The record-union., 1891-07-20
4 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

- Robert a. and Neal y. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all OF Oak.
land, with view or searching out suitable
location In which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-grGwing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Iolo County, and the Rhodes tracs
at Tancrea.
| Negotiations were opened with the Capay
valley Land Company, owning the tract In
| question. With w. H. Mills, the General
/ Agent of that company, they arranged for tho
purchase of about 22o acres of foothiu land.
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use they spoke TO a
number or friends about it, with the result
tnat the tract was divided among the folloyy.
ing people: B. L. Htckok, 40 acres; w. T.
Barnett, 90 acres; N. T. Greathead, 30 acres:
Mrs, L. Greathead. go acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; n. ID. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker
70 acres; j. P. Brownlee 20 acres; f. H. Hna
lett, 10 acres Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, i O acres.
So far this had been merely private ven.
ture OF the gentlemen above named. but in
] talking up the question OF dividing the land
already purchased, 1t was found that SO MANY
more would like TO join it than the area OF the
purchase would admit of, that il was sug-
Sested on all hands, why not get some mors
land and divide II up in the same wavq"
Then followed the idea OF stock company to
take hold of a larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdivtdinc
III according to the requirements of the sub
| Scrlhers. a provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 9th OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
! onizatiop and Improvement COMPANY was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: President, Will
| lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p Brown;
| Dlrectors-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. \ 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 $4,000 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-
have become enthusiastic and almost all the
memb bers 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 ba
| 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
] hon An
| 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 puzzle to every one who
| has visited 1t, but one thing is very sure and
that is that this neglect will never again be-
Ielt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, 1lgs, 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 q 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-
| ascribed much of the success of the venture.
| Mention should be made of the toyyn-site.
| about which there is q pleasant innovation
| which might with profit oe 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 1T is proposed TO beautify
by planting IN 1t from time to time as many
| of the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diIigens
search and 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 q
| county road, ana 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 colonists arc
! 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. It is thought that il
/ would be & very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary inn
! proyement, as the operations OF such COM
| panies arc 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 inducement should be held
| forth.
| The following is q list of the principal ncul-
| 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 q pro-
| vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
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 inn
practicable c. T. Hull, Berkeley acres; W.
| p. Hammond, Oakland, Id acres: G. 8. Kas-
son, San Francisco, IL acres; Jos Barker, 10
| acres; a. w, Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres;
| N. T. Greathead, acres; r. G.. Greathead,
| Oakland, 10 acres: r. a. Barker San Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; n. D. Barker, Tancred, 10
acres; DR.. X. Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres;
]. p. Brownlee, Kincardine, Ont, 9 acres; W.
| T. Barnett, Berkeley, 5 acres; n. P. Brown
| 10 acres; Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acresi
! W. c. Boutelle, Berkeley, go acres; Mrs. l.
| A Crellin, Oakland, 5 acres; G. II. Peach,
! Tancred, 5acres; II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 1oacres'
| j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; Z. A. van
stone, Tancred, acres; e. Wadsworth, sac
ramento, 8 acres; M. \. Thomas, Oakland,
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, IL
acres; A. Stark, 10 acres; J. Stark, 10 acress
Mrs. NJ. Vrooman, acres; @. L. Shook, 1"
acres; G. 4. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. NC
Kay, 5 acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, .
acres; Mrs. E. G. Wooley, Brooklyn. N. l., LO y.
acres; Mrs. II. Beckley, Oakland, acres; l.
A. Marriott, 8 acres; J. C. Harrison, 1ahcreo'
acres. The land reserved by the colony
Company. including townsite, consists OF o.
acres. fe1ouoeSW