The record-union., 1891-03-18
A, CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in 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 q suitable
location in which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided 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. H. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 220 acres of foothill land.
| This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, thev 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, 90 acres;
Mrs. Il. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; n. d. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker,
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. III. Has
| lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. / acres.
| So far this had been merely a private ven
|
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 sue-
| gested on all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same way?v
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
scrlbers. A provisional board was formed n
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th of
June, 1880, the Western Cooperative Col
onization 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
II. A barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal ID. Barker; Solicitor, G. 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 between $4,000 and
s4,ooo TO the company, the prices in some
| cases having more than doubled since then
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
nave been but slightly modified and the
progress OF the company has been uninter-
rupteo. Those who went into it doubtingiy
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fru1t trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
IN this, the first season, some 40 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
planted.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
! had the effect of attracting considerable at
tentlon 10 the work of the Colony Company
| ana number of people are now desirous of
| joining in with them. An additional 900
| acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
fof the company is predicted very bright
iuture, as Weu as for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted. How
TINS 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
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears.
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, ETC., while along
ooeh sides OF the avenues, throughout the
tIaci, walnuts VIII throw their graceful shade
a considerable number of citrus trees are also
being set out; quite sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success-
iully grown in the valley, about which tho
coionlsts appear to have no doubt provided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
u. barker, General Manager of the companv.
resides on the tract, and to his care is to he as
crloed much of the success of the venture.
Mention should be made of the tovo-sita
ABOUT which there is pleasant innovation
Which might with profit be followed bv 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 ,nany,
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree an6
shrub life as may be obtained by dilioent
! search and a wise expenditure of money It
Is not expected that Tancred will ever be n
large and busy city, but 1t is thought that If
can oe made very pleasant little place to-
dwell in. w
petition has been circulated recentlv and
very largely signed, asking the county to nc.
cept isiann 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 theeast side of the creek access to
iancred Station. The Tancred colonists are}
quite Wiiling TO give the necessary right of
way, and are very desirous of having n bri,,oa
.nere' as The colony lands extend along both
sioes Oh the stream. 1t is thought that il.
would be very wise expenditure of ,n,,,ic
money 10 grant them this very necessary i'm
provement, as the operations of such com.
p'nles are OF widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and COM
iorts OF the cities are well known. but to those
VINO are willing to settle on the land and sboxr
that the country also affords attractions ana
cohiiorts ana ways of making money pleas-
unity, every 1nducement should be held for,b
Inc following is q list OF the princiual roa,,,
oers OF the Tancred Colony, with the nnn,ho.
Vi acres owned by each and a fact worthy or
nienlion Is that in each contract or daad -
suea py the Colony Company there is !. ~
VISION tnat no Intoxicating liquor shall eror
oe manufactured or sold on the land ,rho.,s,
parent success of the enterprise shows tha.
the loeas and plans of the COLONY ne GO. go
III tue prospectus some time ago are ,,,. 49,.
Practicanie: 9. I. Hull Berkeley. < .c,os. w
'haHlinon, oakland, Id acres: O. s Lasso,,
an ~, iahclsco, II acres; Jos Barker I n oorae.
-. v. heiiy, kincardinc Ont. < ecros. NJ n,
oieathead, acres; r. G. Greathead Ooi,Ia,,d
NS, S,eS, n. A. Barker, San Francisco ~
80 Is~s ~. u. barker. Tancred, 10 acres. DIR X
San fanclsco. 27 acres: J. p Rrornlee
| nlA,e' oihe, oht., acres; w. IT Rornett
Csas acres; NJ P. Brown. 10 acres:
! 80 80. pi ooh, Sr, Oakland 10 acres. w. O.
oo,-,e' berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs T. A. Crelin.
oa,si acres; c. II. Peach, Tancred. :,
s,as -, ~, u EMS, Oakland, 10 acres. j. Van.
Ts.s, " lhhipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Vanstone-
! .ss' o' . acres; T.. Wadsworth, Sacramento
J., NJ. a. Thomas, Oakland, 6 acres.
So 0laharn, San Francisco. IL acres. a
49, aiA' - acres; j. Stark, 10 acres: Mrs.
m looniai, acres; G.. Z. Shook, 10 acres q
~ ~ ea'iieao, IL acres; Wm Mckay. 3 acrec.
:, ~ ., " ih. Mckay, Oakland, acres: Mrs I,
-. "ooIey, brooklyn. N. Y. q acres. NJ. -