The record-union., 1891-07-15
4 CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growees in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.


IN TIE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
- Robert \. 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-grcwing. After visiting
many localities they decided on tho Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract
ut Tancree.
Negotiations were opened with the Capsy
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 eco acres OF foothin land.
Ihls being moro than they had thought of
! taking for their own use they spoke 60 q
number of friends about it, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follorE.
Ing people: B. L. Hickok, 40 acres; w. T.
Barnett, 20 acres; n. T. Greathead, 20 acres;
/ Mrs. l.. Greathead. go acres; w. Mckay, 90
acres; n. D. Earker, 90 acres; r.. A. Barker,
70 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 90 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 in
talking up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, 1t was found that so many
more would like to join 1t than the area of the
purchase would admit OF, that 1t was sug.
Gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide IL up in the same wayPn
Then followed the idea of a stock company to
take hold OF q larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of 1t, after subdividing
1t according to the requirements of the sub
| scribers. A provisional board was formed,
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
| June, 1890 the Western Cooperative Col
onizatior and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business,
with the following officers: President, Wnl-
| lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ p. Brown;
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manage
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, C. L. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank OF Oakland.
! The balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pur.
chased. A contract was entered into for tho
! purchase of a largo number of fruit trees
| vines, etc. This early purchase OF trees was
the means of saving between $4,000 and
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-
| Tupted. Those who went into it doubtlngly
have become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged TO set out all their lands in
| fruit trees, etc., the first year. Consequently
| fn this, the first season, some 10000 trees
| and between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
| planted.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
| had the effect of attracting considerable al.
tention TO the work of the Colony Company.
and number of people are now desirous OF
| Joining in with them. An additional 200
| 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 are conducted. How
this marvellous little garden has come to be so
| long neglected is q puzzle to every one who
! has visited 1t, 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
| vaFieties--peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears,
| prunes, figs, raisin grapes, ETC., while along
] ooth sides OF the avenues, throughout the
| tract, walnuts viii throw their grateful shade
| A considerable number OF citrus trees are also
| being set out; quite sufficient number to
| fully 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
ascribed 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 a 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 diIgent
| search and wise expenditure OF money. 1t
| is not expected that Tancred will ever be
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
can be made very pleasant little place to
! dwell in.
/ a petition hes been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract, rs a
county road, ana to build n bridge across
/ Cache Creek at this point, in order 10 give The
settlers on the cast side of the creek access to
| Tancred Station. The Tancred colonists arc
| quite willing 10 give the necessary right Of
way, and are very dcslrous os having bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
! sides of the stream. It is thought that It
| would be a very wise expenditure of public
/ monny to grant them this very necessary I'M
| pTONGnenI, as Tic operations OF Sucn COM
/ panies are Of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and COM
| forts of the cities are well known, but 10
those who are willing TO settle or the land and
show that the country also affords attractions
| and comforts, and ways of making money
! pleasantly every inducement should be held
! forth.
/ The following is list of the principal MEM
| bers OF the Tancre6 Colony, with the number
| ofacres owned by each, and q fact worthy oi
| mention is that in each contract or deed a.
sued by the Colony Company there is a. pro-
| vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land The an
| 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 irn
practicable: @. I. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres: w
1 Z. Hammond, Oakland, II acres: C.. s. Kas-
| son, San Francisco, acres; JOS Barker 10
acres; A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont. S acres.
! N. L. Greathead, acres; r. e. Greathead
! Oakland, 10 acres: K. A. Berl1er Sun Fran
| cisco, 10 acres; n. D. Barker. Tancred. 10
acres; DR.. X. Favor, San Francisco. 27 acres.
]. p. Brownlee, kincardine Ont, 8 acres. w
j I. Barnett, Berkeley, acres: NJ. p. Brown
10 acres; Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland. o acres:
w. 9. BoVtelle, Berkeley, 90 acres: Mrs. T.
A. Crellin, Oakland 5 acres; c. II. Peach.
Tancred, 5acres; II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres;
j. Vanstone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; f. A. Van.
! stone, Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sac.
ramentc, acres; NJ. A. Thomas Oakland 8
| acres; James Graham, San Francisco, IL
/ acres; A. Stark, 12 acres; J. Stark, 10 acres;
Mrs. NJ. Vrooman, 5 acres; c. e. Shook 10
acres: y. 1. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Nc