The record-union., 1891-08-27
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers In Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

N THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all of Oak.
lahd, with view of searching out a suitahIe
location IN which TO engage in the profitah,.
occupation OF fruit-growing After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capav
valley, folo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
negotiations were opened with the Canav
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
qlestlon. With w. H Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for tho
purchase of about 22O acres of fOothiu land
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use. they smoke to a
number of friends about it, with the resr,t
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: d. L. Rickok, 40 acres: W.
Earnett, 20 acres; n. T. Greathead, 20 acres.
MIS-. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. %
acres; N d. Barker, 90 acres; R. A. Barker.
~ acres; D. L. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. II. Has.
lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker 10 acres: A w
",
80 lar this had been merely a private ven.
ture OF the gentlemen above named, but in
talking up the question of dividing thesland
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 mora
land and divide 1t up in the same Vavon
Then followed the idea of n s.ool, o,,,,, -
take hold of a larger tract and arrange for the
culIVatioh OF the whole of It, after subdfviding
IL according TO the requirements of the sub.
scrioers. a provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally. on tho eth of
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onHatlon and Improvement Company was
ocly registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers: President. viii.
lam Mckay; Vice-President, M. p. Brown.
Dlrectors-H. G. 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.
Inc 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
$4,000 to the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
Inc lueas 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 doubtinrlv
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
lrult trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
In this, the first season, some 4O, 900 trees and
between % 000
planted.
Ihe satisfactory working of this scheme has
mad the effect of attracting considerable at.
tentlon TO the work of the Colony Company
and number of people are now desirous of
joining in with them. An additional 300
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
FOR the company is predicted 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 so
long neglected is a puzzle to every one who
has visited 1t, but one thing is very sure. and
that is that this neglect will never again he
felt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
varieties-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
n ACOislNiGIdDlSiuuI0perO OF citrus trees 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 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
acres has been laid out right in the center of
the town. This park it is proposed to beautify
by planting in it from time to time as many
Of the beauties and curiosties 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 6.
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 a
county road, and to build q bridge across
Cache Creek at this point in order to give the
settlers Oh the east side of the creek access to
Cancrcd Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing 10 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 a very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary i'm
provement, as the operations of such coEl-
panies are Of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and COM
forts of the cities are we'll 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 principal mem.
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each, and q tact 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 ar.
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: G. T. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w.
! P. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres: C. S. Kasson,
! San Francisco, IL acres; JOS Barker. i 0 acres;
| A. w. Kelly, Kincariine, Ont, ) acres; n. 7.
| Greathead, acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland
| 10 acres; Il. y. Barker, san Francisco, 10
acres; n. D. Barker. Tanered, 10 acres; DR.. *.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; ]. 2. Brownlee.
| Kincardine, Ont, 0 acres; w. T. Barnett,
! Berkeley, . acres; N. p Brown, 10 acres;
| Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland 10 acres; w. C.
! Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. 7. y. Crelin,
| Oakland, acres; C. II. Peach, Tancred, .
acres II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; j. Van.
! stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. a. Fanstone,
| tTancred, S acres; i. Wadsworth, Sacramento.
| 8 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres
| James Graham, San Francisco, IL acres; y.
! Stark, 12 acres; j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. VI.
| Vrooman, acres; c. e. Snoo1, 10 acres; q.
! T. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay, acres
/ Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs. Z.
] c. Wooley Brooklyn, II. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
! Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres; T. A. Marriott. 8