The Prescott daily news., 1920-06-14
's''rrREsTTING LETTER
 FROM MARK BLAKELY
466 A. Fell St. San Francisco, Cal.
 May 31, 1920.

{i0U Ddy, o'N {,
 w here were the scenes of much
 " '..,, and also much reverence. Loads
 VI s Loads of pretty flowers were in
 ~ sa.nce as the many graves were
 s'..otad and, very suspicious and
 VIII sh;ro nrograms were rendered. We
 snaered 'ss quite a while yesterday be-
 f wa decided the most interesting
 ". VI hofitting way in which to spend
 today, but finally we hit upon a plan
 rh;ch proved the source of much grat- .saot;on and I might say, thrilling
 aseasion almost; at least most mem
 ss;ol occasion and an experience nev-
 ~ to be forgotten. We learned that
 c,rer- Dreadnaught Battleship Arkan-
 .ss which is anchored out in the bay, . ,,os ooing to take bunch of people
 .rt M thru the Golden Gate and out to .so few miles and strew flowers
 q inc ocean in commemoration of the sailors who had died at sea, so we won't down to the pier, where crowd vas waiting for the tug to come and tote them out to the battleship. All these people had complimentary tick .ts in their hands, which had been m and soon had his tickets and he mt know were necessary, so Bernard and Flo says, "we're out-a-luck, we haven't got tickets, but I says may hs not. your uncle is still on the job so got in motion pretty quick and nretty soon found a fellow who had exuected some friends who didn't show overheard. One man of notable repu- had my thanks. We'll, we loaded onto the old battle wagon, Arkansas, and how proud I felt of the name of my grand old native state as l stepped aboard this magnificent super-dread- nauqht bearing the same name and distinguished appearance of my birth, Arkansas, and only words of profound respect and commendation were to be heard in connection with the name, Arkansas. The usual jokes one hears about the one time back woods state were not to be heard today, and l am sure that the word Arkansas in the future will bring more serious and inspiring thoughts to the minds of these people than heretofore jocular ridicdles which usually accompany the mention of our state.
 We were carried about ten miles cut to sea, suppose, and then after several speeches in commemoratlon or the dead, beautiful floral tributes were cast upon the waters by friends and relatives of the deceased ones. Ad- miral Dewey and other great men, and men of lesser prominence, but with souls as great, all of heroic deeds, were eulogized in few brief speeches and wreath for each was dropped overboar d. One man of notable repu- tation, who died several months ago, had requested that his ashes be scat tered on the sea on this occasion, which was done with much awe and tender feeling engulfing the crowd. One especially touching scene was when a widow tossed wreath over board in memory of her husband who sailed from the shores of this country during the war on a ship which has never been heard of since. It disap- peared from the face of the earth without leaving a trace of any kind as to it's fate, carrying over three hun dred men down with it to it's watery grave.
 Among those present today were veteran fighters of all the late wars' men who participated in the sea bat ties of the civil war, the Spamsn- American War, and the latest ana most terrible war in the annals of history; men who have seen service Tn all parts of the world.
 Although there has been very little gayety and festivity in my experience of today, it has been day of much pleasure, and enjoyment, one which IS a tonic to the soul and makes one feel that he has been in touch with nobler things of life and almost m the presence of the spirits of the de- parted heroes for whom this homage must be very slight token, indeed TOT the very appreciation, which IS