Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-05-30

hex for the correct saving Of several
boards dit once. He also invented a
shoe LAGER which was once in popular
use. $}
| Along in the late 0O's Smisor Broth
ers came to this city and perfected
several inventions, including a bicycle
handlebar. This they manufactured
and while here also built the first auto
mobile ever seen upon the streets Of
Webster City. This affair looked like
a farm spring wagon running about the
streets without horses, had no doors,
ind as compared with the present day
cars, appeared as clumsy as a farm
wagon. There were four of these
SmisOr hoys and they were all Of an
inventive turn of mind.
+. E. Brown, as present day residents
al. know, is the inventor of the Brownie
patent spring ice skate which is still
being successfully manufactured. Mr..
Brown also invented a speed cart, very
popular with horse trainers and driy-
ers, beside other inventions, such as
a crank for opening easement windows,
etc.
Mr.. Browns brother, w. ]. Brown,
who once ran paint shop in this CITY,
was also of an inventive turn of mind
and invented a car coupler.
l.. Litchfield and sons were the in
ventOrs of a hot air furnace, manure
spreader, end gate and are responsible
for the perfection of several other
articles WHICH were at one time manu-
featured in this city. hut are now madl
lin Waterloo. The Litchfield Manufac-
turing Company is known throughout
the industrial world-in Europe, Aus
tralia and Canada, as well as America.
l.. s. Bunker, an old time resident,
was the Inventor of n steel radiator
which was manufactured by the Hot
Water Heating Company in this city in
which Capt. James Kephart was one
time associated.
f.. H. Martin is probably as we'll
known an inventor as this city ever
produced having perfected the tele
phone system in this city. while still
q young man. with so many small i'll
geniOus inventions that at one time the
telephone service in this city was sec
ond to none. Mr.. Martin numbers
among the more important of his in
lvcntiOns, the telephone meter which
the present young people Of the United
States will doubtless one day see in
universal use
A Big Success.
Possibly the invention which has
given the. most financial returns to the
inventor in this city has been the grain
sieve, invented by Charles ClosZ. which
has revOlutiOnized the grain separator
business. The factory which is in con-
slant operation in this city, is the only
one which has run successfully here for
any length Of time and has never asked
for bonus from the town. These
Isieves are used wherever grain is grown
and separated in the world.
TheO. ClOsz, brother of Charles
Closz. is reputed to be at present work
ing upon an alighting wheel for an
airplanc.
Authorities always differ as to his
tcrians The records say that +. A.
C0nkling, plasterer, in 1895 discover
cd a process for the setting or retard-
ing of plaster. But old residents. with
kcan minds and excellent memories say
that long before Conkling, was one
HOtchkiss. a plnsterer, who perfected
the letarder process. He refused to
take out a patent on account OF the i'm
possibility of perfectly describing the
retartler, which, in the process OF hard
lening, completely changed the original
form of some of the chemicals or in
gradients. HOtchkiss, however, sold
this process TO company who de-
velOpetl and manufactured the stuff.
The rctartlcr. with some changes, is
still being manufactured at the factory
east of the city.
W. G. Bale and others invented
Mocha Sine coffee substitute. which
ia the opinion Of some present day
q ocers, was superior article to the
Postum Cereal now sold. Through
lack of funds and other causes. the
+. manufacturer of this substitute was
discontinued hero. Mr.. Bale also in
vented a liquid ink eraser.
A Car Coupler.
Richard A. Kelly, an old time resi-
dent of this city. was the inventor of
the .Jannpy Automatic Coupler. Il
coupling device now used by all rail
roads and one which has saved thOus-
ards Of lives. Kelly perfected the
coupler and sold the patent outright to
Mr.. Janncy with but a little pecuniary