The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-09-23
NA7ION MoURNs LOSS OF GEN. COLLINS
(Boston Herald

Virginia Hot Springs, Va. Sept. 1.-THE body of
Mayor Patrick A. Collins of Boston, who died In the
Homestead hotsl this morning was prepared for
transportation north by Undertakes Wilkes ana
Heyer of Stanton tonight, and at I:15 tomorrow
morning, after a reauism high mass by the Rev Ed
ward Rafferty, OF Narraganset Pier r. l., will be sent
to Boston, arriving there at 1;45 o'clock SATURDAY
morning, Father Rafferty, with him when ne diel'
and administered him the last rites OF the church.
The death of Mayor Collins peaceful as 1t
was unexpected to his Boston friends and his scores
Of acquaintance III hotel, the end coming from a
hemorFllage of the bowels which suddenly developed
about O'Clock this morning. This followed an attack
| of gastritis, which appeared Tuesday last
Sept. Mayor Collins and his Paul arrived at
| the Homestead hotel, where he had been annual
| visitor. He suffering from rheumatic govt,
which bothered him before he left Boston, but he
appeared in good spirits the day he arrived.
|
Patrick A. Collins was born March T. 1914, in ire
| land. Cork, and to this country whsn he
| years old His father died just before the fam
| lily left ireland for the United States. His mother
brought the family here Mrs. Collins had the enrgy
and aspirations which her Inherited She no
opportunity for her her family in the old country
and she had the courage and the will TO take the risk
Of beginning life with her young children, and with
out her protector, in America. She married Mr.
Burke. Dir. Collins finished his school days in 1856
when he u years old and next working in u
western coal mine.
Down in coal pit and then a machine shop, the
boy toiled in the humblest employments The gloom
Of the coal mines and the dirt and noise of the ma
chine shop did not destroy his cheerfuness they only
served to strengthen his purpose and to develop his
capacity for hard work. From that time his life
one of determined, serious, well directed application
Manual labor may have retarded his mental growth
but it did not stop it.
After his return to Boston from the west he became
promin figure among his fellows-a leader in his
church, in his party and among the Irish Americans
Good nature and common sense and prudence his
When Mr.. Collins returned to Boston he learned
the trade of an upholsterer He rose to be foreman
of the establishment of +. NJ Holmes Co. and start
ed, foreman the upholstery business of e. H Bra
brook During the time he was thus at work, making
beds for Boston to lie on and chairs for it sit on
Mr. Collins increasing his store of his then scanty
education and saving money that he might have eis
ure for further advancement in the career which he
had chosen.
He had determined to BE- 5lawyer. At least five
nights of every week devoted to study. The
public schools had been made unpleasant for the boy
but nothing could shut off the books in which were
recorded the knowledge which he sought and nothing
could kill his ambition.
While he the foreman of an upholstery. Mr.
Collins was recognized a leading man among thu
Irish-Americans of the country.
First Public Speech Gave Evidence of Ability.
In 1851 when he II, he joined the Fenian society
one of its organizers. made his first public
speech Fenianism and the purposes of the as
ISOLATION i'll Music hall, in Boston, in 1866. Men who
heard this maiden speech, made Unexpectedly and
with all the trembling dread of first effort say that
the ght-hared young Irishman then gave prom
Use of his public speaker which he after
ward attained. y commanding figure at IL, and an
actual leader at 81 in organization of the best men
of his in this country is a record of which Mr.
Collins might we'll be proud
Two years after this first speech Mr. Collins had
saved enough money to support him while he. studied
law, He himself up his profession as he had
given himself to his trade. Day and night he worked
over the DOCKS and took interest also in public
questions The study of the law fostered his natural
bent toward the Democratic party. was the thor
ough grounding he then received in Democratic prn-
cipes which made him Jefersonian constitutional
principles MI Collins was one of the men in public !
life wha had never been drawn from a proper apprc
citation OF the relations of the states the federal
government by the civil by the legislation of
reconstruction.
Mr. Collins had been studying law a single year
when the Democrats of his district nominated him as
member OF the state house of representatives At 90
his horizon had expanded and his command over men
mad enlarged. He was no longer simply q leader in |
the Fenian organization; he had become one of the
representative of his adopted city The people of
MS district elected him to the legislature Ia 1868
again in 1869. He launched on a political
career He Of the leaders of his party in the
city of Boston. Again he active and Industrious
although he did not permit his legislative duties to in
terfere with his law studies. There never was time
when he was tempted away from his chosen profess
sion.
There more ardent lover of his race and no
more loyal member of his party then Mr. Collins
ae knew that the interests Of his of his party
could be bsst advanced by recognized standing
n the community, for whom respect was first
felt because of their character private citizens He
believed thoroughly that success in public life was
nothing unless it built on the broad foundation
Of good citizenship.
From the first Mr. Collins public life promised to
De brilliant His two years in the house of representa-
tlYes were followed by two years in the senat? In
1871 his last year of service in the legislature he was
chairman of the committee harbors. This means
hat he had established reputation in the law -rnall-
ng body, for not only the committee over which
ne presided an important Mr. Collins was the
Of hat,
was given.
During his term senator Mr.. Collins attended
ectures at the Harvard law school, and was graduated
ust after the expiration OF his term Then he an
bounced that he would devote himself for at least ten
ears to the practice of his profession and that
would hold no political Office during that time To
his resolution he steadily adhered holding only the
honorary Office of judge acknowledgement of the COM
on the staff of Governor CASTOR Still he
i'd not remain uninterested in public affairs His
arty had always his services on the stump and he
ecame one of the most effective political speakers in
he state.
AS Mr.. Collins grew in years so he grew in innport-
nee to his party Step by step he advanced to ]
irger leadership. At first South Boston honored him
hen his senatorial district honored him then his !
ounty sought without success to make him sheriff
ut his ten years not up, he refused the nom
nation. :
In 1876 no was made judge general of the
In 1882 after one of the hardest /