The record-union., 1891-10-27
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-GrOwers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. all OF Oak.
land, with a view of searching out a suitabla
location In which TO engage in the profitable
occupation of fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract ne
Tancred
negotiations were opened with the Capay
alley Land Company owning the tract In
q1estion. With w. H. Mills. the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for thu
purchase OF about ego acres of foothiu Land
This being more than they had thought OF
taking for their own use, they spoke to a
number OF friends about it. with the result
mat the tract was divided among the follow-
ing peoples B. L. Hiclkok, 40 acres: VT
Earnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead. 20 acres
Mrs. L. Greathead, 20 acres; W. Mckay %
acres; N. ID. Barker, 20 acres; II. A. Barker
20 acres; ]. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. II. 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 I'm
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 tina
| purchase would admit of, that il was suq.
gestcd on all hands, "WEy not get some more
| land and divide it up IN the same Tay?n
! Then followed the idea OF a stock companvto
| take hold OF larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividing
| 1t according TO the requirements of the sub
! scroers. A provisional board was formed, a
| prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
| June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
| duly registered and proceeded 10 business.
| with !ne following officers: President, WIN.
lem Mckay; Vice-President, M. p. Brown.
| Directors-H. G. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
| r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor c. E. Snook; Treas
urer, First National Bank OF Oakland.
! The balance of the tract, 373 acres, was Dur
! chased. contract was entered into for tina
| purchase OF a large number of fruit trees.
! vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means OF saving between So, 900 and
| $4,000 to the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and the
|
rupted. Those who went into il doubtinglv
| 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 40, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
p7nnCeo.
The satisfactory working OF this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable at
! tention to the work of the Colony Company.
| ana number OF people are now Gesirous OF
| Joining in with them. An additional 200
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
Tor the company is predicted very bright
| future, 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 a puzzle to every one who
| has visited it, 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
neutrality-suspicious. apricots, Bartlett pears,
! prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc. while along
| both sides of the avenues throughout tina
| tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade.
! considerable number of citrus trees are also
| being set out quite 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
d. 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. small park of some three
| acres has been laid out right in the center of
| the town. This park it is proposed to beauttfy
| by planting in it from time to time as many
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
| shrub life as may be obtained by diligent
n oYrrSg,
is not expected that Tancred viii 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 ac-
! 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
! Faucred 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. It is thought that it
| would be 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 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 fact worthy Of
mention is that in each contract or deed IS
sued by tho Colony Company there is pro-
| vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
! perent success o 1.-THE enterprise shows that
| the ideas and plans OF the colony, as set forth
| in the prospectus some time ago, are not i'm
! practicable: C. r. Hun, Berkeley, acres; w.
I f. Hammon Oakland, Ii acres; C. IS. Kasson,
San Francisco, Il acres: Jos. Barker, / o acres;
| a. W. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, ) acres; n. T.
| Creathead. 3 acres; Il. G. Grcathead Oakland
/ 10 acres: L. A. Barker, San Francisco, 10
| acres: N. u. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres: DIR. X.
Favor san Francisco, p acres; j. p. Brownlee.
! Tincardine, Ont, o acres; w. T. Barnett,
! Berkeley. 5 acres; NJ 2. Brown, o acres;
i Chas Brook ST., Oakland 10 acres; W. c.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. 4. A. Crelin,
/ Oakland, 5 acres; G.. Fl. Peach, Tancred,
acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; j. Van
| stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; e. 4. Vanstone,
| Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
/ 5 acres; NJ A. Thomas, Oakland, 6 acres;
/ James Graham, San Francisco, il acres; A.
| Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. NJ.
| Vroornan acres; G. Z. Shook, 10 acres; Q.
L. Greathead, IL acres; VIM. Mckay 5 acresi
| Mrs VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs. L.
@. Wooley. Brooklyn, n. " 10 acres; Mrs H.
Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres t. A. Marriott. .
acres: j. c. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres The
| land reserved by the Colony Company In
\ dinociu townSite, consists of 61 acres.