St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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26 THE IGNATIAN ers? I anxiously await word, for I am a long, long Way from Hayes and Shrader streets. I must complete my let- ter, for the bugle has just announced mess, and you know from past experience the eagerness with which I have always responded to that call. VVhat about the fortunes of the Soclality baseball team? I suppose the boys are still bending them over and lining them out on Sunday mornings. I sure wish that I was there to help you out by an occasional crashing drive to the bleachers as of yore. KI-Ia, ha, he, he.j Give my kind regards and best wishes to all of our mutual friends, and as for yourself, be sure to stay under cover when the big wind blows. Faithfully yours, Charlie IVise11za1z.. S. S. W'ierlingen, N. Y. Harbor, March 21, 1918. Thursday Night, 8:15. My Dearest Dad and Mother: Did you observe the title of'this letter? It is all very true, and here I am. This morning at 9 o'clock our crew was mustered, along with forty-live others, and were sent aboard the different boats that were tied up to Ellis Island, to be sent to our new homes. Every crew had a junior and a senior officer attached to it, and it looked like a big naval review. The occasion of it all was the seizure of the Dutch boats, the details of which, I suppose, you are familiar with by this time. There were several other crews aboard our boat, which necessitated quite a lengthy trip around New York harbor. Consequently, I was given an opportunity to see New York harbor from the beginning to end. Mother, I never thought there were so many boats in the world, as I saw anchored about hereg boats from every country, of every size and description: and you ought to see the way some of the boats are camouflagecl. From a mile away you would be unable

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ROVINGS OF .el f,elCKIE Z5 plying myself to the books, as I deem myself very fortunate to be among the number. My initial trip to New York City was an immense suc- cess. I stood on llrooklyn llridgeg perched myself on the top of the XYoolworth Building: patronized the buses on Fifth Avenue and Riverside Drive: paid my respects to the subways and the elevated, casting longing glances in the direction of the l'olo grounds, and compared Central l'ark with our own Golden Gate QI assure you to the advantage of the latterl. It is now 0:15, Sunday morning, and at 10 o'clock a crowd of us are going to Mass, which will be cele- brated on the grounds. The Knights of Columbus are very active here and have a building in the course of construc- tion. Their various chapters in New York City have issued standing invitations to us to accept their hospitality. Now having heard Mass, I shall continue. There must have been about three hundred fellows present at the cele- bration of Mass, and it was all very impressive. The priest who celebrated the Mass is permanently stationed at camp and is surely a splendid selection for the position he holds. I-Ie gave us a very appropriate talk and announced that the K. of C. will have another building in the course of cone struction in a week or two. I just met Yin Meherin at Hass: he is looking more like an old salt than ever before. You will sure have some hard nuts to crack if we ever have the pleasure of meeting again within the four walls of a classroom. I will put a round turn and a couple of half hitches about you and make you rig in your booms. I fully realize that this terminology is a bit over your head, but my vocabulary contains quite an admixture of salt water stuff these days, so don't be offended. I have not heard any word from Lee Jacobson or Vin Brown since I left California. I forgot to mention that I experienced my hrst snowstorm last week. Being my Hrst, I was naturally quite childish about it and persisted in running about in the snow. making the most of it. How are all at the Law School, boys and teach-

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ROVINGS OF .1 JACKIE 27 to tell whether they were ships or clouds, some are painted to represent the sun, others painted with big polka dots, etc. VVe drew up alongside our boat about l o'clock and for- mally took possession of it. Vlfe arranged ourselves in our quarters, ate lunch, fooled around the boat, had dinner and here I am writing. There are so many things I have to write of that I just don't know where to begin. First of all, we are lying on the Brooklyn side of the East River, directly opposite the Singer Building, tied up to the Long Island City docks. The boat itself is a first- class merchant vessel, about SOO feet long, completely steel- armored. It is about half Hlled with cargo Csugar from Puerto Ricoj, and all day long they have been unloading it. It is not an ocean-to-ocean vessel, but built only for coastwise commerce, and up to the seizure by the United States was used only between the islands and here. There- fore, our hopes of taking a trip to the other side are gone, and we will have to be content with coastwise trips. if we remain aboard her. She is slow, developing only eight knots per hour Cabout eight milesl. It is needless for me to say that the Dutch crew aboard are wild. The official surrender took place at 5:20 this evening, and it was so impressive that it bears mentioning. The Dutch crew lined up on one side of the deck and the American crew at the other. Two of our men were detailed to lower the Hag, and as it was being hoisted down we stood at atten- tion and held the salute, while the Dutch crew uncovered. Folks, it was pitiful to see the expressions on the faces of the Dutch crewg half of them filled up with tears. I doubt if anything could have affected or touched their hearts more than that simple act. When the Hag was lowered, it was folded and handed to our commander, who in turn handed it to the Dutch captain. The scene would have done justice to any movie. The American officer came to attention, saluted and passed the flag to the Dutch captain. He uncovered and