Congdon in the meantime had become a partner of Senator Manderson under the firm name of Manderson & Congdon. Mr. Manderson was elected to the senate in 1883, and on May 1 of that year he and Mr. Congdon dissolved partnership and the firm of Congdon, Clarkson & Hunt was organized. These three young men had already established individual reputations for themselves, so that it is not surprising that the new firm immediately succeeded in building up an ex-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

tensive and active business. They all worked faithfully and hard, with the result that as Mr. Congdon expressed it to me. they "each grew in law as well as in grace." Mr. Hunt had become obsessed with the notion of getting to the front financially. He engaged in speculation in which Mr. Clarkson took a hand in putting Omaha and the whole western country to the front. This was an expensive operation for many of those who engaged in that undertaking during those years, and cost all three of the gentlemen a considerable amount of hard cash. Finally a gentleman from California or Idaho brought an irrigation case to the firm. The work fell to Mr. Hunt. The result was the dissolution of the old firm and the placing of Mr. Hunt in the irrigation business and caused his removal to Bridgeport. The firm of Congdon, Clarkson & Hunt was dissolved in February, 1892, Mr. Hunt coming to the great North Platte valley with his irrigation matters and Mr. Clarkson continuing for a time with Mr. Congdon.