LAFD, Chief Charles E. Miles

As a fireman, Charles E. Miles was of the order of the superlative. "Charley," as he was known all over Southern California by his friends, who were in truth legion, came to Los Angeles from Baltimore and was a type of the Maryland good fellow--none better. No one who knew him in his bright, halcyon days would ever have dreamed that he would have such a sad ending. He was a civil engineer by profession, and was connected with the Los Angeles Water Company in its early days. Starting out as a member, afterwards captain of the "Thirty-Eights," Miles became chief of the Los Angeles fire department. Unfortunately for him he entered politics, a role in which he was surprisingly popular. He had every qualification for politics but one, he could not for the life of him say no.

Excerpts from an article written by Joseph D. Lynch for the Los Angeles Herald, June 25, 1905.