The record-union., 1891-04-26
4 CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GrOwers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

| THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal ID. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak
iand' 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, folo County, and the Rhodes tract mt
! Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
Faliey 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
taxing for their own use, they spoke TO n
number of friends about ii, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: b. L. Hickok, 10 acres; w. It.
Barnett, 20 acresi N. T. Greathead, 20 acres:
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; N. d. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; ]. p. Brownlee, 90 acres; e. H. Has
iett' 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, / o acres.
! so far this had been merely private yen-
ture of the gentlemen above named. but In
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, IT was found that so manv
more would like to join il than the area of the
| purchase would admit Of that it was sug.
gested on all hands, ''Why not get some more
iand and divide it up in the same way?n
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
scrloers. A provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 9Th 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 and
| H. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal ID. Barker; Solicitor, C. E. Shook; Treas
urer First National Bank of Oakland.
Ihe balance OF the tract, 373 acres, was pur-
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 some
| cases having more than doubled since then.
Inc 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 IL doubtingly
| nave 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 40 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be-
planted.
Inc 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 for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted. How
| this marvellous little garden has come TO be so
| long neglected is q puzzle to every one who
| has visited 1t, 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 OF the standard
| yarieties-peaches, 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 Aconsiderablelnumber OF citrus trees are also
being set out; quite q sufficient number to
1
fully grown in the valley, about which tho
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 as
| cribed much of the success of the venture
Mention should be made OF the town-site,
about which there is pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by more
| ambitious places. A small park OF some three
hos hnaf1 lot r;srl 81
the town. This park 1t 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
search and wise expenditure of money. Il
is not expected that Tancred will ever be a
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 &C
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract as a
county road, and to build 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 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. 1t is thought that it
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 to the whole
county and State. The attractions and conf
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 a 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 APP
parent success 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, 5 acres; We
P. Harmon, Oakland, ii acres; G. s. Kasson,
San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker 10 acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres; N. 4.
Greathead, 8 acres; r. g. Grcathead, Oakland
10 acres; II. a. Barker, San Francisco IL
acres; N. D. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X.
Favor San Francisco, 27 acres; J. P. Brownlee
Kincardine, Ont, acres; w. I. Barnett
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p Brown, 10 acres
Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; w. G.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. t. A. Crelin,
Oakland, acres; G. III. Peach Tancred.
acres; H. C. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van.
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; Z. A. Vanstone
Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sacramento
5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas Oakland, acres
James Graham, San Francisco, II ncres; A.
Stark 12 acres; ]. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ
yrooman, 5 acres; O. E. Shook, 10 acres; G
T. Greathead 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acres
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs.
c. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, acres; Mrs II
Beckley, Oakland, acres; It. 4. MARKETS.