card for the World’s Fair grounds, and is now in a position to send ten engines into the grounds on the third alarm.

The new boat will have a draft of four feet and its highest part above water will be eight feet an six inches. This is necessary on account of the shallow water and the low bridges which span the lagoons. It will be sixty-two feet in length and will carry engines in exact duplication of a smaller scale of those now in use on the powerful Yosemite. It will have a capacity of three ordinary fire engines, and after the Fair it is improbable that the boat will be purchased by the city for use on higher branches of the river. The new boat will be completed in about ninety days.

Chicago Tribune, September 29, 1892

IT IS CHRISTENED THE FIRE QUEEN.
Launched of the New Fire Tug to Be Used in World’s Fair Lagoons.
The ne fire tug to be used in the lagoons in the World’s Fair grounds was christened Fire Queen by Miss Edith Ebbert, niece of Fire Marshal Swenie, she breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow of the boat at Miller’s shipyards, near Halsted street bridge.

The launch of the boat was made the occasion of considerable ceremony by the city and World’s Fair officials. The Fire Queen will be the smallest of all the fire tugs and will draw but four feet of water, in order to enable it to get to all parts of the lagoons. It is 65 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, has two high pressure engines, 8×8 inches, and will not go over ten miles an hour. Size and speed were not wanted so much as quickness and handiness of handling, and will throw one stream 300 feet high. It will be ready for service in about a month.

The city and World’s Fair officials went up to the shipyard on the fire tug Yosemite. They reached the shipyard about 3 o’clock, just before the Fire Queen slid down the ways. As she struck the water the Yosemite let go her Modoc whistle and at the same time shot a stream of water at the new boat. What water missed the Fire Queen fell on the hundreds of spectators who were gathered around the dock.

Chicago Tribune, January 1, 1893

“FIRE QUEEN” AT JACKSON PARK.
The Trim Little Craft to Do Service in the Lagoons.
The Fire Queen, from whose prowess as a fighter of fires at the World’s Fair so much is expected, steamed out of Chicago River from its moorings at the foot of La Salle street yesterday and picking its way through the ice off shore, reached Jackson Park without mishap. The Fire Queen was accompanied by the Yosemite and and was delivered to the proper authorities.

It will be stationed for a time under the protection of the breakwater to the northward of the battleship Illinois, but will ultimately take its place in the lagoons. The ice in the lagoons is at present too thick for the new fireboat to force its way through.

The Fire Queen cost $5,000 and is the smallest of the fireboats yet built by the city, but its machinery is none the less powerful on that account. Its peculiar shape caused considerable comment among marine men, but being built for service in the shallow waters of the lagoons, accepted models of marine architecture had to be somewhat modified.

When in full service the new fireboat will throw 2,200 gallons of water per minute and keep at it for hours at a time, ample steam capacity having been provided. As much water will come from its nozzles as from six ordinary fire engines.

As nearly all the buildings can be reached by the boat much quicker than by six engines stationed around the grounds its effectiveness as a fire-fighter exceeds its nominal capacity.

Drawing but three feet six inches, and having an unusually large rudder, the Fire Queen can dodge around the lagoons like a rowboat, without danger of running aground or crashing into the arch bridges.

Its station, after the ice breaks up somewhat, will be at the foot of the stairway from the north door of the Electricity Building.

The trim little craft was given a clean bill by the government steamboat inspectors and the insurance men, who have examined the boat are enthusiastic over its prowess.

Fire Marshal Swenie pronounces himself entirely satisfied with the construction of both boat and machinery. “It will,” he says, “be an ornament to the lagoons as well as an effective boat.”

The Fire Queen is now ready for service and will respond to all alarms of fire in the grounds after this afternoon. It has been commissioned as engine company No. 71 and in charge of Capt. Thomas Barry. The other officers are Lieut, J. C. Meyer, Engineers Frank B. Hutchinson and R. O. Blodget, Pilots John W. Nolan and Charkes A. Hansen, Firemen Henry Baldwin and E. W. Londebarker. Fire Marshal Petrie accompanied the crew on the trial trip, and delivered the Fire Queen to the World’s Fair management.

Chicago Tribune, October 19, 1898

The new $75,000 steel fireboat, Illinois (US No. 200603), for the Chicago Fire department, will be launched on next Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock at the yards of the South Chicago Shipbuilding company. The program for the launching is now being arranged by the company’s officers. It will be a formal affair, the ceremonies being similar to those at the recent launching of the United States battleship Illinois, though not on so extensive a scale.

