The record-union., 1891-04-27
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit Growers in Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred aud 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 fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Canav
Naliey, 1olo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Capav
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With W. II. Mills, the General
Agent Of that company, they arraneed for tba
purchase of about 22o acres of footbIu 1ord
1his being more than they had thought NJ
taking for their own use, they smoke IN a
/ number of friends about it, with tho ros,,.
That the tract was divided amono tho follow
! ing people: B. L. Hickok. 40 acres. w n
harnett' 20 acres; N. T. Greathead 20 acres;
MIS- l.. GFeathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay. 90
| acres n. d. Barker, 90 acres: r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres. f. IT Hos
| lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker. 10 acres. A w
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. / O acres
| SO far this had been merely a private vep-
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 tho
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 wavgp
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 subdividipg
1t according to the requirements of the sub
scribers. provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onization and Improvement Company was
drly registered and proceeded TO business.
with the following officers: President Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President. NJ. P. Brown.
Directors-H. c. Ellis. Charles Brooke and
H. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal u. Barker; Solicitor, c. E. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres. was mr.
chased. A contract was entered into for the
purchase OF large number of fruit trees
Vlnes 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 tho
progress of the company has been uninter-
rupted. Those who went into it doubtingIy
nave become enthusiastic and almost All the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc, the first wear. Consequently
in this, the first season, some &C, 900 trees md
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be-
planted
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 a 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 will never again be
felt in the valley.
The ruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., 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 AconsiderableEnumber 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
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 q pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by more
| ambitious places. y 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 dlIigent
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 u
county road and to build Il bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, i'll order to give the
settlers on the east side OF the creek access to
Iancred 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. II 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 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 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 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, as set forth
| in the prospectus some time ago, are not inn
practicable: c. T. Hull Berkeley, 8 acres; w.
P. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; G. s. Kasson,
| San Francisco, II acres; JOS Barker 10 acres:
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres: N I.
Greathead, acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. y. Barker, San Francisco, .
| acres; n. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X.
Favor, San Francisco, ~ acres; J. p Brownlec,
kincardine, Ont, acres; w. L. Barnett,
Berkeley, acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres
Chas. Brook, Sr, Oakland 10 acres; w. c.
Boutelle Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. T. y. Crclin,
Oakland, acres; G. II. Peach. Tancred, D
acres; III. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; j. VAN
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; L. A. Nanstone,
Tancred acres; L. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
8 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres;
James Graham, San Francisco, II acres; ~.
Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, &c acres; MIS- NJ.
Vrooman, D acres; G. +. Shook, 10 acres; L.
T. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, acres;
| Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, acres; Mrs. E.
| c. Wooley, Brooklyn, N Y, 10 acres; Mrs. III.
| Beckley, Oakland, acres; t. A. Marriott, 5