The record-union., 1891-09-02
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

N THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert y. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with q view of searching ont o s,t+abIa
'oSaIioh 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
alley 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 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
That the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: b. L. Hicbok, 40 acres: W.T..
Earnett, 20 acres; n. T. Greathead 90 acres.
Mrs L Greathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay 90
acres; y. D. Barker, 90 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. H. Has.
le't' ~ acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, / 0 acres.
SO far 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, IL was found that so rnany
more would like to join it than the area of tho
purchase would admit Of that if was suq
gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide it up in the same way?n
Ihen followed the idea of @ stock company to
take hold Of larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividino
II according to the requirements Of the sub
Gcribers. provisional board was formed n
prospectus issued and finally. on the 5th q,
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onization and Improvement Companv yvas
duly registered and proceeded TO business.
with the following officers: President, Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p. Brown.
Directors-H. C. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
K. 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 puF-
chased A contract was entered into for ths
purchase OF a large number of fruit traes
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between $4,000 and
S4'ooo 10 the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
nave been but slightly modified and the
progress of the company has been uninter-
rupted. Those who went into it doubtingly
nave 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
pIanJea.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
of Of
tenuon to the work Of the Colony COMPANY
and number of people are now desrous of
Joining in with them. An additional 900
acres have been added to the sixtv scraS
originally purchased.
For the company is predicted 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 an
long neglected is a puzzle to every one who
mas 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
varleties-peaches aprlcots, Bartlett pears
pruhes, figs, raistn grapes, etc. while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
A considerablcsnumber 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 ths
colonlsts appear to have no doubt provided
proper care is given to the young trees Neal
d. Barker, General Manager of the comoanv
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 tovn-site
about which there is pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by more
ambitious places. y 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 MANY
OF the beauties and curiosities OF tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by dilirent
search and q wise expenditure of money. 1t
is not expected that Tancred will ever be n
large and busy city, but it is thought that il
can be made a very pleasant little place to
dwell in.
petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to &C.
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract. az n
county road, and to build q bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give thS
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, 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 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
antly, 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 q fact worthy OF
mention is that in each contract or deed is.
sued by the Colony Company there is a pro.
vision that intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
parent success 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. T. Hull, Berkeley 5 acres; w.
p. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; G. s. Kasson,
San Francisco, / acres; Jos. Barker, 10 acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine Ont, . acres; N. 7.
Greathead, 5 acres; X. G.. GTeathead Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco, TO
acres; N. D. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; j. p. Brownlee
Kincardine, Ont, 9 acres; W. T. Barnett
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ p. Brown, 10 acres
Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; w c.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 30 acres; Mrs. r. A. CreHn
3 acres; C. II. Peach, Tancred, 5
acres; II. c. 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, acres
James Graham, San Francisco, IL acres; A
Stark 12 acres; ]. Stark 10 acres; Mrs. NJ.
Vrooman, . acres; c. L. Shook, 10 acres; C.
L. Greathead, IL acres; Mm. Mckay, 5 acres
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs. E.
G. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, o acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, Oakland, . acres; T. y. Marriott, 5
acres; j. G. Harrison, Tancred acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company, in.
dinSt!u t0wnsite, consists Of 81 acres.
faI EI-tffirsw