The record-union., 1891-09-05
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy uit-GrOwers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms
TN THE SPRING OF r.sr vr,r

IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAr
Robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William AfcKaS. all of O,l-.
land, with a view OF searching out a spitohl,
location IN which 10 engage in the profitable
occupation of rruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capav
Valley. Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract AT
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Canav
Valley Land Company. owning the tract ,n
Question. With W. II. Mills. the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22o acres of foothiu land
Iris being more than they had thought Of
taking for their own use, they spoke n a
number of friends about It. with the rasuIt
that the tract was divided among the follow.
Ing people: B. L. aickok, 40 acres: VT.
Farnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead. 90 acrex
Mrs l. Greathead, 90 acres; W. Mckay. 90
acres; n. d. Barker, 90 acres r. A. Barker
20 acres; ]. P. Brownlee, 20 acres; f. II. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker. 10 acres: A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, l O acres.
so far this had been merely private ven.
'uEe Oh 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 IL WAS sur-
! gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide it up in the same way2p
Then followed the idea of stock COMPANY to
take hold of larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation OF the whole of it. after subdividine
1t according to the requirements Of the sub.
scribers. y provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally. ON the 5th O,
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, Nj. p. Brown.
Dlrectors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
H. 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 prr-
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 tween 1000 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 tho
| progress of the company has been uninter-
| rupted. Those who went into IL doub,ingly
nave become enthusiastic, and almost all tho
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, ETC., the first year Consequently
In this, the first season, some 40, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines win be
p1anted.
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 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 puzzle to every one who
has visited it, but one thing is very sure. and
that is that this neglect viii never again be-
felt In the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., apricots Bartlett pears,
pTuneS, ngs, raisin grapes, etc. while along
both sides OF the avenues, throughout the
tract walnUts will throw their graceful shade.
A Observation-Disclosures OF citrus trees are also
being set out; quite q 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
| 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 mora
! 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 1t from time to time Us many
OF the beauties and curiositics OF tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diligent
search ana wise expenditure Of money It
is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
large and busy city, but 1t is thought that it
can be made 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 a bridge across
Cache Greek 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 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 i'm
provement, as the operations of such COM
panies are Of widespread benefit to tho 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 mem
bers of the Tancred Colony with the number
OF acres owned by each, and q fact worthy OF
mention is that in each contract or decd IS
sued by the Colony Company there is pro.
vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
parent success O. the enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans of the colony, set forth
in the prospectus some time ago. are not inn
practicable: c. T. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w.
2. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; G. s. Kasson,
San Francisco, l. acres; JOS Barker, 10 acres;
A w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres; N. T.
Greathead, 3 acres; r. G. Greathead Oakland
% acres; Il. a. Barker, San Francisco, 10
acres; N. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DIR. X.
Favor, san Francisco, 27 acres; j. p. Brownlee.
KincaTdine, Ont, . acres; w. I. Barnett,
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas. Brook, Sr Oakland, 10 acres; w. G.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. 7. \. Crein,
Oakland, 3 acres; G. II. Peach, Tancred >
acres II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; e. ~ Vanstone,
Tanered, acres; &. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
3 acres; M. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres
James Graham, San Francisco, II acres; a.
Stark IL acres; J. Stark, 20 acres; Mrs. NJ.
Vrooman, 5 acres; G. e. Shook, 10 acres; @.
7. Greathead / 2 acres; VIM. Mckay, 3 anres;
Mrs VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs. e.
c. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, Oakland, acres; L. \. Marriott. D
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, . acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company. in,