The record-union., 1891-08-07
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

N THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert Il. and Neal u. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
iahd, with view of searching out n suitable
location In which to engage in the profitab,e
occupation of fruitgrowing After visiting
many localities, they decided on tho Cs,nav
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract az
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Can.v
alley Land Company, owning the tract in
question: With w. IL. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for tina
purchase OF about 22O acres of foothiu land
IRIS being more than they had Thought Of
taxing for their own use, they spoke to a
number of friends about it, with the resuIt
that the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: B. L. Hickok, 40 acres: w. T.
Earnett, 20 acres; n. T. Greathead, 20 acres.
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay %
aeres N D. Barker, 90 acres; r. A. Barker.
~ acres; }. T. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. H Has,
lett' 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w,
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. O acres.
80 lar this had been merely private yen-
ture OF the gentlemen above named. but I'm
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased 1t was found that so rnany
! more would like to join it than the area of ths
purchase would admit OF, that it was sue.
gested on all hands, "Why not get some nors
Iand and divide it up in the same way?"
Then followed the idea Of a stock companv to
/ Cahe hold or n larger tract and arrange for the
cGl1Vatlon OF the whole of it, after subdividing
taccording IL to the requirements of the sub.
| acribers. A provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
June, 1890, the Western Co-operative Col
onlzation and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: President. Will
lam Mckay Vice-President, NJ. p. Brown.
D1rectors-H. c. Ellis. Charles Brooke and
H. a. Barker Secretary and General Manager.
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, G. E. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Ihe balance of the tract, 373 acres. was mr.
| chased a contract was entered into for tina
| purchase OF a large number of fruit trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
| the means of saving between $4,000 and
| Sf'ooo 10 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 tho
! progress OF the company has been uninter-
! rupted Those who went into it doubtinplv
have become enthusiastic, and almost ell the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc, the first year. Consequently
IN this, the first season, some &c, 600 trees and
! between 10000 and 10000 vines will hs
planted.
Inc satisfactory working of this scheme has
mad the effect OF attracting considerable at
| tention to the work of the Colony Conpanv
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 a puzzle to every one who
has visited 1t, 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
| neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears.
! pruneS, uSs, ralsin grapes, etc. while aIonu
! both sides OF the avenues throughout the
| tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
/ considerablcsnumber OF citrus trees are also
being set out; quite u sufficient number to
! demonstrate that these fruits can be success
colonlsts appear to have no doubt, provided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
! u. barker, General Manager of the compafv
resides on the tract, and to his care is to be as
! cribed 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 it is proposed TO beautifr
| 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 q wise expenditure of money 1t
| 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
| n petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
! cept Island avenue, on the colony tract. as 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
/ rancred Station. The Tancred coonists 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. 1t is thought that is
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 arc 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
Rntly, every inducement 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 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 i'm.
! practicable: c. /. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; W.
! T. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; @. S. Kasson
San Francisco, / acres; Jos. Barker, / 0 acres;
| a. w. Kelly, kfncardine, Ont 5 acres; ~ r.
! Greathead, 3 acres; Z. q. Greathead, Oakland
! 10 acres; IL. n. Barker, San Francisco 10
! acres y. ID. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DIR. X.
| Favor, San Francisco, 2 7 acres; j. P Brownlec.
| Kincardlne, Ont, 8 acres; W. T. Barnett,
/ Berkeley, . acres; NJ. T. Brown 10 acres;
/ Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland, 10 acres; W. c.
! Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. II. A. Crelin,
Oakland, 5 acres; G. II. Peach Tancred, .
acres; FL. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres J. Van
/ stone. Winnipeg. 10 acres; L. a. Vanstone,
| Tancred, 8 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
! acres; NJ. &. Thomas, Oakland. acres
! James Graham, San Francisco, Il acres; p.
! Stark, 12 acres; j. Starh, 10 acres; Mrs NJ
! Vrooman, 5 acres G.. f. Shook, 10 acres; Z.
! 4. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acres
Mrs. Vim. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs d.
| c. WOOley BrOOEIyn N V / q acres: Mrs. II,