The record-union., 1891-08-22
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GrOwers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms
TN THE SPRING OF LAST yE.n

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with view of searching out a suitable
location IN which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Capsy
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H. Mills. the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about ego acres of foothill land
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use, they spoke to a
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follows.
ing people: B. L. Rickok, 40 acres; W.T..
Earnett, go acres; N T. Greathead. 90 acres.
Mrs. L. Greathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; n. ID. Barker. 20 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 90 acres; E. II. Has
iett' 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
heily' 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, o acres.
so far this had been merely private VEN
ture OF the gentlemen above named. but in
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, it was found that so many
more would like to join it than the area of the
purchase would admit of, that it was sur-
gested on all hands, .'Why not get some mora
Llhd and divide it up in the same way?r
Iheh followed the idea of stock company to
take hold of larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdiyidins
1t according to the requirements of the suh
0cribers. provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th of
June, 1890, the Western Co-operative Col.
oniZation and Improvement Company was
dIly registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers: President. Will
lam Mckay; Nice-President, NJ. p. Brown:
DIrectors-H. C. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
H. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal D. Barker Solicitor; c. E. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres. was Dur
chased a contract was entered into for the
purchase OF large number of fruit trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means OF saving between $4,000 and
Sf,ooo TO the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and the
progress OF the company has been unInter-
rupted. Those who went into it doubtincly
have become enthusiastic, and almost all tho
members arranged to set out all their lands i'm
fruit trees, etc, the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some 40, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will bo
planted.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable at
tention to the work of the Colony Company.
ana number of people are now desirous OF
joining IN with them. An additional 600
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted yerT briobt
future, as well as for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted. How
thls marvellous little garden has come 10 be so
long neglected is a puzzle to every one who
has visited it, but one thing is very sure. and
that is that this neglect viii never again be
felt in the valley
Inc fruits set out are mostly of the standard
NaretleS-peaches, apricots, Bartlett panrs
prunesr figs, raiSin grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout tho
tract, walnuts Will throw their graceful shade
A Aconsiderabletnumber of citrus trees are also
belnS set out; quite sufficient number TO
demonstrate that these fruits can be succese
y
colonists appear to have no doubt. provided
proper care Is given to the young trees Neal
ID. Barker, General Manager of the connpany.
resides on the tract, and to his care is to be as.
crlbed much of the success of the venture
Mention should be made of the toyn-site
about which there Is q pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed bv mora
hhlolLlous places. a small park of some three
acres mas been laid out right in the center of
n Vic, ST. a.
by planting in 1t from time to time as MANY
of the beauties and curiosities of traa and
shrub life as may be obtained by diIigeut
search and wise expenditure of money. Il
is not expected that Tancred will over be n
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
can be made very pleasant little place to
dwell In.
petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county TO &C.
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract, as q
county road, and to build a bridge across
cache Creek ct this point, in order to give the
settiers on the east side of the creek access 10
Iancred Station. The Tancrcd colonists arc
quite willing to give the necessary right of
way, and are very deSirous Of having q bridge
there, as the colony lands extend alongboth
sides of the stream. 1t is thought that it
would be q very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary i'm
provement, as the operations OF such COM
panies are of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State The attractions and com
forts of the cities are well known, but to those
who are willing to settle on the land and show
that the country also affords attractions and
comforts and ways of making money pleas
antly, every inducement should be held forth.
The following is a list of the principal mem.
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
OF acres owned by each, and fact worthy of
mention is that in each contract or deed is
sued by the Colony Company there is a pro.
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The an.
parent success o1the enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans of the colony, as set forth
IN the prospectus some time ago, are not i'm.
practicable: c. t. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w.
P. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; G. S. Kasson
San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, 1 O acres.
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres: N r.
Greathead, 5 acres; r. G.. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker. San Francisco 10
acres; II. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres. Dr I
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres: J. T. Broyyn,ea
kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; w. T. Rarnett
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p. Brown. 10 acres.
Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland 10 acres. w O.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. 7. A. Crelin,
Oakland, acres c. II. Peach, Tancred. 5
acres; H. @. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres. T Van.
stone, Winnipeg 10 acres; f. A. Vanstone.
Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sacramento
5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland. 6 acres;
James Graham, San Francisco, IL acres, A.
Stark, 12 acres; j. Stark, 10 acres: Mrs NJ
Vrooman, acres; c. +. Shook. 10 acres: O.
L. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay. > acres.
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland. ; acres: Mrs ~
G. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y. O acres: Mrs H
Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres: t. A. Marriott. 5
acres; j. T. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres. The