The record-union., 1891-10-29
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-GGowers in a Pretty
YOlO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

IN THE SPRING OF LAST yr4n
Robert A. and Neal ID. Barker associated
themselves with William Mickey, all OF Oak.
laha' with view OF searching out suitable
location IN which TO engage in the profitable
occupation of fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capav
valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract aA
fancred
negotiations were opened with the Capay
aiiey Land Company, owning the tract in
q1estion. With w. II. Mills, the General
agent OF that company, they arranged for thu
purchase of about geo acres of foothiu land
Iris being more than they had thought az
taxing Tor their own use, they spoke to
number OF friends about it. with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people; B. L. Hickok, 40 acres: w
Earnett, 90 acres; n. T. Greathead. 90 acrer
Mrs L. Greathead, 90 acres: VI. Mckay. 90
acres; n. D. Barker, 90 acres; II. A. Barker
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 90 acres; E. II. Has
lett, Ie acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres: A. W
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. / o acres
80 far this had been merely a prlvste van.
ture Of the gentlemen above named. hut in
talking up the question of dividing the land
"lreaay purchased, 1t was found that so many
more would like to join it than the area of the
purchase would admit of, that it was sus.
gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide 1t up In the same wav9p
1hen followed the idea of stock COMPANY tn
take hold of larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it. after subdivtdinp
1t according TO the requirements OF the sub
scrlbers provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally. on the eth of
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onization and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business
with tne following officers: President. VIII.
1am Mckay; Vice-President NJ. p. Brown.
Directors-H. G. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
X. a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal d. 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 a 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 somo
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 doubtinplv
have become enthusiastic and almost all tho
members arranged to set out all their Iands 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
pTanteu.
The satisfactory working OF this scheme baa
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 900
acres have been added to the sixtv acres
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted a very BRIGHT
future, as we'll as for the beautiful valley .,
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 it, 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 graceful shade
A considerable number of citrus trees are also
being set out; quite a sufficient number To
demonstrate that these fruits can be success.
fully grown in the valley, about which the
coiontsts 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 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 beautifv
by planting in it from time to time as rnanv
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by dilipent
search and wise expenditure of money, 1t
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 a bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
rancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
quite willing TO give the necessary right OF
way, ard 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 very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary i'm
pTovement, 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
Rntly, 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 a 1act worthy OF
mention is that in each contract or deed is
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 o 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. HUI, Berkeley, 3 acres; w.
2. Harmon, Oakland, IL acres; @. s. Easson,
San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, ] 0 acres;
a. w Kelly, KincarGine, Ont. acres; N T.
Greathead, 5 acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres r. ~ Barker, san Francisco, 10
acres; n. D. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; Dr. *.
Favor San Francisco, q acres; J. P. Brownlee
Klncardine, Ont, . acres; w. I. Barnett
Berkeley, S acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; W. C.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres; Mrs. T. a. Crelin,
Oakland, 5 acres; G. IL, Peach, Tancred,
acres: IL. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; f. A. Vanstone
Tanered, 5 acres; e. Wadsworth, Sacramento
5 acres; Nj. A. Thomas, Oakland 6 acres;
James Graham, San Francisco, IL acres; A.
Stark, IL acres; ]. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ
Vrooman, 5 acres; @. E. Shook, 10 acres; C.
IT. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay. ) acres;
Mrs. VIM Mckay, Oakland, acres; Mrs. E.
C. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres; T. a. Marriett 5
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, 3 acres. Tha
land reserved by the Colony Company, i'm
dingclr townsite, consists of 81 acres.
fc15-tid&W