The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-12-26

Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
hooert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
land, with view of searching out a suitahla
location In which to engage in the profstabls
occupation of fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capav
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
Nesotlations were opened with the Capay
'aliey Land Company, owning the tract in
question With w. H. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for tina
purchase of about 22o acres of foothtu land
This being more than they had Thought Of
taxing 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. Rickok, 40 acres. W.T.
barnett, 20 acres; n. t. Greathead. 20 acres.
Mrs L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay, 20
acres; n D. Barker, 20 acres; R. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 90 acres; E. H. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres: A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, % acres.
30 lar this had been merely private VEN
ture OF the gentlemen above named, but in
talking up the question of dividing the land,
already purchased, 1t was found that so nnanv
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 larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole OF it, after subdividing
IL according to the requirements of the SUBJ
ecribers. A provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 9Th OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onlzation and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business,
with the following officers: President, Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, M. P. Brown:
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
t. A Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal d. Barker Solicitor, c. E. Shook; Treas.
! urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Inc 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 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 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 &C, 700 trees and
! between 10000 and 10000 vines will be-
! pIanreo
! The satisfactory working of this scheme has
! had the effect OF attracting considerable at
tention to the work of the Colony Company,
and number of people are now DESTROYS 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 it, but one thing is very sure, and
that is that this neglect will never again be
! felt in the valley.
/ Inc fruits set out are mostly of the standard
| varletIes-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 considerablelnumber of citrus trees are also
! being 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
D. Barker, General Manager of the company.
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 bv moro
| 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 as may be obtained by dilieent
| search and a wise expenditure of money. 1t
| is not expected that Tancred will ever be n
| large and busy city, but it is thought that it
| can be made a very pleasant little place to
| dwell in.
! 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 the
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 DESTROYS of having a 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
| provernent, 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 on the land and show
! that the country also affords attractions and
| comforts and ways OF making money pleas
antly, every inducement should be held forth.
The 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 pro-
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
| be manufactured or sold on the land. The APP
| parent success ofthe 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. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w.
| p Harmon, Oakland, II acres; c. S. Kasson,
! San Francisco, IL acres; Jos. Barker, 10 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, 81 acres; ]. P. Brownlee,
/ Kincardine, Ont, acres; w. T. Barnett,
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p Brown, 10 acres;
/ Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; w. c.
BouteIle. Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. T. A. Crelin,
! Oakland, 5 acres; G. II. Peach, Tancred,
| acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; j. Van-
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; e. a. Vanstone,
Tancred, 5 acres; e. Wadsworth, sacramento,
S acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres;
| James Graham, San Francisco, II acres; A.
! Stark. IL acres; ]. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ
/ yroonaan. & acres; C. E. Shook, 10 acres; G.
! 7. Greathead. IL acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acres;
[ ~ w., NfcLyor Oakland ocraS. Mru Y