The record-union., 1891-07-17
4 CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and It's
Adjoining Farms

Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all OF Oak
land, with a view OF searching out q suitable
location In which to engage in tho profitahle
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 Capsy
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. II. Mills, the General
| Agent OF that company, they arranged for tha
purchase of about 22o acres of foothin land,
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use, they spoke TO q
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the folloza
Ing people: b. l.. HtcRok 40 acres: w. T.
Barnett, 30 acres; N. T. Greathead, 90 acres:
Mrs. L. Greathead, go acres; W. Mckay, 30
acres; N D. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker,
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres E. H. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres: A. w,
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 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 IL than the area OF ths
purchase would admit Of that il was sug.
sested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide 1t up in the same way9D
Then followed the idea OF a stock company to
take hold of a larger tract and arrange for tha
cultivation Of the whole of 1t, after subdiyiding
1t according to the requirements of the SUBJ
scrihers. A provisional board was formed, q
prospectus issued, and finally on the 5th of
June, 1890, the Western Co-operative Col
onizatior and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded TO business
| with the following officers: President, Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ p. Brown;
Dtrectors-H. G.. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, G. E. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland
| The balance OF the tract, 373 acres, was Dur.
| chased. A contract was entered into for the
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 soms
cases having more than doubled sincevien.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and tho
progress of the company has been unintsr-
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
In this, the first season, some 10000 troeS
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 a number of people are now desirous OF
An u6d
acres have been added TO the sixty acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted q very bright
future, as we'll as for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted How
this marvellous little garden has come to be 50
long neglected is a puzzle to every enc who
has visited 1t, but one thing is very sure, and
that is that this neglect viii never again be
felt in the valley.
The fruits 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 grateful shade
A considerable number 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
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 town-site
about which there is a 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 i'll 1t from time TO time as many
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diligent
search and a wise expenditure of money. It
| Is not expected that Tanored will over be q
large and busy city, but it is thought<hatie
! 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 O.
! county road, ana 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 ara
! quite willing to give the necessary risht OF
way, and are very desirous OF having q bridge
! there, as the colony lands extend along both
| sides OF the stream. II is thought that 1t
would be very wise expenditure of public
| money to grant them this very necessary inn
| provement, the operations OF such COM
panies are of widespread benefit to the whole
1 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
! pleasantly, every inducement should he held
! forth.
| The following is list of the principal mem.
| bers of the Tancred Colony, with the nuraber
| of acres owned by each, and q fact worthy OF
| mention is that in each contract or deed Ss-
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 inn
| practicable: c. T. Hull, Berkeley, s acres w.
| P Hammond. Oakland, Ia acres; O. s. Kas-
son, San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker 10
acres; A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont acres;
N. r. Greathead, acres; r. G. Greathead,
Oakland, 10 acres; r. A Barker, San Fran
cisco, 10 acres; n. ID. Barker, Tancred, 10
acres; DIR. X. Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres;
j. p. Brownlee, kincardine, Ont. 9 acres; w.
| T. Barnett, Berkeley, 5 acres NJ p. Brown,
10 acres; Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland 1o acres;
W. G. BoUtele, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. L.
A. Crellin, Oakland. acres; c. III. Peach.
Tancred, acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 1Oacres;
J. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Van
stone, Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sac
ramento, acres; M. A. Thomas, Oakland,
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, IL
acres; A. Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, 10 acres;
Mrs. M. Vrooman, acres; @. E. Shook, 10
acres; @. L. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mc-
Kay, S acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, o
acres; Mrs. e. G. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y. 10
acres; Mrs HI. Beckley, Oakland, acres; T.
A. Marriott. 5 acres; J. G. Harrison, Tancred,
6 acres. The land reserved by the Colony
Company, including townsite, consists OF 61
| acres. fe15tfd&w