The record-union., 1891-02-20
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-T -Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR |
4 Robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated |
themselves with William Mckay, all Of Oak
land, with view of searching out q 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 ct
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Capay |
Valley Land Company, owning the trac. in
question. With w. H. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22O acres of foothill land.
This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, they spoke to ~
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: B. L. Hickok, 40 acres; w. T.
Barnett, 90 acres; N. Il. Greathead, go acres;
Mrs. L. Greathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay, 20
acres; N. D. Barker, 20 acres; R. a. Barker,
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. II. Has
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; a. w.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 acres.
So far this had been merely q 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 suggested on all hands, "Why not get
some more land and divide it up In the same
way?" Then followed the idea of stock
company to take hold of larger tract and
arrange for the cultivation of the whole of it,
after subdividing it according to the re-
quirements of the subscribers A provisional
board was formed, a prospectus issued, and
finally, on the 9th of Juue 1890, the West
ern Cooperative Colonization and Improve
ment Company was duly registered and pro-
ceeded to business, with the following officers:
President, William Mckay; Vice-President,
M. P. Brown. Directors-H. C. Ellis, Charles
Brooke and r. A. Barker; Secretary and Gen.
eral Manager, Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, c. E.
Shook; Treasurer, First National Bank of
Oakland.
The 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
the means of saving between 5000 and
$4,000 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 1t doubtingly
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their land in
fruit trees, ETC., the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some 10000 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
planted.
The satisfactory working Of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable atten-
tion to the work of the Colony Company, and
number of people are now desirous of join
ing 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
which 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 1t, but one thing is very sure, and,
that is that this neglect will never again be
felt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly Of the standardl
varieties-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. |
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
colonists 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 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 more
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 diligent
search and a wise expenditure of money It
is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
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 bridge across
cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
Tancred Station. The Tancred coionists are
quite willing to give the necessary right of
way, and are very desirous OF having bridge
there, as the colony len6aaxtend along both
| sides of the streams lSSEs thought that it
| 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 ana 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 men,
bers OF the Tancred Colony, with the number
OF acres owned by each, and q 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
apparent success of the enterprise shows
that the ideas and plans of the col
ony, as set forth in the prospectus some
| time ago, are not impracticable: c. T.
HUI, Berkeley, 5 acres; w. p. Harmon, Oak
land, Ii acres; c. S. Kasson, San Francisco,
IL acres; Jos. Barker, 10 acres; A. w. Kelly,
kincardine, Ont, 5 acres; n. T. Greathead, 5
| acres; X. q. Greathead, Oakland, 10 acres; r,
A. Barker, San Francisco, 10 acres; N. D. Bar
ker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X. Favor, San
| Francisco, 81 acres; j. P. Brownlee, Kincar-
! dine, Ont, acres; w. T. Barnett, Berkeley, 5
acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres; Chas. Brook Sr.,
| Oakland, 10 acres; w. c. Boutelle Berkeley
90 acres; Mrs. 7. A. Crelin, Oakland, acres;
c. H. Peach, Tancred, S acres; II. C. Ellis, Oak
land, 10 acres; j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10
acres; E. A. Vanstone, Tancred 5 acres; E.
/ Wadsworth, Sacramento, acres; NJ. A.
Thomas, Oakland, acres; James Graham,
San Francisco, II acres; A. Stark 12 acres;
j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ. Vrooman, 5 acres:
c. E. Shook, 10 acres; C. T. Greathead. IL
acres; Wm. Mckay, 5 acres; Mrs. VIM Mckay.
Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs. E. c. Wooley, Brook
lyn, N. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II. Beckley Oakland,
5 acres; T. A. Marriott, acres: J. c. Harrison