UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                            before the
                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Rel. No. 37785 / October 4, 1996

Admin. Proc. File No. 3-8698

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                                                :                
            In the Matter of                    :
                                                :    
            William Edwin Somdahl               :
                                                :
                                                :
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NOTICE THAT INITIAL DECISION HAS BECOME FINAL

     The time for filing a petition for review of the initial
decision in this proceeding has expired.  No such petition has
been filed with respect to William Edwin Somdahl, and the
Commission has not chosen to review the decision as to William
Edwin Somdahl on its own initiative.

     Accordingly, notice is hereby given, pursuant to Rule 17(f)
of the Commission's Rules of Practice, that the initial decision
of the administrative law judge -[*]- has become the final
decision of the Commission as to William Edwin Somdahl.  The
order contained in that decision barring William Edwin Somdahl
from being associated with a broker or dealer, from participating
in an offering of penny stock, and from being associated with a 
member of a national securities exchange or registered securities
association is hereby declared effective.

     For the Commission by the Office of the General Counsel,
pursuant to delegated authority.




                                             Jonathan G. Katz
                                                Secretary



---------FOOTNOTES----------
     -[*]-     In the Matter of William Edwin Somdahl, Initial
               Decision Release No. 93 (July 22, 1996).  Although
               our Rules of Practice have been amended,
               Securities Exchange Act Release No. 35833, 60 Fed.
               Reg. 32,738 (June 23, 1995), these proceedings
               were instituted before the new rules were adopted.

               Thus, the old rules continue to apply.