UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 860 
Contribution from the Bureau of Markets 
GEORGE LIVINGSTON, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
August 20, 1920 
THE ORGANIZATION OF COOPERATIVE 
GRAIN ELEVATOR COMPANIES 
By 
J. M. MEHL, Investigator in Cooperative Organization, and 
O. B. JESNESS, Specialist in Cooperative Organization 
CONTENTS 
Introduction 
Forms of Organization 
Joint Stock Companies . . . 
Ordinary Private Corporations 
The Cooperative Form . . . . 
Making Preliminary Surrey . . . 
Local Conditions 
Prospective Membership . . . 
Capital 
Volume of Trade 
Method of Survey . . . . . 
Organization 
Organization Meeting . . • . 
By-Laws 
Page 
1 
2 
2 
3 
4 
5 
S 
6 
6 
7 
. 7 
Page 
Organization— continued. 
Stock Subcription and Membership . 21 
Incorporation 22 
Meeting of Incorporators ..... 23 
Changing Form of Organization ... 24 
General Suggestions 26 
Selection of Plant 26 
Directors 27 
Manager 27 
Stock Certificates 28 
Maintenance Agreement 29 
Emergency Capital 30 
Speculative Tendencies 31 
Appendix 33 
WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1920 
