Fence Stretcher, Whitesel Mfg., Omaha
This instrument was used to test cattle and swine for the disease
Brucellosis. It was designed by Dr. Ivan C. Hember and Dr. William
Farrall and manufactured by Farrall Industries of Grand Island,
a designer and manufacturer of medical, agricultural, and photographic
equipment.
Kees Manufacturing Company was founded in 1874 in Beatrice. F.
D. Kees started as a gunsmith and later operated a hardware store.
In 1892 he began manufacturing corn husking hooks, roller and
ice skates, lawn tools, and trellises.
C. F. Betcke started the Brown Truck Company in
Ralston in 1917, which later became Duplex Manufacturing Company.
It manufactured and patented agricultural and road grading equipment
before dissolving in 1960.
Begun as a retail store and harness shop in 1884, Harpham Brothers
operated a successful manufacturing and wholesaling leather business
in Lincoln until about 1950. In addition to harness and saddles,
Harpham Brothers also produced brief cases, golf bags, and men's
belts.
Milo V. German invented the siphon-gravity
tube used for crop irrigation. Born in the Cozad area in 1904,
German first used boiler flue pipe for his siphons. In 1942 he
began producing siphons made of plastic and by 1945 German incorporated
Nebraska Plastics in Cozad, which produced siphons and other
irrigation products used by farmers around the world.
In the first half of the twentieth century Nebraska had numerous
feed and seed dealers.
Agriculture
