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Show ARMLESS AUTOMOBILE DRIVER MOTORS 115,000 MILES 1 , , ! - V . r r i - i F. E. Pithen has made several tours of the United States in his Oakland roadster. Frank E. Fithen hasn 't any arms. They were cut off near the shoulder in boyhood. Yet with this handicap Fithen has driven a motor car himself for several years, and during the last three years has covered more than 115,-000 115,-000 miles in an Oakland roadster. Fithen, instead of bowing to fate which crippled him for life, has enjoyed en-joyed far more than the average man, and his history looms up as the story of what will power can do. Fithen has been in every state in the union and iu every principal city of every state, and he lias driven his automobile all the way. Over the mountains of the west, across the deserts of Nevada' and Mexico, Mexi-co, and through the roads of every part of the country ho has traveled without mishap. I.t's to the Oakland that Fithen gives credit for the ease with which he is able to drive. Aside from a specially constructed con-structed steering wheel, which has rings into which he can place the stubs of arms that are now left him, there is no special equipment on his car. He shifts gears with his feet, and he can change a wheel in ouly a few minutes' longer time than the average motorist. Practically no fair or carnival of any size has been held in tho country since 1913 that Fithen has not attended and showed thousands how he can drive his automobile. Once or twice lie has even entered speed contests, but he realizes j his limitations and does not often at-1 tempt to race. it was one day in New York four ! vears ago that Fithen first saw the Oak- j land roadster. Jle went into the salesroom sales-room and asked to be allowed to sit in the car. ".Sit in it and I'll sell it to you," said the salesman. As Pithen tried out the roadster, he says he knew he had found the car he wanted. He had always driven another car, but he saw iu the Oakland the simplicity sim-plicity tht ho needed to make motoring a pleasure. But Fithen didn't have the money to get the car for a year after that. Then he bought one in his home town in 8teubenville, Ohio. ' ' In three years I have driven my Oakland," said Fithen the other day, "I have never hestitated to start for any place. To a man like myself, it's a big tribute to any car to have uo fear in driving the desert lands of the far west, where stops are hundreds of miles apart, and where a breakdown might . mean hardship. ' ' I The story of Fithen 's life reads like! a page from fiction. He lost his arms under a freight train in 1801 when he was 10 years old. For a few years he fussed with artificial limbs but gave: them up as impractical. Then one dayi he decided to learn to ride a bicycle. , He did. And more than that, he became be-came a trick rider and traveled the vaudeville circuit for ten years, doing fancy riding on tho bicycle and uni- cycle. Finally he thought he would try to drive a motor car. He found he could, but not handily until he tried the Oakland. He had been all over the country with his bicycle act, but now ho decided he could travel without trains and do hi6 own driving. His wife has accompanied him on all his travels, but she cannot drive and Fithen always presides at the wheel. In fact, Fithen can do everything for himself but eat. He has to be fed. But he writes with his teeth; he can dress and undress himself and he handles all his business affairs. His car is equipped with wire wheels and one extra. This he changes if necessary, but he says the Oakland has given him marvelous service in tire mileage from 6000 to 8000 miles on every set. The roadster he drives is six-cyliuder. sixty horsepower, and weighs 4170 pounds. He carries a trunk with his belongings be-longings on the rear of the car, and he drives anywdiere and everywhere. In three years he li;is shipped it only twice; once "was across Lane Michigan and ouce was in Texas where the mud delayed de-layed him and he had an engagement to fill at a lair. Several times he haa driven through where other motorists were shipping. Of course, .Fithen travels trav-els slowly. He never drives at night if ho pan help it, and he figures on taking his time. Fithen never takes a chance, lie says. In his travels over the country Fithen has met practically every Oakland dealer. Ham Sharman, manager of the Shannan Auto company knows him well, j ' Fithen has the widest acquaintance imaginable, ' ' said Shannan. ' ' He is I well known here, and all traffic offi-j offi-j cers recognize him at once. We are always glad to have him come, because he is an enthusiastic Oakland supporter and certainly, with his infirmity, he is in a position to know a true motor car value. ' ' |