The record-union., 1891-07-09
( CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GroweeS in Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

IN TIE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
| - Robert a. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all OF Oak
land, with view OF searching out g suitable
location in which to engage in tho profitable
occupation OK fruitgrc7yins. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, folo County, and the Rhodes tract
! at TancreG
Negotiations were opened with the Carsy
Valley Land Company, owning tho tract in
question. With w. H. Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase Of about 22o acres OF foothil land.
This 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, go acres; N. t. Greathead, 20 acres;
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay, 30
acres; N b. Barker, 90 acres; Il. A. Barker,
| 70 acres; j. z. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. H Has.
| LETT, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. 1 O acres.
So far this had been merely a private ven.
|
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 sug-
Gested on all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same way?"
| Then followed the idea of a stock company to
| take hold of a larger tract and arrange for ths
| cultivation of the whole 1T, after subdividing
| 1T according to the requirements of the sub.
| scribers. A provisional board was formed a
| prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th Of
! June, 1890 the Western Cooperative Col
! onizatior and improvement Company was
| duly registered and proceeded TO business.
| with the following officers: President. WIN.
lam Mckay; Vico-President, NJ. P. Brown;
| Directors-H. G. Ellis Charles Brooke and
r. a. Barker Secretary and General Manage
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, C. f. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 37S acres. was pu.
! 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 $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-
| rupted. Those who went into il doubtincly
! have become enthusiastic, and almost all she
! mem bers arranged to set out all their lands 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 han
had the effect Of attracting considerable at
tention to the work of the Colony Company
and a number of people are now deslrous of
Joining in with them. An additional 900
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted very bright
| future, as well as for the beautiful va lev 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 ii, but one thing is very sure. and
| that is that this neglect will never again be
| 1elt in the valley.
| The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
| varieties peaches apricots, Bartlett pears
! prunes, fgs, raisin grapes, etc. while along
| both sides of the avenues throughout the
! tract, walnutS viii throw their grateful shade.
| considerable number of citrus trees are also
| pelng set out; quite 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
| ID. 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 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 il 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 diligent
search and wise expenditure of money. IE
is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
barge 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
county road, anu to bald q bridge across
! Cache Greek at this point, in order to give tho
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
| Tancred Station. The T2ncred coionists ere
| quite willing to give the necessary right OF
way, and arc very GcsiroIS of having bridge
| there, IS the colony lands extend along both
| sides OF the stream. It is thought that it
would be very wise expenditure of public
money to grant them this very necessary i'm
| oroveTuent, as the operations of such COM
panies are OF widespread benefit to the whoo
county md State. The attractions and COM
| forts of the cities arS well known but TO
| those who are willing TO settle on the land and
| chow that the country also affords attractions
| and comforts, ard ways of making money
| pleasantly, every inducement should be held
| forth.
The following is list of the principal mem.
| bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each and a fact worthy Of
| mention Is that in each contract or deed is
! sued by the Colony Company there is n pro-
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The an
! parent success of the enterprise shows tina.
the ideas and plans of the colony, as set forth
in the prospectus some time ago, ore not i'm.
practicable: G. 7. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w,
| 7. Hammond, Oakland, Ii acres; o. S Kas
| son, San Francisco, IL acres; JOS Barker 10
| acres; A. w. Kelly, Kincardine Ont, acres;
| n. L. Greathead, acres; r. G. Greathead
| Oakland, 10 acres: r. y. Barker. San Fran.
| cisco, 10 acres; n. D. Barker, Tancred. 10
acres; DIR. x. Favor, San Francisco 27 acres;
| ]. P. Brownlee. Kincaroine, Ont, acres; w,
I. Barnett, Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ p Brown,
| 10 acres; Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland 10 acreg
F, W. Z. Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres: Mrs. z,
a. Crellin, Oakland, 5 acres; C. H Peach,
| Iancreo, acres; III. G. Ellis, Oakland 1OacreS
| j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; Z. A. VAN
| stone, Iancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth Sac
| Tamento, acres; NJ. ~. Thomas, Oakland, q
acres; James Graham, san Francisco, IL
acres; A. Stark, 12 acres; ]. Stark 10 acres
| Mrs. NJ. Nrooman, acres; c. z. Shook, 10
acres; Q. L. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mo
| Kay, . acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland I
+, acres; Mrs. E. G. Wooley, Brooklyn. N. Y, IL