offered to potential members : Knut J. Breider, John S. Hepokoski, Andrew Hutander, Henry Jacobson, Anton Järvinen, John Kastren, Peter Kinnunen, K. Koski, Jacob Lalli, John Lalli, Jacob Latvala Matti Leinonen and Emil Matson.

That first capital of $170 was not enough to open a business, but with a few additional shares sold here and there throughout the winter, the Sampo was ready to open its doors in April 1904. The store was small and unpretentious, its stocks were very limited, but in any case activity had begun. Herman Louko was elected the first business manager, with a salary of $40 per month, and the board of directors was made up of Knut Breider, Henry Jacobson, John Kastren, Isaac Keksi, Jacob Lalli, John Lalli and Andrew Wesa. Six of these men were born in Finland; one was a third generation American of Finnish ancestry.

Sampo Co-op garage and service station in Menahga.

The financial situation of the enterprise was often extremely critical. It was not enough that the members of the board of directors had to devote all their free time to affairs of the co-op, they also had to serve as warrantors, and there were even times when they had to sell home-made butter or blueberries they had picked to supply the enterprise with necessary cash. Since all concerned - custodians, sales personnel and members - were without any experience, they were faced with many critical years. One of the main reasons for the co-op's economic weakness was the practise of selling for credit, and it was not until a meeting in 1928 abolished the credit system and insisted on strictly cash sales that improvement became apparent. In 1930, the gross rose over the $300,000 figure, 1942 saw it rise over $400,000, and 1953 brought $900,000 - a far cry from the gross of $16,000 in the first year of business. And surely the thirteen

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