The record-union., 1891-07-25
4 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growecs in a Pretty
YolO VaIley-Tancred and It's
Adjoining Farms.

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal u. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with view OF searching out suitabls
location In which to engage in the profitable
occupation OF fruit-grcwing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes traes
st Tancrec.
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
| question. With w. II. Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
! purchase OF about geo acres of foothil land.
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use they spoke to q
number OF friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the folloys-
Ing people: B. l.. Hickok, 40 acres; w. T.
Barnett, 30 acres; n. T. Greathead, 90 acres;
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; N. d. Barker, 90 acres; r. A. Barker,
90 acres; J. p. Brownlee, 90 acres; E. H. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 acres and Frederick Kelly, / 0 acres.
|
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 sug.
Sested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide II 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 subdividinS
ut according to the requirements OF the SUBJ
scribers. a provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th OF
! June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onizstiop and improvement Company was
| duly registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: President, WIN.
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. c. E. Snook 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 $4,000 and
/ $4,000 to the company, the prices in sorno
!
! The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and the
| progress of the company hes been unnter-
| rupted. Those who went into il doubtingly
| have become enthusiastic and almost all the
members 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 has
| had the effect OF attracting considerable ct
| tentlon TO the work of the Colony Company
| and number of people are now desirous Of
! Joining in with them. An additional 900
acres have been added to the sixty acres
| originally purchased.
| For tne company is predicted q 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 it, but one thing is very sure and
| that is that this neglect Will never again be
| telt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
vasieties--peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
| both sides of the avenues, throughout the
| tract, walnuts will throw their grateful shade.
| considerable number of citrus trees are also
| being set out; quite sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success
| fuily 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 town-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 Ia the center OF
| the town. This park it 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 diigent
| search and a wise expenditure OF money Il
| Is not expected that Tancred will ever be 8
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
oan be made very pleasant little place to
! dwell in.
| A petition has been circulated recently aud
| very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
| cept Island avenue, on the colony tract as q
| county road, ana to build g. bridge across
! Cache Greek at this point, In order to give the
! settlers on the east side or the creek access to
Tancred Station. The Tancred colonfsts are
| quite willing to give the necessary right OF
| way, and are very desirous of having n bridge
| there, as 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
| provement, as tue operations of such COM
plrlleS are OF widespread DenelC TO the whoi0
! county and State. The attractions and COM
| forts OF the cities are well known, but td
| those who are willing to settle or the land and
| show that the country also affords attractions
| and comforts, and ways of making money
! pleasantly, every in6ucement 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 a 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: G. T. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w.
] P. Hammond, Oakland, Ii acres; c. s. Kas-
| son. San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, 10
acres; a. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres;
! N. II. Greathead, acres; r. G.. Greathead,
| Oakland, 10 acres; r. A. Barker San Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; N. d. Barker, Tancred 10
| acres; DR.. K. Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres;
J. p. Brownlee, Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; w.
T. Barnett, Berkeley, acres; NJ. p. Brown,
10 acres; Chas Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres;
! W. c. Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. 7.
| A. Crellin, OaklaEd, 5 acres; Q. II. Peach,
| Tancred, acres; H. c. Ellis, Oakland 10 acres;
j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Van
stone Tancred, acres; E. Wadsworth, Sac
| rnInento, 8 acres; M. A. Thomas, Oakland, 9
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, IL
! acres; A. Stark, 12 acres ]. Stark, 10 acres;
acres; @. L. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Nc
4 ATNc