# Christopher Schimmels (Bales: "Christian Schimmals"), foreman of the steamer "Chicago"
# Testimony before the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners, session of Friday 24 Nov. 1871 (day 2), as reported in the Chicago Tribune of 1871-11-25, page 6
# Source: Library of Congress, Chronicling America (lccn sn82014064): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82014064/1871-11-25/ed-1/?sp=6 ; OCR text https://tile.loc.gov/text-services/word-coordinates-service?segment=/service/ndnp/dlc/batch_dlc_clark_ver03/data/sn82014064/no_reel/1871112501/0006.xml&format=alto_xml&full_text=1
# Page-OCR lines 275-385; uncorrected OCR; written 2026-09-14T06:29:58Z.
# STATUS: NEWSPAPER REPORT (reported speech with some direct quotation) -- not the stenographic transcript. Bales: Inquiry vol. [1], pp. 131-33.

CIIRISTOrnER SGIU3CMELS,
foreman of the steamer Chicago, said tho drat he
knew of the flro was the striking of the gong. Ho
thought it was about 9:30. BozNo.ma was struck.
This box Is about a mile southwest of where tho
tire was. Be went directly to tho blaze, and took
a hydrant on the center ci Forwr J«2oraoa
streets, and led the hose south. His was the only
stream there. After working from Hires to itv.l
minutes the engine was ••shut-down,” Uni, upon
making inquiry as to why It was done, the engi
neer Uml him that a spring In the pump had bro
ken. He told the engineer to start up again, and
run the risk of breaking the pump to pieces, lie
did not see the Marshal or the assistants, and
he asked tho foreman of the Illinois, which had
come up, which side of the tire be would take.
Iforepned “north,” so Schlmmol* remained on
the south lino. He worked thereuntil Assistant
Marshal Bonner ordered Idm to move and one off
the die in the rear of some buildings. The next
thing ho knew*, a row of buildings on Jelferson
street, a little south of Taylor, were on tiro. Af
ter working on them ten minutes, orders oamo to
move and put on two streams An order subso-
qucntly came to go further north, and try to out
off the lire. It was impossible to go up Jefferson
street, so he went over to Halsted and up to Har
rison, and took a ping on the comer of that street
and Jefferson. Me led the hose south, but
was driven from hla position by tho heat,
and ncarlypost his hose In retreating. He at
tached another lead of hose to the engine, and
kept the ground near her cook Ho then started
lor a plug on Jefferson street, between Harrison
and Vafißuren, hut tho Titsworth was there, and
he went around to Jackson and Jefferson streets.
Alter being there three or five minutes he saw
that tho lire was not coming that way, so he sent
his men over to the South Bide. He went to his
engine house, as he was completely played out,
having had no sleep for thirty hours. He had
worked eighteen hours on tho Saturday night
fire, and four of his men were nearly blind.
When the alarm came, in those men, who had
been at home, ran around to tho engine house,
but as they were useless on account or tho condi
tion of their eyes, betook three volunteers and
started for the lire. None of his
men wore intoxicated. They all worked
faithfully. He did not know what time the
lire crossed to the South Side, but thought it was
about 3 o’clock on Monday morning. His engine
was in good order at the Saturday night fire, but
they had to kno’k her suction from a plug to pre
vent her being burned up, and, tho “goose neck”
being out of order, she could not draw water
very well on Sunday. He was short of ho.se.
Two lengths wore lost on Harrison street, and
there was none in reserve. There were eighteen
lengths In tho engine-house on Saturday night,
but some companies had taken* it all oat. His
engine was also on the North Side. The engineer,
who bad charge, came back to tho house about 7
o’clock on Monday morning, and said he came
near losing her three or four times. Ho mot the
Chief Marshal about 11 o’clock on Monday morn
ing, and told him he had no hose, Ho was tuld
that there was some expected at Che Milwaukee
depot, and went there to get IC,
but none had come. When ho returned to the en
gine house, s small boy came in and said there
was a Springfield steamer at the foot of Taylor
street, and the men with it wanted to know
where to go, as they cohid not eoo any fire. He
brought them up to the house, and asked them
Tor half of their nose—they had 1.000 feet—and the
foreman said ho would lot him have it, if ho
would bring his engine out and work with him.
He said all right.” and hitched tho truck horses
to tho Springfield engine, and, with his own
steamer, started for the North Side, crossing Di
vision street bridge. Tho two engines worked
on the g&a works from 6 o’clock that
evening until 7 o’clock on Tuesday
morning, when tho Springfield steamer gave out.
The lire was then so as it would not spread any
more, and they retained to the house. Hading
two strange companies in possession when they
arrived. The steamer was fixed up, and ho slept
until noon, when orders came to go to the foot of
Taylor street and throw water on smee coat He
was not offered any money to play on any build
ing, and did not think anything more could have
been done to stop tho fire. If thero had been
plenty ofhoso on at tiret it would have made a
difference. Coal was scarce, and tho citizens
tore up the sidewalks to furnish his engine with
fuel- All tho hose ho had had for three months
previous to the lire was very poor.
Commissioner Sheridan stated that 2,500 feet of
the best hose had been distributed, but no oao
seemed to know where it had gone to.
Tho witness* said tb he had not received a foot
of it. All his hose. No. 3, und wouldn’t stand a
very high pressure. At every flro‘from one to
three lengths bunted. He did not see any Mar
shal to report to when he lei t bis engine and went
to lb© bouse. Ho supposed they were ou tho
South Side. Betiuer was tho only ono ho naw
during the whole night.