The record-union., 1891-02-22
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR.
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak
| land, with view of searching out suitable
location In which to engage in the profitable
| occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
| Tancred.
| Negotiations were opened with the Capay
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. II. Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22O acres of foothill land.
rms being more than they had thought of
| taking for their own use, they spoke to
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, 90 acres; N. T. Greathead, 90 acres;
Mrs l.. Greathead, 20 acres; W. Mckay, 90
acres; N. D. Barker, 90 acres; r. a. Barker,
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee 20 acres; E. H. Has
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, acres; A. W.
! Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 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 suggested on all hands, 'Why not get
some more land and divide it up in the same
way?" Then followed the idea of stock
company to take hold of a larger tract and
arrange for the cultivation of the whole of it,
after subdividng it according to the re-
| quirements of the subscribers. A provisional
| board was formed, a prospectus issued, and
finally, on the 5th of Juue, 1890, the West
| ern Cooperative Colonization and Improve
ment Company was duly registered and pro-
ceeded to business with the following officers:
President William Mckay; Vice-President,
| NJ. p. Brown. Directors-H c. Ellis. Charles
| Brooke and R. A. Barker; Secretary and Cen
| eral Manager, Neal D. Barker; Solicitor C. E.
Shook; Treasurer, First National Bank of
| Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres. was pur-
| chased. contract was entered into for the
! purchase of u 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 land in
| fruit trees, etc, the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some 40, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be
planted.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable atten-
ton to the work of the Colony Company, and
| q number of people are now desirous of join
| ing in with them. An additional 900 acres
have been added to the sixty acres originally
| purchased.
| For the company is predicted q 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
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
| both sides of the avenues, throughout the
| tract walnuts will throw their graceful shade
| y 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
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 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 diligent
| search and 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 very pleasant little place to
| dwell in.
A 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 q 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 desirous of having bridge
| there, as the colony lands extend along both
| sides of the stream. 1t is thought that it
| would be a very wise expenditure of public
| money to grant them this very necessary i'm
! provement, 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 ana 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 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 n pro-
| vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The
apparent success of the enterprise shows
| TINT the ideas and plans of the col
| ony, as set forth in the prospectus some
| time ago, are not impracticable: c. T.
| Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w. z. Harmon, Oak
land, Ii acres; c. s. Kasson, San Francisco.
| II acres; Jos. Barker 10 acres; a. W. Kelly.
| Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres; N. 4. Greathead. 5
acres; r. 6. Greathead, Oakland, 10 acres: r..
4. Barker, San Francisco, 10 acres N d. Bar
ker, Tancred 10 acres; DR.. k Favor. san
Francisco, 81 acres; j. P. Browniee Kincar-
dine, Ont, acres; w. t. Barnett, Berkeley, .
acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres; Chas Brook Sr.,
Oakland, 10 acres; w. c. BoutelIe Berkeley,
90 acres; Mrs. T. A. Crelin, Oakland 3 acres;
C. II. Peach, Tancred. 8 acres; II. C. Ellis, Oak
land, 10 acres; j. Vanstone, Winnipeg. 10
acres; e. A. Nanstone, Tancred, 5 acres; h.
Wadsworth, SACRAMENTO, 5 acres; NJ. A.
Thomas, Oakland, acres; James Graham,
San Francisco, IL acres; Il. Stark, IL acres;
j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ. Vroolnan, acres;
G. E. Shook, 10 acres; C. 4. Greathead, IL
acres; Vim. Mckay, 5 acres; Mrs. I'm. MCKAY,