cancelled their sales agreement for unknown reasons in 1953, for considerable money was invested: later sales of Kaiser, Willys and Hudson cars did not prove profitable, and automobile sales were ended for good in 1956.

Cloquet's cooperative activities extended, finally, to an enterprise called the Northland Cooperative Mortuary, an undertaking service, managed by Rudolph M. Beltt.

On the eve of World War II, the Cloquet Cooperative was not only one of Minnesota's largest, but also one of the largest undertakings of its kind in America. Whereas its sales in 1910 had amounted to $11,464, in 1920 the figure was up to $183,115; in 1930, to $579,505; in 1940, to $1,239,609; in 1950, already $1,881,800. In place of the original board of 9 directors, all Finnish-born, the board in 1950 was made up of 3 Finnish-born men, 7 second generation Finns and one American. 5

Of some historical interest is another cooperative venture in Cloquet, a boarding house cooperative started in 1910 and incorporated in 1911 as the Toivola Company. Its first members in 1910-11 were Fred Stohl, Ivar Mäki, Alex Hoffren, Arvid and Eero Koski, Ivar Lähteenmäki, Toivo Hovi, Axel and Emil Korpi, Martin Anttila, Isaac Kiviharju, Kristo Utriainen, Axel Laine, Herman Vasanoja, Frank Anderson and Väinö Palo.

The Toivola built its own residence, with Frank Dahlquist supervising the construction. Among its early domestics, cooks and dishwashers, were Senja Utriainen, who became Mrs. Frank Mäki, Emma Sunnarborg (Mrs. Einar Teittinen), Fanny Nummela (Mrs. Frank Wolanen), Hilda Juusola (Mrs. Rautanen), Suoma Sulin (Mrs. Pirho), Elma Hongisto (Mrs. Frank Hongisto, in Esko), and Aili Räihä (Mrs. Charles Beltt). In the early phases, business managers were chosen from among members and served a month at a time. The first was Gust Teittinen, and among those who followed him were Herman Koski, Victor Klemolin, Everett Similä, Alex Salo, Gust Kesti, Nick Koivisto, Antti Wolanen, John Lahti, William Koski, Axel Simula, Emil Koivisto, Arthur Sampson, Axel Laine and Osmo Becko. Of the original 25 members at the time of incorporation, the following were still alive in 1957: Victor Klemolin, its secretary for many years, Everett Similä, Herman Koski, Erick Heinonen, Mike Kinkki, Matt Johnson, Hjalmar Sillanpää and Frank Korpela.

5. Kendall, Erick. Document on cooperative activity in Cloquet. Also, Financial Statement of December 31, 1954.

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