Charles Collins
Deer Lodge County
History of Montana, Sanders, 1913

In a modern city no municipal service has been developed 
to a higher point of efficiency and of greater usefulness 
to the property and welfare of citizens than the fire 
protection service.  In its fire department the city of 
Anaconda need ear comparison with no other city of 
Montana, for both in equipment and personnel it is 
modern and to the highest degree effective.

As organizer of the old-time volunteer service and 
present chief of the modern department, Charles Collins 
has long been one of the valued citizens of Anaconda and 
his civic and personal record is very interesting.

He was born in Marengo, Iowa on April 1, 1869.  In that 
town while a boy he attended the public schools, but at 
a very early age began his practical experience.  In a 
drug store of his hometown he was hired at a salary of 
twelve dollars a month, most of which he gave to his 
mother, and he gained a good working knowledge of the 
drug business while there.  When about fourteen, he 
left home and continued employment in the drub business 
at Omaha for one year.

In 1886 at the age of seventeen he came out to Montana, 
and this state has since been his permanent place of 
residence.  During the subsequent years he has made 
trips of greater or less duration to Alaska, British 
Columbia, Nevada, Utah and elsewhere but never with an 
idea of leaving the state as a home.  His first town on 
coming here was Anaconda and he has acknowledged no other 
hometown since that date.  For three years he was 
employed in the concentrator plant of the A.C.M. 
Company.  For six years he was actively connected 
with the fire department after which he was for a 
similar period engaged principally in mining.  He 
also studied and learned steam engineering and with 
his long experience and technical knowledge was 
eminently fitted for the position of chief of the 
fire department to which he was appointed in October 1911.

In 1888 he organized the first volunteer fire company 
of Anaconda and later was the first paid, fireman 
appointed in this city.  In the early days he was 
captain of the fire department athletic team and led 
it in competitions all over the state.  This company 
held the state championship for five consecutive years.  
During the existence of the volunteer organization he 
and J.A. Hasley of this city held the record for 
three years as the champion pair of hose couplers 
and their record has never been excelled since then.  
Chief Collins believes in the best of improvements, 
both in equipment and training of the members of the 
fire department.  The department is now altogether a 
paid service and is motorized with modern apparatus, 
a new $6000 truck having been recently added.

Mr. Collins married in British Columbia, February 17, 
1900 to Miss Laura J. Boyd, daughter of John and Sophia 
Boyd of Anaconda.  Mr. and Mrs. Collins have three 
children: Flora, Lilian and Evelyn all of whom are 
in school and Miss Flora is a student of music.

The parents of Chief Collins were Joseph and Mary 
(Francis) Collins.  The father, who now lives retired 
and spends his time with his children, was born in 
Tennessee and settled in Iowa in 1846 about the time 
Iowa was admitted to the Union.  A farmer and 
merchant by occupation, he also became prominent 
in politics. He is one of the old guard of the 
Republican party and was a delegate tro the national 
convention in Chicago in 1860.  He carried a rail 
with him and was one of the enthusiastic supporters 
who backed Abraham Lincoln for the nomination as 
president.  He was married in Iowa and his wife 
passed away in 1910 when about seventy.  Her death 
occurred while visiting a daughter in St. Anthony, 
Idaho and she is buried there.  Of the seven 
children in the family Charles was the fifth and 
youngest son.  One sister is the wife of Dr. W.C. 
Gutelius, a well known dentist of Anaconda.  The 
rest of the family are located in various western 
states.

Charles Collins is especially fond of athletic contests 
and he is fond of witnessing a good boxing match.  
Music is one of his delights and for six years he was 
a member of the Anaconda band.