The record-union., 1891-04-17
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 a 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. H. Mills. the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about ego acres of foothin land
This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, they spoke TO a
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, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead, 20 acres:
Mrs, Il. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; N ID. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker,
20 acres; j. 2. Brownlee, 90 acres; f. II. Has
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. i o acres.
SO far this had been merely a private ven
ture OF the gentlemen above named. but i'm
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, 1t was found that so MANY
more would like to join 1t than the area of the
purchase would admit of, that it was sug-
gested on all hands, "Why not get some moro
land and divide it up in the same way?n
Then followed the idea Of u stock company To
take hold of larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation OF the whole of it, after subdiyiding
1t according 10 the requirements of the SUBJ
scrlbers. y provisional board was formed. n
prospectus issued, and finally on the 18th OF
June, 1890, 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.
Directors-H. C. Ellis, Charles Brooke ana
X a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal ID. Barker; Solicitor, c. L. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland
The balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pur-
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 50. 600 and
$4,000 to the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
Ihe 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 doubtiprlv
have 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. 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 to 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.
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 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 ofthe standard
varieties-peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
pruneS, hgs, raiSin grapes, etc. while along
both sides of the avenues throughout the
tract, walnuts will 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
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. 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 II from time to time as many
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life may be obtained by diligent
search and o wise expenditure OF money. It
is not expected that Tancred will ever be
large and busy city, but 1t is thought that It
can be made a 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 q
county road, and to build a bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
Fancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing to give the necessary right of
way, and are very desirouS of having u 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 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 q list of the prtnclpaI MEM
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each, and fact worthy of
mention is that in each contract or decd Is
sued by the Colony Company there Is a 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 inn
practicable: c. I. Hull, Berkeley, ) acres; w.
p. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; c. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, IL acres; Jos. Barker, 10 acres;
A w. Kelly, Kineardine, Ont, 5 acres; n. T.
Greathead 5 acres; r. G.. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. a. Barker, San Francisco, 10
acres; ". d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. K.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; j. p. Brownlee,
Kincardine, Ont, . acres; w. T. Barnett,
Berkeley, 3 acres; M. p. Brown, 10 acres;
ChaS. Brook, ST., Oakland. 10 acres; w. &.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. T. n. Crelin,
Oakland, 5 acres; c. H. Peach, Tancred, 5
acres; 81. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. VAN
stone, Winnipeg, l o acres; L. a. Vaustone,
Tancred, 5 acres; +. WadSworth. Sacramento,
5 acres; NJ. 4. Thomas, Oakland acres:
James Graham, San Francisco IL acres; a.
Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, 20 acres; Mrs Nj.
Vrooman, 8 acres; G. L. Shook, 10 acres; g.
IT. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay, ; acres;
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs. Il.
c. Wooley. Brooklyn, n. ", 10 acres; Mrs. III.
10 nI-I.,y ssfdrff