The record-union., 1891-10-17
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy fruit-GrOwers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

N THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
iani With view OF searching out a suitable
location IN which to engage in tho profitable
occupation of fruit.growing. After VISITING
many localities, they decided on the Canav
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract az
Toncred.
Negotiations were opened with the Canav
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
q1estion. With W. II. Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for ths
purchase of about 22o acres Of foothin land
This being more than they had though, Of
taking for their own use, they smoke to q
number OF friends about It. with the resuls
tnat the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: b. L. Ric6ok, 40 acres: w. r.
Earnett, 90 acres; N. T. Greathead. 90 acres.
MIS-. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; n D. Barker, 90 acres r. a. Barker.
20 acres; j. p. BrownIee, 90 acres; E. II. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Fredericl, Kelly. ! O acres
80 lar this had been merely private ven-
lure OF the gentlemen above named. bct in
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, it was found that so rnanv
more would like to join it than the area of tb.
purchase would admit of, that IL was qpg.
eested ON all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same wayq"
Then followed the idea of a stock eompanv to
take hold OF a larger tract ana arrange for tho
cultivation of the whole OF It. after subdtvidino
II taceording to the requirements of the sub
9crleers A provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th Of
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onization and Improvement Company was
dIly registered and proceeded TO business,
with tne following officers: President, VIII.
lam Mckay; Yice-President. M. p. Brown.
Directors-H. c. Ellis. Charles Brooke and
H. q. Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, c. e. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Inc balance OF the tract, 373 acres. was pur-
ehased' contract was entered into for the
purchase OF a largo number of fruTt trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between s., 5000 and
sa,ooo 10 the company, the prices in somo
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and tina
progress of the company has been uninter
rupted. Those who went into il doubtinrlv
nave become enthusiastic, and almost all tina
members arranged to set out all their lands fr,
fruit trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
In this, the first season, some 40, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines win ba
pTanreo.
The satisfactory working OF this scheme haa
mad the effect of attracting considerable at
tentlon to the work of the Colony Company.
ana number of people are now desirous OF
joining in with them. An additional 200
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased
For the company Is predicted a very bright
future, as well as for the beautiful valley IN
whlch their operations are conducted How
this marvellous little garden has come to 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
Tarleties-peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, figs, raisin grapes etc, while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout ths
tract, walnuts viii throw their graceful shade.
a considerable number of citrus trees are also
being set out; quite a sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success
fully grown in the valley, about which the
coionists appear to have no doubt, provided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
ID. Barker, General Manager of the companv
resides on the tract, and to his care is to be as
cribed much of the success of the venture.
Mention should be made of the town-site.
about which there is a 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 beautify
by planting in it from time to time as many
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by dilieent
search and wise expenditure OF money. It
is not expected that Tancred viii ever be n
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
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 a bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
rancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing TO give the necessary right of
way, and are very desirous of having bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides OF the stream. 1t is thought that it
would be a very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary inn
proyement, 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 ana
comforts and ways Of making money pleas.
antly, every inducement should be held forth.
The following is a list of the principal men,
oers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
0f acres owned by each, and q 1act 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
DO man ufactured or sold on the land. The APP
parent success o. 1.-THE enterprise shows that
The ideas and plans of the colony, as set forth
N the prospectus some time ago, are not i'm.
practicable: c. I. HUH. Berkeley, ) acres; w.
P. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; c. s. Kasson,
San Francisco, IL acres; JOS. Barker / acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardino, Ont, 5 acres; n. Il.
. acres; r. G. GreatheGd, Oakland
10 acres +. A. Barker, San Francisco, l o
lcres; N. D. Barker, Tancred, i o acres; DR.. X.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; j. z. Brownies.
Ont, acres; W. L. Barnett,
6erkeley, 5 acres; NJ z. Brown, 10 acres;
yhas Brook Sr., Oakland, 10 acres: w C.
8outelle, Berkeley. 90 acres; Mrs. T. A. CreIin,
Oakland, 5 acres @. II. Peach, Tancred,
.cres; il. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van.
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; e. q. Vanstone,
rancred, s acres; +. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
) acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres
James Graham, San Francisco. il acres; A.
Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. n.
5 acres; G. T.. Shook, 10 acres; c.
/. Greathead, 12 acres; Wm. Mckay, 5 acres
Mrs VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs. L.
g. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. Ii.
Beckley, Oakland, 8 acres; T. A. Marriott 8
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, 8 acres. Tha
snd reserved by the Colony Company, ins
aingclr toWnsite, consists Of 81 aeres.
fe1S-tIdtzw