The record-union., 1891-07-23
1 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit Growers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
- Robert A. and Neal n. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay all OF Oak.
land, with view OF searching out a suitable
location In which TO engage in the profitable
occupation OF fruit-grcwing After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract
at TancreG
Negotiations were opened with the Capav
Valley Land Company, owning the tract In
question. With w. II. Mills, the General
Agent o. that company, they arranged for ths
purchase of about 22o acres of foothin land.
! Ihls being moro than they had thought OF
taking for their own use, they spoke to
number of friends about 1t, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
tng people: Is. L. Hjckok, 40 acres: w. r.
Barnett, 30 acres; n. T. Greathead, 90 acres:
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; N. d. Barker, 90 acres; .R. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. ii. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly, 10 scres and Frederick Kelly, l O acres
So far this had been merely a 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 sug-
j gested on all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same wayP"
Tnen followed the idea of q stock company to
! take hold OF larger tract and arrange for tha
cultivation OF the whole of 1t, after subdividin1
1t according to the requirements of the sub.
/ A nd
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative COL
oniZatior and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers: President, Will
lam Mckay; ice-PresidenI, NJ. p. Brown:
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, c. K. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pur.
chased. a contract was entered into for tho
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 tho
progress OF the company has been uniY[er.
| rupted. Thoseswho went into it doubtingiy
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
mem bers arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc.. the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some 10000 tress
and 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 acras
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 will never again be
| felt in the valley.
! The fruits set out arc mostly of the standard
varieties peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
prunes, ngs, ratsln grapes, etc, while along
both sides OF the avenues throughout tho
tract, walnuts viii throw their grateful shade.
a 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
colon1sts 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
ascribed much OF the success OF the venture
Mention should be made of the toyyn-site
about which the1e 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 il is proposed to beautify
| by planting in 1t from time to time as many
Of the beauties and curiosities OF tree and
/ shrub life as may be obtained by diligent
rpil a JyiSp n f1<,,
is not expected that Tancred will ever DO n
! large and busy city, but it is thought that it
| can be made q 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 81
! county road, ana to build bridge across
| Cache Creek at this point, in order to give tho
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 q bridge
/ there as the colony lands extend along both
! sides of the stream. It is thought that ft
/ would be q 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 70 the whole
! county and state. The attractions and COM
forts of the cities are well known, but ia
those who are willing to settle on the land and
and comforts, and ways OF making money
/ pleasantly, every inducement should be held
! forth.
The following is q list of the principal mem
bers Of the Tancred Colony, with the nurr1ber
OF acres owned by each, and q fact worthy OF
mention is that in each contract or deed is
sued by the Colony Company there is q pro-
| vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The ap-
parent success of the enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans of the colony. as set forth
in the prospectus some time ago are not i'm
practicable G. I. Hull, Berkeley, acres: w.
P. Hammond, Oakland, ID acres: c. S. Kas-
son, San Francisco, II acres; JOS. Barker, 10
acres; y. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres;
n. L. Greathead, acres; Il. G.. Greathead,
| Oakland, 10 acres: II. a. Barker. san Fran
cisco, 10 acres; n. ID. Barker Tancred, 10
acres; DR.. X. Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres;
/ j. L. Brownlee, kincardine, Ont. 8 acres; W.
1. barnett, Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p. Brown,
10 acres; Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres;
w. c. Boptelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. t.
A. Crellin, Uakla.:d 5 acres C. II. Peach,
Tancred. 5 acres; II. C. Ellis, Oakland 1oacres;
}. Nanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres E. A. VAN
stone, Tancred, acres; Z. Wadsworth, sac
ramentc, 5 acres; NJ. a. Thomas, Oakland, q
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, II
acres; a. Stark, 12 acres j. Stark, 10 acres;
Mrs. NJ. Vrooman, 5 acres; c. L. Shook, 10
ecres; c. I. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Nc
Kay, acres Mrs. VIM. Mckay Oakland, .
acres; Mrs. +. c. Wooley, Brooklyn, n 4, 10
acres; Mrs. H. Beckley, Oakland, acres j.
A. Marriott, acres; j. C. Harrison, Tancred.
acres. The land reserved by the Colony
Company, including townsite, consists OF al
acres. le15tfd&w