The record-union., 1891-08-01
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit Growers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

Robert A. and Neal n. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all OF Oak.
hnd, with a view OF searching out a suitable
location in which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-growing After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Conav
Valley, 9olo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tanered
Negotiations were opened with the Capav
Valley Land Company, owning the tract IN
question. With W. II. Mills, the Genera,
Agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22o acres of roothiu land
This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, they spoke TO =
number of friends about it. with tho rospIt
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: B. l.. Rickok, 40 acres: w n
Barnett, 90 acres; N. 7. Greathead 20 acres,
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay %
acres; n. d. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; e. H. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres: A. w.
Kelly o acres, and Frederick Kelly. / O acres
80 far this had been merely a 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 tho
purchase would admit of, that 1t was sug-
geSted on all hands, ''Why not get some moro
land and divide it up in the same wavqp
Then followed the idea of a stock connpanvto TO
take hold Of a larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdiyioing
" according TO the requirements of the sub.
scribers. 4 provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, ana finally, on the 5th OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: Presid, :.fy WILL
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p. Brown.
Dtrectors-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.
me balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pur-
chased. n contract was entered into for the
purchase OF a large number of fruit trees
vines, etc This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between So, 900 and
$4,000 to the company, the prices in sorne
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and tho
progress of the company has been uninter-
rupted. Those who went into it doubtinglv
have become enthusiastic, and almost Gu the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc, the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some &C, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
planted.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable Mt.
tention to the work of the Colony Company,
and number of people are now desirous OF
joining IN with them. An additional 900
acres have been added TO the sixty acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted q very bricrbt
future, as well as for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted How
this marvellous little garden has como to be SO
long neglected is puzzle to every one who
has visited il, but one thing is very sure. and
that is that this neglect win never again be
felt in the valley
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears,
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
botn sides of the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts Will throw their graceful shade
Observation-Disclosures of citrus trees are also
being set out; quite q sufficient number TO
demonstrate that these fruits can De success.
fully grown in the valley, about which tho
coiontstS appear to have no doubt, provided
proper care is given TO the young trees. Neal
d. Barker, General Manager of the company,
resides on the tract, and To his is to be as.
crfbed much OF the success OF the venture
Mention should be made Of the town-site,
about which there is q pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by moro
ambitious places. A small park Of some three
acres has been laid out right in the center OF
the town. This park il is proposed to beautify
by planting in il from time to time as man v
Of tho beauties and curiosities OF tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diiieent
search and wise expenditure of money. 1t
is not expected that Tancred will ever be
large and busy city, but it is thought shat it
can be mado a very pleasant little place to
dwep In.
A petition has beens circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
cept Island avenue on the colony tract, rs 2
county road, and to build a bridge across
Cache Creek Mt this point, in order to give the
settlers en- tie east side of tho creek access 20
rancred Station. Tho Tancred colonists arc
quite willing 10 give the necessary right OF
way, and are very desirous of having a bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides OF the stream. It is thought that IL
would be very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary I'm
provenent, as the operations OF such com
| panies are OF widespread benefit to the whoIo
| county and State. The attractions and corr
forts of the cities are we'll 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 6 pro
vision that no intoxicating LIQUOR shall ever
| be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
| parent success ot the enterprise shows that
! the ideas and plans OF the colony, as set forth
! in the prospectus some time ago. are not i'm.
! practicable: G. 7. Hull, Berkeley, acres; W.
| p. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; c. S. Kasson,
| San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, / 0 acres;
| y. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres: ". T.
| Greathead, acres; r. @. Greathead, Oakland
! 10 acres; Il. a. Barker San Francisco, 10
( acres; \. y. Barker, Tanered 10 acres; Dr.. u.
! Favor, san Francisco, 27 acres; j. p. Brownlee.
| Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; W. T. Bernett,
! Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ P Brown, 10 acres
| Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; ". {.
! Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. I. A. Crelln,
! Oakland, 8 acres; G. Il. Peach, Tancred, D
acres; a. Z. Eills, Oakland, 10 acres y. var
| stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; F.. A Nanstone
! Tancred, 5 acres; f. Wadsworth, Sacramento
/ acres; NJ \. Thomas, Oakland, acres
! James Graham, San Francisco. II acres; A
Stark, ID acres; j. Stark, % acres; Mrs. NJ
| Vrooman, 5 acres; C. f. SnoolK 10 acres; G
T. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay, 8 acres
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs. L.
C. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. a
Becllley, Oakland, 5 acres; T. ~. Marriott,
acres; j. @. Harrison, Tanered, 5 acres. Tar
land reserved by the Colony Company, in