The record-union., 1891-06-25
4 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
- Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oalt-
land, with view OF searching out a suitable
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 tract
| at Tancre6
! Negotiations were opened with the Capag
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question With w. H. Mills, the General
| Agent of that company, they arranged for the
| purchase OF about 22o acres of foothin ,ano.
| 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, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead, 20 acres;
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 20 acres; W. Mckay, 90
| acres; N. d. Barker, 90 acres; X. a. Barker.
20 acres; ]. 2. Brownlee, 20 acres; f. IL Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A, w.
Kelly, 10 Scres, 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, 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 ou all hands, why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same way?v
| Then followed the idea of a stock company to
take hold of larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation OF the whole of It, after subdividing
1t according to the requirements OF the sub.
scr1bers. A provisional board was formed a
! prospectus issued, and finally, on the 9th 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; Vice-President, NJ. p Brown;
Directors-H. @. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
Il. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor. c. 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 So, 900 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 doubtfngIy
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
hn no atfa Of ofTr
tention to the work of the Colony Company,
| and number of people are now desirous Of
! joining in with them. An additional 200
acres have been added to the sixty acres
| originally purchased
For tne 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 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
| varieties peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
I pTunes figs, 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
1
| 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 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 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. rs
] is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
large and busy city, but it is thought that is
can be made very pleasant little place to
| dwell in.
A petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county 70 ac-
| cept Island avenue, on the colony tract as a
county road, and to build q bridge across
| Cache Creek at this point in order to give tho
settlers on the east side Of the creek access to
| Tancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
! quite willing to give the necessary right OF
way, and are very desirous of having bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
| sides of the stream. It is thought that 1t
| would be very wise expenditure OF public
| 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 or 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 list of the principal men,
| 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 O pro-
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The an.
! parent success of the enterprise shows that
! the ideas and plans of the colony as set forth
in the prospectus some time ago arc not i'm.
! practicable: G.. T. Hull, Berkeley acres. w
| p. Hammond, Oakland, IA acres; G. s Kas-
| son, San Francisco, IL acres; JOS Barker. O
! acres a. w. Kelly, Kincardine Ont, . acres.
/ N. T. Greathead, 8 acres; r. c. Greathead
| Oakland, 10 acres; r. a. Barker. San Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; N. D. Barker, Tancred To
acres; DR.. K. Favor, San Francisco 27 acres.
! j. p. Brownlee, Kincardine, Ont. acres. w
! T. Barnett, Berkeley, acres; NJ P. Brown
| 10 acres; Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland. o acres.
| W. Z. Bopteue, Berkeley 90 acres: Mrs. r.
a Crellin, Oakland, 5 acres: C. n, Peach
Iancred, . acres; II. G. Ellis Oakland 1oacros
j. Nanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Van.
| stone, Iancred, acres; f. Wadsyortb Sac
Tamento, acres; NJ. A. Thomas. Oakland a
acres; James Graham, San Francisco II
acres; a. Stark, IL acres; J. Stark. 10 scres,
| mis-. NJ Nrooman, 5 acres; c. F. Shook I 4
acres Y. l. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Me-,
kay, 0 acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland 4
acres; Mrs. b. .. Wooley, Brooklyn. N. Y 10