The record-union., 1891-11-20
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GrOwers in a Pretty
YOl0 Valley Tancred and lis
Adjoining Farma

N THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
land With 4 view of searching out a sut7ab,s
location IN which to engage in the proftabIs
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
/ Valley. folo County, and the Rhodes tract az
Tcncre,i.
negotiations were opened with the Capay
alley Land Company, owning the tract in
Question With w. Fl. Mills the General
Agentef that company, they arranged for tina
purchase of about 22o acres Of foothin land
This being more than they had thought Of
taking for their own use they smoke m 8.
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the foIloy.
ing people: B. L. HiclSok, 40 acres: W.T.
Farnett 20 acres; N. T. Greathead 20 acreg.
Mrs L. Greathead, 20 acres; W. Mckay. On
acres; N D. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker.
20 scresi ]. P. Brownlee, 90 acres: e. H Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w,
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 acres,
SO far this had been merely a private ven.
|
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 ths
purchase would admit of, that ii was sug-
gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide it up in the same way?"
! Then followed the idea of stock companv tn
take mold OF larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation OF the whole Oft, after subdividfns
| ltaecorhng II to the requirements of the SUBJ
! scrloers. A provisional board was formed a
| prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th Of
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
| with tne following officers: President. Will
| lem Mckay; Vice-President, NJ p. Brown,
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor; c. 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 waz
the means of saving between S. 900 and
$4,000 to the company, the prices in sorne
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 unfnter-
rupted Those who went into it 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. 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be
pTanJeo.
The satisfactory working of this scheme haa
mad 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 200
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 q 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
varletles-peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful 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 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 as
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 it is proposed to beautify
by planting in it from time to time as many
of the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life may be obtained by dilieent
search and a 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 a very pleasant little place to
dwell in.
A petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to &C
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract SIS a
county road. and to build bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, In order to give tho
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
fancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing to give the necessary right o3
way, and are very desirous Of having bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides Of the stream. 1t is thought that it
would be very wise expenditure of public
money to grant them this very necessary inn
provement, as the operations of such COM
panies arc of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and COM
forts ef 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 pleas
antly every induceraent should be held forth.
Tie following is q 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 o 1 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 Harmon, Oakland, IA acres; @. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, % acres;
A. W. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; n. T..
Greathead, 5 acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. a. Barker, San Francisco, 10
acres; n. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres DR.. K.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; J. P. Brownlee.
Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; w. L. Barnett,
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; w. G.
Boutelle Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. t. A. Crelin,
Oakland, 5 acres; C. H. Peach, Tancred, D
acres II. C. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van.
stone Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Vanstone,
Tancred acres; e. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
5 acres: NJ. A. Thomas Oakland, acres;
James Graham, san Francisco, Il acres; A.
Stark 12 acres; j. Stark 10 acres; Mrs. NJ.
Vroonan, acres; G. L. Shook, 10 acres; G.
n Cireathead, IL acres; WIn. Mckay, . acres;
T Mrs. VIM Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs s.
C. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
Reckley, Oakland 5 acres; T. A Marriott
eeras. T @. Harrison, Tancred. 5 acres The