The selection of the young woman to break the bottle of wine to christen the boat was left to Mayor Harrison, and he has chosen Miss Edna Owsley, daughter of Heaton Owsley, 408 Erie street. Miss Owsley is now at her parent’s summer home at Glencoe, but will come down on Saturday to the christening.

Mayor Harrison and his Cabinet, members of the City Council, Chief Swenie and his staff, and the South Chicago Shipbuilding company’s officials will be present, and many other prominent Chicagoans will be invited to participate in the ceremonies. Mayor Harrison is down for a short address.

The Illinois will be completed and in commission in about six weeks. It is built entirely of steel, save the deck and some of the interior work. Its pumps will be able to throw 10,000 gallons of water a minute. The boat probably will be assigned to the La Salle street station. Chief Swenie will select the crew from the other boats in service.

Fireboat Illinois
La Salle Street Life Saving Station

Chicago Tribune, June 24, 1908

(By a Staff Correspondent.]
Mandtowoc. Wis.,—June 23.-[Special.]-Forty Chicagoans, representing every phase of the city’s officialdom, and a great contingent of “fire fans,” came up here today to witness the launching of the Joseph Medill, the first of new twin fire boats which will be added to Chicago’s fire fighting equipment next fall.

Rain in heavy showers somewhat interfered with the ceremonies of starting the bright red hull down the greased ways, but as it slid away with a crash of a champagne bottle in the hands of a little girl who had all she could do to wield the heavy decanter there was a cheer of enthusiasm that was a credit to the size of the group. From the boats surrounding the drydocks came hoarse screams from whistles and sirens that lasted five minutes, and another mile post in the history of fire protection was declared passed.

The personnel of the party was as follows:

Mayor Fred A. Busse, Fire Marshal James Horan, Chief of Police George M. Shippy, Postmaster Daniel A. Campbell, Collector of the Port John Ames, Ald. P. H. Monthan and John Jones, CIty Electrician William Car-roll; Senator Corbus P. Gardner; Civil Service Commissioner Elton Lower, Civil Service Commissioner M. L. McKinley, Civil Service Commissioner H. D. Fargo, Albert W. Goodrich, John T. Connery. Frank E. Doherty, Harry Gibbons, James P. Connery, Albert Mohr, Robert Many, Edward Schless, D. H. Hoops, J. Emmet Carney, Daniel F. Rice, C. A. McDonald, William H. Lyman, Fred W. Blocki, W. H. Baker, H. N. Taylor, J. B. Cavanaugh, T. N. Koehler, Fred H. Gansbergen, Thomas Hyman, Charles Herman. Will Mohr, J. R. D. Stevenson, Michael Loftis, James Duffy.

The party went on two private parlor cars with a diner attached on the Northwestern train which left Chicago at 11:30 this morning. The time was passed pleasantly until shortly before 5 o’clock, when the special cars were sidetracked within a hundred yards of the dry docks of the Manitowoc Ship Building company. The rain lessened for a few moments, enabling the excursionists to cross the tracks and view on the stays the brilliantly painted steel hull with the name Joseph Medill in white letters on a blue flag at the bow.

Sister Ship Also Nearly Done.
Beside it, but not in such an advanced stage of construction, was the Graeme Stewart, a sister ship that will be completed about the same time.

Another brisk shower drove the visitors to the shelter of sheds, where they listened to the sound of sledge hammers driving the last wedges that were to release the vessel. A small stage, trimmed with the stars and stripes, had been erected at the bow, and there in a lull of the downpour Helen Frances Geer, the 12 year old daughter of L. E. Geer, secretary and treasurer of the shipbuilding company, took her stand. She held in both hands a champagne bottle covered with green ribbons, as a tribute to the Irish blood of the man for whom the boat was named, and of the man who is to command it.

As the hull started slipping away Miss Geer raised the bottle over her head and with a wide swing crashed it against the steel hull.

The slide into the water was guided br a tug that steered the bare hull to a place beside the wharf, where the Chicagoans scrambled aboard to take a look from the deck.

Luncheon and Talks Follow.
Following this brief ceremony the visitors went to one of the buildings of the construction company, where luncheon had been prepared for them. When their appetites had been appeased, Chief Horan Introduced J. A. Torrison of Manitowoc as toastmaster of the occasion. Then followed a series of brief talks. Mayor Busse declared confidence in the success of the boat because of two circumstances—that it was built in Manitowoc and that Chief Horan was to command it.

