The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-07-17
OLD MAN TOI
FLY To THE
NORTH POLE
Thomas Levi, Aged rs
Years, a Seattle Knife
Sherpener, viii Fly in
His Aeroplane Soon.
ny DONNIE WHEELER.

Nv bpNNlt WHEEItH,
IF my Invention proves a sue.
cess. Il wont be many years before
people Will be- running excursions
to the north pole" said Thomas
Lew. the aged inventor, who lives
out iioaeon llill way. gazing foudly
toward the huge tent that hides
from the gaze Of the curious the
Of which he has been dream.
Ing for over 10 years,
u have figured II out, and the
only way the north pole can be
reached Is BY human energy. Il 10
impossible 10 carry sufficient gaH'
aline TO reach the tiptop Of this
globe Of ours. hut with my inyen.
iiun an engine ia not needed Ny
two arms supply tho power"
Some time In the near future,
Leyl'a alrshlp will ho ready 10 make
the trial trip. and until such time
be guards u closely, lest some de-
signing person steal the idea that
be has worked over for 10 long
years.
How 10 Reach the Pole,
Levi believes that II on his trial
trip he can remain IN the air, h.
has solved the whole problem Then
he says the pieces Of a number "
can BE- made aud taken BY
steamer 10 the most northern point,
aud there the ships put together
Two men aud 100 pounds Of supplies
can be carried Ia the Levi hsroplane
10 the north pole. one man return.
Ing for the othofs pf the parts
Thus. you sec. the excursion theory,
barring all accident would be poa.
aihle
Can't you see where jules
vefne'n shade takes back seat
some OF these days
Thomas Low vas born In little
Canadian town about 80 Hiles from
Ottawa more than &c years ago.
and be IL a miliNnRht By trade. but
the past nine years he has earned
a livelihood BY sharpening gssou
and kuivea
7 vas not successful in thu IN
veatmenta | made while ! ~'sfkcd
al my trade. he said yesterday.
and when rot old they bad no
work for me NN people want 10
hire an old man"
SEINE Ridieulsd.
= tried every source could 10
get some little financial assistance
to build my aeroplane, be told me,
brushing back one Of the srarte
gray locks from bis eyes. hut no
one would listen to me. Some srrr
tolerant. others openly fidlealsd ms
plan. 50 I just plaatcfed a mortgage
on this little place and sent ahsad
Every piece Of tho aeroplane ! have
made myhcl; aud I am confident
that / have solved tho problem Of
air navigation ! have been study
Ing and planning and even dream
Ing over Il for 40 loag. ! know ! will
saceeed
A MORTGAGE TO pay off a, this time
d life would be trouble enough for
any man. but add to that the possl'
hlllty Of the dream Of his life fall,
Ing. and you can readily pee what
! world of confidence the Inventor
has IN the winged child Of his
brain.
Wa, sksp,iesl.
I made the Journey out 10 see the
aifship In a ven skepiieal frame Of
mind. ready 10 be tolerant and 10
even pity this man who. al rs, poor
and without friends. WAS putting
every cent aud ever energy be pos
aesaed into a problem which the
wofid does not consider has ever
been satisfactorily solved
/ left the tiny two foomed cot
lags. with the snowy haired little
woman seated At the window, In the
fast fading light. slowly rocking and
knitting and hsr husband. sturdy
ltApltt hlA ffhlH Nhtih VII rAHnh
four score, calling to me
from the doorway 10 tell me where
the Wild blAckbcFfics grew along
the path back to the car line, with
entirely different feelings than
when | entered
There IL nothing Of the fanatic
about Levi. and whether he has
solved the problem Of aerial nayl.
CATION or whether bis dreams are
10 have a rude awakening. all viii
be known before very long. for he
IL working day after day. and will
make the tcat himself hut what
syor tho outcome Of tho trial trip.
way down deep In my heart J wish
that his brightest hope will 10 70
allied. that the dear u lie woman
who smiles 80 sweetly Will have all
he best things possible In life and
smiles so awoetly will have all the
best things possible In life And
hat my friend who has backed his