The record-union., 1891-07-24
4 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
YolO Valley-Taucred and Its
Adjoining Farms

/
TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
- Robert a. and Neal u. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all OF Oak.
land, With a view of searching out a suitabls
location 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
ct Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the CapaV
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for ths
purchase OF about geo acres of foothiu land.
Ihis being moro 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 follow
Ing people: B. l.. Hickok, 40 acres: W.T.,
Barnett, 80 acres; n. T. Greathead, 90 acres:
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; N. d. Barker, 90 acres; II. A. Barker,
70 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. H Has
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. 1 acres.
! SO 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 ii than the area OF tina
purchase would admit OF, that it was sug-
sested on all hands, "Why not get some moro
land and divide 1t up in the same wayq"
Ihen followed the idea of a stock company to
take hold OF larger tract and arrange for thu
cultivation OF the whole of 1t, after subdividinr
1T according TO the requirements of the SUBJ
scribers. A provisional board was formed "A
prospectus issued, and finally on the 9Th OF
June, 1890, the Western Co-operative Col
onizatior and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
With the following officers: President. Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ P. Brown;
Directors-H. c. Ellis Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor. G. E. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland
The balance of the tract 373 acres, was pur.
chased. A 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 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 it doubtingIy
have become enthusiastic, and almost ali the
members arranged TO set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc.. the first year. Consequently
In this, the first season, some 10000 treea
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.
and 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 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 puzzle To every one who
has visited IT, 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 standard
vasteties--peaches, Rpricots, Bartlett pears
prunes 1gs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
both sides OF the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their grateful 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 tho valley, about which the
colonists appear TO have no doubt, provided
proper care is given to the young trees Neal
ID. Barker, General Manager of the company,
resides on the tract, and TO his care is to be
ascrlbeo much of the success of the venture.
Mention should be made of the tovn.site
about which there is 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 IL is proposed TO beautiry
| by planting in it from time to time as many
/ OF tbs beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diligent
! search and a wise expenditure OF money It
i is not expected that Tancred will over be a
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
| can be made a 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 u
county road, aEd to build bridge across
| Cache Creek at this point, in order to give tho
settlers on the east side OF the creek access to
/ TRncred Station. The Tancred colonists arc
] quite willing TO give tho necessary right of
! way, and are very deSirous of having q bridge
| there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides of the stream. IL is thought that it
would be very wise expenditure of public
money to grant them this very necessary iIn-
| 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
! pleasantly, every incucernent 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 np-
| parent success OF 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: c. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres: w.
P. Hammond, Oakland, Ia acres; c. S. Kas-
son, San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, 10
| acres; a. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres;
| N. 7. Greathead, acres; 4. G. Greathead,
| Oakland, 10 acres; r. a. Barker, San Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; n. d. Barker Tancred, 10
acres; DIR. *. Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres;
j. A. Brownlee, Kincardine, Ont, acres; W.
! L. Barnett, Berkeley, acres; NJ. p. Brown,
10 acres; Chas. Brook, ST. Oakland, o acres;
| w. 9. Bouteue, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. T.
! a. Crellin, UaklaEd, acres; C. II. Peach,
Tancred, acres II. G. ELLIS, Oakland, 1OacreS;
j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. VAN
stone, 1ancred, 5 acres; L. Wadsworth, sac
| ralnento, acres; M. A. Thomas. Oakland,
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, II
acres; A. Stark, 12 acres; j. Stark, 10 ac1es'
Mrs. NJ. Vrooman, 5 acres; c. Z. Shook, 10
acres; O. II. Greathead, 12 acres; Wm. Me-
Kay, 8 acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland y
acres; Mrs. E. c. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y, 10
4 II Ooh x i