Chief Horan spoke briefly of the advance in fire fighting signalized by the building of the two boats, and Chief Shippy, Collector Ames, and Postmaster Campbell spoke of the significance of their addition to Chicago’s equipment. W. I. Babcock, New York City. designer of the boats, was the speaker who emphasized most fully the importance to Chicago of the building of the vessels.

Great Power of New Craft.
The Medill and Stewart each, it is predicted, will drive 11,000 a minute at a pressure of 130 pounds. When the engines are arranged in tandem they will send forth 5,500 gallons at a pressure of 300 pounds, a mark hitherto unachieved. These records will give each boat about 50 per cent greater efficiency than the Illinois.

“The Medill is 120 feet long, 28 foot beam, and 15 feet deep,” said Naval Architect Babcock. “It is constructed of steel throughout, practically no wood being used anywhere except on the inside finish of the deck house and the pilot house. The decks are flush except for hose room and pilot house.

The unusual feature is the electric propulsion. The two turbine engines, which, by the way, have replaced the piston style, drive generators furnishing current for motors directly connected with the propeller shafts with twin screws. The same turbine, therefore, that pumps the water furnishes power to propel the boat.

Returning on Steam Boat.
At the close of the luncheon “Al” Goodrich, the foremost “fire fan” in Chicago, took the entire party on the tug Arctic for a ride up the Manitowoc river. On the return they boarded the steamer Christopher Columbus, which at 10 o’clock set out on the return trip to Chicago and expected to reach the city about 6 a. m.

Fireboat Joseph Medill

Inter Ocean, December 13, 1908

Mayor Busse and a number of elty offclals will witness the formal test of the new fire-boat Joseph Medill at the foot of Fulton street at 10 o’clock Tuesday morning. The boat was built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding company, whose officers will also witness the test.

Fireboat Graeme Stewart

Chicago Tribune, July 7, 1909

Fire Marshal James Horan yesterday declared unreasonable a complaint made by a representative of the glassware firm of D. L. Neuhauser & Co., 242 South Water street, against the smoke from the fireboat Graeme Stewart.

The complaint was presented to The Tribune in a letter from S. W. Karger, secretary of the company, but Chef Horan said it had been made to him several days ago, and that he had told the complainants there was no remedy for the conditions related.

“I told them that I had given the situation long thought,” he sald, “and that I could see no way of giving rellet from the slight annoyance the boat causes them.
They are unreasonable in asking that the boat be shifted to some other station, because It is needed right where it 1s, and they exaggerate the facts 1f they say that it smokes all day long.

It Does Smoke.
“It does smoke occasionally, but that, of course, cannot be prevented, and I feel that they have little cause for complaint. A year from now we will be farther up the river, and until then I think the people should bear with us for the general good.”

The principal parts of Mr. Karger’a letter follow:

Now, we do not like to be trouble makers, but we see no reason why we should be the gufferers thereby We do not want to encroach on the rights and privileges of others, neither do we want others to encroach on ours, but this black smoke we simply cannot endure.

All Are Coughing.
It fills our throats and lungs with dust and gas, and we are gong around here coughing and clearing our throats as if we were consumptives or had a bad case of bronchitis. In addition to this, it increases our laundry bills materially and covers our books and papers with soot and smudges. If hard coal cannot be used, then why cannot they use oil as a fuel or change the station of the fireboat?

As the wind is from the lake the greater part of the time, It means that we will be compelled to endure the nuisance all summer unless something is done. They might say, keep your windows closed, but as the hottest part of the summer is still to come and we have some fifty or sixty people employed here, a number of women among them. It will be impossible for us to do that and exist. What is the remedy?

Detroit Free Press, December 21, 1909

STEER FROM PILOT HOUSE
Official Ruling Made on Handling of Chicago Fireboats.
Some question having arisen as to the legal, safe and most effective manner of steering the Chicago fireboats Graeme Stewart and Joseph Medill, Supervising Inspector-General George Uhler and Supervising Inspector C. M. Westcott or the elghth district have visited Chicago and inspected the Stewart. It is their opinion that the best results will be obtained from handling the boats from the pilot house, by the pllot. These vessels can be steered direct from the pilot house. They are provided with turbine engines, and the power is produced by electricity.

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