The record-union., 1891-02-16
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

hujOlHluS L dI HIS.
TN 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 suitable
location in which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. II. Mills, the General
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22O acres of foothill land
This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, they spoke to q
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: y. /. Hickok 40 acres: w. T.
barnett, 20 acres; n. Il. Greathead, 20 acres;
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay, 20
acres; \. ID. Barker, 20 acres; r. a. Barker.
20 acres; j. T. Brownlce, 20 acres; E. II. Has
ictt' 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; a. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, / 0 acres
so iar this had been merely q private ven.
ture of the gentlemen above named. but
III talking up the question of dividing the
lanu already purchased, it was found that so
many more would like to Join it than the
| area of the llurchoca olr
was suggested on all hands, "Why not get
some more land and divide it up in the same
way ?" Then followed the idea of a stocl,
company to take hold of a larger tract and
arrange for the cultivation of the whole of il.
after subdiviGing it according to the re-
quirements Of the subscribers. A provisional
board was formed, prospectus issued, and
finally, on the 5th OF Juue. 1890. the West
| ern Cooperative Colonization and Improve
nent Company was duly registered and pro-
ceeoed 10 business with the following officers:
President, William Mckay; Nice-President.
NJ. T. Brown. Directors-H c. Ellis Charles
Brooke and r. A. Barker; Secretary and Cen
eral Manager, Neal D. Barker; Solicitor. C. f.
Snook; Treasurer, First National Bank of
Oakland.
| Ihe balance of the tract, g. 73 acres was pur-
chased. n contract was entered into for the
| purchase OF n 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
| The 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 doubting!y
nave become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their land in
fruit trees, ETC., the first year. Consequently
III this, the first season, some 4O, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be
! planted.
| The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable atten-
ton TO the work of the Colony Company. and
number of people are row desirous of join
! ing in with them. An additional 900 acres
nave been added to the sixty acres originally
! purchased.
| For the company is predicted very bright
| future, as we'll rs 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 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
prunes, figs raisin grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues. throughout the
tract, walnuts viii throw their graceful shade
y considerable number of citrus trees are also
belnS set out; quite sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success
| iuily 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 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 beautify
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
search and q 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 a 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
/
Iancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
| quite willing to give the necessary right of
way, and are very desrous OF having a 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 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 ana 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 a 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 a pro-
vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The
apparent success of the enterprise shows
that the ideas and plans of the col
ony, as set forth in the prospectus some
time ago, are not impracticable: c. T.
Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w. P. Hammon Oak
l acres: Jos. Barker, 10 acres; A. w. Kelly,
Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres; n. T. Greathead, 5
| acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland, 1o acres; R.
A. Barker, San Francisco, ] o acres; N. ID. Bar
ker, Tancred, 10 acres; DIR. X Favor, San
Francisco, 27 acres; j. P. Brownlee, Kincar-
dine, Ont 8 acres; w. T. Barnett, Berkeley. )
| acres NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres; Chas Brook, Sr.,
Oakland, 10 acres; w. c. Boutelle Berkeley.