town. It has been very successful, and in 1916, for example, there was a net profit of some $8,000 which was distributed to the producers of butter, at the rate of 3 and 3/4 cents per pound.14 Later, a communist organization, the Farmers Club, was also active in the community.15

A Finnish cooperative fire insurance company was established and incorporated in 1907, and its first board of directors included Jacob Oj ala, President, Henry Anderson (Karhu ), Vice-President, Olaf Kunnari, Secretary, Isaack Mäki, Treasurer, as well as J. V. Jacobson, Matti Lohi, Jacob Pelto, E. A. Rousu and Erik Tolkkinen. The Uusi Kotimaa issue of 22 August 1918 reported that at the end of 1917 the company had 628 members, whose property was insured for a total of $732,802. Under the name of the Finnish Township Mutual Fire Insurance Company, the firm still maintains its headquarters in New York Mills and is authorized to cover Becker, Cass, Hubbard, Otter Tail and Todd counties.

The New York Mills Farmers Elevator Company was established in September 1913, and its first board members were Henry Blomberg, Matt Erkkilä, S. J. Haarala, Jacob Hietala, C. G. Hyry, J. W. Jacobson, M. H. Korkalo, Matt Lohi, Matti Niemelä, J. M. Ojala, John Perälä and Fred Vapola. This cooperative mill has developed into a truly major enterprise, in contrast to the New York Mills Farmers Grain Company, which was founded in 1919, set up its business south of the railroad in the C. B. Hultquist block, but soon faced bankruptcy.

The State Bank, established just before World War I, extended the cooperative philosophy to the banking field, but lack of support led to its demise in 1926. A second bank along the same lines was established in 1915, with its founding members including A. E. Blomberg, I. K. Mäki, Jonas M. Ojala, John Perälä and A. J. Sitz. This bank, the Farmers and Merchants State Bank, began its activity in premises of its own.

The previously cited Peoples Voice Cooperative Publishing Company, to which the Uusi Kotimaa was sold, was established in 1919, and it joined the Cooperative Central in 1925. The first board of directors included Jannes Keto, Kalle Kuha, August Laitinen and Matti Lohi.

Of Finnish cooperative enterprises started in the following decade, the cattle shipping group, the Farmers Central Cooperative

14. Päivälehti, 25 January 1917 15. Työmies, 2 April 1937

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