The record-union., 1891-07-14
4 CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit Growers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley--Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

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 a suitable
location In which TO engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-grcwins. After visiting
many localities, they decided On the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tracs
st TancreG.
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company, they arranged for the
| purchase OF about 22O acres of foothin land.
This being more than they had thought OF
taking fer their own use, they spoke to 8
number OF friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
/ ing people: 3. l.. Hickok 40 acres; W. T.
! Barnett, 90 acres; n. I. Greathead, 20 acres:
| Mrs. l.. Greathead 30 acres; w. Mckay, 20
acres; N. d. Barker, 90 acres; r. a. Barker,
go acres; j. P. Brownlee, 90 acres; f. H. Has.
! lett, 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; a. W.
Kelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, ! O acres.
So far this had been merely a private ven.
tire OF the gentlemen above named, but in
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 tho
! purchase would admit of, that it was sug-
Gested on all hands, ''Why not get some more
| land and divide it up in the same gay?"
| Then followed the idea of stock company TO
| take hold OF n larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividing
| 1t according to the requirements of the sub-
scribers. provisional board was formed. n
| prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5tn OF
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col
onizatior and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded TO business.
! with the following officers: President. Will
iam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p Brown;
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, O. L. Shook: Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pur
chased. y contract was entered into for tho
| purchase of large number OF full 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 soluo
! 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 doubtinrly
| 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 10000 trecs
! and between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
! planted.
| The satisfactory working of this scheme has
! mad the effect of attracting considerable AZ
| tention to the work Of the Colony Company.
| and number OF people are now desi-ous OF
| Joining in with them. An additional goo
! acres have been added to the sixty acres
| originally purchased.
For the company is predicted a very bright
future, as well as for the beautiful valley In
| which their operations arc conducted How
| this marvellous little garden has come to be 30
| long neglected is II puzzle to every ono who
| has visited it, but one thing is very sure. and
| that Is that this neglect will never again Ss
| felt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of Tire standard
| neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears.
! prunes, tlgS raisn grapes, etc, while along
! both sides of the avenues, throughout tho
| tract, walnuts will throw their grateful shade.
| considerable number of citrus trchs are also
| being set out; quite o sufficient number to
| demonstrate that these fruits can be success
| fully grown in tho valley, abou: which tho
! colonists appear to have no doubt, provided
| proper care is given TO tho young trees. Neal
| D. Barker, General Manager of the company,
resides on the tract, and to his care is 10 30
ascribed much OF the success OF the venture
! Mention should DC made Of the town-site
! about which there is pleasant innovation
| which might with profit be followed by mora
ambitious places a small park Of soma -co
acres has been laid ont right In the center OF
| the town. This park il is proposed to beautify
! by planting in it from time TO time as many
| OF the beauties and curiosirieS Of tree and
! shrub life as may De obtained by diligent
search and wise expenditure CT money. Il
! &c not expected that Iancred wiz ever ne q
| 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 tho county to ac-
| Cept Island avenue, on the colony tract. aj o
! county roSd, ana 20 build q bridge across
! Cache Creek 81 this point, !n order TO give the
settlers on tho cast side OF the creek Gccess TO
! Tnncred Station. The Tanored coioi.sts Iro
| quite willing to give the necessary riE5l. OF
| way, and are very deSlrcus OF having 4 bridge
| there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides of the stream. II is thought that It
would be a very wise expenditure OF public
| money 10 grant them this very necessary I'M
| proYe:uent, rs the operations OF sCci2 COM
| p3nies 8re OF widespread benefit 10 the whole
| county pad State. Tho attractions and com
| forts of the cities arc well known, bu. lei
chose who are willing TO settle on tho land ana
! show that the country also affords attractions
| ard comforts, and ways OF making money
| pleasantly every inducemeat should DC held
| forth.
The following is a list &C the principal mem.
bers Of the Tancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each, aud fact worthy of
mention is that in each contract or deed is
sued by the Colony Company there is a pro-
/
| 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 i'm
| practicable: G. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres; ",
| r Hammond, Oakland. Ia acres; c. g. Kas-
| son, san Francisco, II acres; Jos Barker. 10
| acres; \. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres;
| N. T. (Ireathead, . acres; r. g. Greathcad
| Oakland, 10 acres; r. ~ Barker. San Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; y. D. Barker Tancred 10
| acTes DR.. *. Favor, San Francisco 27 acres;
| j. 2. Brownlee, kfncardtne, Ont, acres; W.
| 4. Barnett, Berkeley, S acres; N. p Brown,
| 10 acres; Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland, 10 acres;
| w. G. Boptelie, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. Il.
| a. Crellin. Oakland, 5 acres; C. II. Peach,
/ TRncrea, 5 acres; II. C. Ellis Oakland 10acres;
J. Nanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. Van
| stone, Tancred, acres; E. Wadsworth, Sac
! rsmento, acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland.
acres; James Graham, San Francisco, IL
! acres; A. Stark, IL acres; j. Stark, 0 acres;
| Mrs. II. Frooman, s acres; c. e. Snook, 10
acres; @. I. Greethead, 12 acres; VIM. Nc
Kay, 8 acres; Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland,