The record-union., 1891-10-03
4 CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GGOwers in a Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal ID. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
iand' with a view of searching out n suitable
'oo"'ion IN which TO engage in tho profitabis
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on tho Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract az
Tcncred
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
qIeStion. With w. H. Mills. the General
agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22O acres of foothin land
Iris being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own USE they smoke to a
number of friends about it. with the resuls
tnat the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: d. L. Hicllox. 40 acres; w. T.
Farnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead. 90 acres.
Mrs. L. Greathead, go acres; W. Mckay. 90
acres; N. d. Barker, 20 acres; r. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee go acres; Il. II. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 acres.
80 lar 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-
gested on all hands, "Why not get some moro
land and divide it up in the same way?"
Then followed the idea of n stock company to
take hold of a larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation OF the whole of it, after subdiyidInq
1t according to the requirements Of the sub-
scribers. provisional board was formed n
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
June, 1880, the Western Co-operatiye Col.
onlzation and Improvement COMPANY was
duly registered and proceeded to business,
with :ne following officers: President. VIII.
lam Mckay; Vice-President. NJ. p. Brown.
Directors-H. C. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
II. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, c. E. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
= The balance of the tract, 1913 acres, was mr..
chased. a contract was entered into for tbe
purchase OF a large number of fruit trees.
vines etc. This early purchase of trees was
Ihe 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
nave been but slightly modified and tho
progress of the company has been uninter.
rupted. Those who went into it doubtingIy
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged TO set out all their lands i'm
fruit trees, ETC., the first year. Consequently
IN this, the first season, some 40, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
pranred.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
mad the effect of attracting considerable nj.
tention to the work of the Colony Companv
and number of people are now deslrous 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 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 pcars
prunes, hgs, raism grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout tina
tract, walnutS will throw their graceful shade.
A considerable. number OF citrus trees are also
being set out; quite n sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success.
tuIIy grown in thc valley, about which the
colonists appear TO have no doubt, provided
proper care is given TO the young trees Neal
u. BARKER General Manager of the company.
resides on the tract and TO his care is to be as.
crned much of the success of the venture.
Mention should be made OF the toyvn-sitc
about which thero is u pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by more
ambitious places. a small park Of some tbreo
acres has been laid out right in the center o.
the town. This park it is proposed to hea3tiTv
by planting in it from time to time rs many
nFt t|a ntio
shrub life as may be obtained by diligenc
search and q wise expenditure of money. Il
is not expected that TSncred will ever be =
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
can be made 4 very pleasant little place 10
dwell in.
a petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
cept isl&nd avenue, on the colony tract, as q
county road, and to build a bridge across
Cache Greek at this point, in order 10 give the
settlers on the east side Of the creek access tc
rancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing 10 give the necessary right cg
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 a very wise expenditure OF pubic
money to grant them this very necessary I'M
provement, as the operations OF such CON-
panicS are OF widespread benefit TO the whole
county and State. The attractions and conf
forts of the cities are wclI 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
antIy, every inducement should be held forth
The following is list OF the principal mem
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
Of acres owned by each, and fact worthy OF
mention is that in caclI contract or deed 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 o the enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans of the colony, as set forth
in the prospectus some time ago, are not i'm.
practieable C. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres: w.
p Harmon, Oakland, ii acres; c. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, Il acres; Jos. Barker, 1 acres;
A w. Kelly, Kincardine, ont, 5 acres: N Z.
Greathead, 8 acres r. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco I0
acres: n. Z. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres: DR.. X.
Favor, San Francisco, 2 acres: j. 7. Brownies.
Kincardine, Ont, acres; W. T. Barnett
Berkeley 5 acres; NJ L. Brown. 10 acres;
Chas Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres: w. C..
Boutelle Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. r. a. Crcl:n
Oakland, acres; G. Fl. Peach, Tancred )
acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres: J. Van
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Vanstone
Tancred 5 acres; q. WadSworth Sacramento,
8 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland 6 acres;
James Graham, San francisco. IL acres; A.
Stark, 12 acres; j.. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs NJ
Vrooman, . acres; c. e. Snook, 10 acres; c.
T. Greathend, 12 acres; VIM Mckay, 5 acres;
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, acres; Mrs e.
G. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. ", 10 acres; Mrs II.
Bechley, Oakland, 8 acres; II. a. Marriott 5
acres; j. Z. Harrison, Tancred, acres. The