The record-union., 1891-11-02
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit t-Growers in a Pretty
YOlo VaIley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

TN THE SPRING OF LAsT yE5A
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associotea
themselves with William AFcKav. all or Oat.
iand, With view OF searching out a suitable
to''ation IN which to engage in the profitable
occupation Of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract AZ
Tsncred
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
alley Land Company, owning the tract in
a1estion. With w. H Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for thu
purchase Of about 22o acres of foothiu land
ihls being more than they had thought of
taxing for their own use, chey spoke 70 a
number OF friends about H. with Tho roe,ls
that the tract was divided among the roIlovz.
Ing people: B. L. HickoE, 80 acres: w r.
farnett, go acres; N. T. Grcathead, 90 acres;
MRS L. Greathead. 20 acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; NJ ID. Barker, 30 acres; II. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres; e. Fl. Hes.
Iett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker 10 acres; A w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. O acres
80 lar this had been merely private ven.
tare OF the gentlemen above named. but in
taking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, It was found that so many
more would like to join 1t than TIE area or ths
purchase would admit OF, that it was suo.
gested on all hands, "Why not yet some mora
land and divide it up in the sarne vavon
Then followed the idea OF stock company to
take hold of Il larger tract and arrange for tha
cultivation OF the whole of il, after subdividIre
IL accordlns TO the requirements of the sub
scrioers A provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally en- the 6th os
June, 1880, the Western Co-oneratiye Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to buslnes.
with ti1e following officers: President VIII.
1aIn Mckay; VicePresident, NJ. P. Brown.
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
K. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, O. e. Snoor; Treas.
urer, First National Bank Of Oakland.
Inc balance OF the tract, 373 acres was pur.
CHASED. A contract was entered into for the
purchase OF large number Of fruit trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
tne means of saving between $4,000 and
$4,000 TO the company, the prices in sorna
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
nave been but slightly modified and the
progress of the company has been uninter.
rupted. Those who went into it doubtineIv
have become enthusiastic, and almost all tho
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
In this, the first season. some 40, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines win ba
p7anJeu.
The satisfactory working Of this scheme f,a.
nad the effect of attracting considerable At
Ientlon 1 10 the work of the Colony Company,
ana number of people are now desirous OF
Joining in with them. An additional goo
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted O very brioht
future, as well as for the beautiful valley IN
which their operations are conducted How
this marvellous little garden has come 10 be so
iong neglected is puzzle to every one who
has visited it, 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
Var1etles-peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, ETC., while along
both sides of the avenues throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade.
considerable number of citrus trees are also
being set out: quite sufficient number tn
demonstrate that these fruits can be success.
fully grown in the valley about which the
coion1sts appear to have no doubt proyided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
d. Barker, General Manager of the company.
resides on the tract, and to his care is to be as
erioed much of the success of the venture.
Mention should be made of the town-site
about which there is pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by mora
ambitious places. a small park of some three
acres has been laid out right in the center of
the town. This park it is proposed to beautifv
by planting in 1t from time to time IS MANY
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
Slp III a1 L.
search and awise expenditure of money II
is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
large and busy city, but it is thought that il
can be made very pleasant little place to
dwell in.
A petition has been circulated RECENTLY and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract, as a
county road, and to build bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
Fancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing to 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. 1t is thought that it
would be very wise expenditure of public
money to grant them this very necessary i'm
provement, as the operations of such COM
panes 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
Rntly, every inducenent should be held forth.
The following is u list Of the principal men,
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 pro-
vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
parent success ofthe enterprise shows that
the Ideas and plans OF the colony, as set forth
In the prospectus some time ago, are not inn
practicable: G. T. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w.
Z. Han1rhon Oakland Ia acres; O. 8, Kasson
San Francisco ! i acres; Jos. Barker, 10 acres;
a w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont. 5 acres; N. T.
Greathead, o acres; II. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco. 10
acres n. d. Barker, Tancred, 0 acres; DR.. K,
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; ]. p. Brownlee.
Kincardine, Ont, 9 acres; w. T. Barnett,
Berkeley, 9 acres, VI. p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas. Brook, Srs, Oakland, 10 acres; w. c.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. r. A. Crelin,
Oakland, 5 aeres; G. II. Peach, Tancred,
acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; e. A. Vanstone,
5 acres; NJ. &. Thomas, Oakland, acres;
James Graham, San Francisco, II acres. A.
Stark, 12 acres; j. Stark, 10 acres Mrs. N.
Vrooman, acres; C. E. Shook, 10 acres: G.
T. Greathead 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, 8 acres;
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, acres; Mrs Z.
c. Wooley. Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs H.
Beckley, Oakland, acres; 7. A. Marriott, 5
acres; j. G. Harrison, Tancred 5 acres The
land reserved by the Colony Company, tns
dingclu townsite, consists of 81 acres.
fe15-tfd&v