The record-union., 1891-09-23
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
YOlo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay. ALI OF Oak.
l'1na' With view of searching out a suitable
'0cation IN which TO engage in the profitable
occupation OF fruit-growIng. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
vaiiey' 1oio County, and the Rhodes tract az
Tancred.
Negonations were opened with the Capav
ailey Land Company, owning the tract In
Q1estlon. With w. II. Mills the General
agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase OF about 220 acres of foothin land
This being more than they had thopght of
taxing for their own. use, they spoke To a
NUMBER OF friends about il, with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: b. l.. HicEoll, 40 acres; VT.
Earnett, 20 acres; N. t. Greathead 90 acres.
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres: w. Mckay %
acres; N d. Barker. 90 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, 20 acres; e. II. 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 prfvate ,er.
ture OF the gentlemen above named. but in
G'iAlhs up the question of dividing the land
already purchased, it was found that so many
more would like 10 join it than the area OF ths
purchase would admit OF, that it was sug.
gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
land and divide it up in the same wavqp
Ihen followed the idea of a stock connanv tn
ueNe holo OF larger tract and arrange for the
culIVauon OF the whole of it. after subdivfdino
1t according to the requirements of the spb.
Gcnbers. A AprovisionaI board was formed a
prospectus issued, and finally. on the eth q,
'ooe' 1890 the Western Cooperative Col
onzation and Improvement Company was
oily registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers President. VIII.
lam Mckay; Vice-President. NJ p. Brown.
Dlrectors-H. G. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
II. a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor, c. E. Shook: Treas-
urer, First National BanlS of Oakland.
Inc oaiance OF the tract, 373 acres was DUR
CHASED. A contract was entered into for the
purchase OF large number of fruit trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between $4,000 and
S4'oOo TO the company, the prices in somo
cases having moro than doubled since then.
Inc ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and the
progress of the company has been untater-
rupted- Those who went into itdouhtinelv
nave become enthusiastic, and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their lands IL,
fruit trees, ETC., the first year. Consequently
IN this, the first season, some 10, 600 trees and
p1anteu. va
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
mad the effect of attracting considerable at
tentlon to the work of the Colony COMPANY
ana number of people are now desirous of
joining in with them. An additional 200
acres havo been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased
for the company is predicted q very bright
luture' as well as FOR the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted. How
this marvellous little garden has come to be 80
long neglected is a puzzle to every one who
mas visited 1t. but one thing is very sure. and
that Is that this neglect will never again be
felt in the valley.
Ihe trultS set out are mostly or the standard
neutrality-suspicious., aprlcots, bartlett pears
prunes, ugs, raisin grapes etc, while along
ooth SIDES OF the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts win throw their graceful shade
a Observation-Disclosures OF citrus trees arc also
helng set out; quite sufficient number 70
demonstrate that these fruits can be success.
luliy 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 tho tovn-st+o
about which there is pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed bv moro
ambitious places. a small park OF some three
acres has been laid out right in the center az
the town. This park it is proposed to beautify
by planting IN it from time TO time as many
of the beauties and curiosit!es OF tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by diiigent
search and o 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 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 4
county road, and to build a bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give ths
settlers on the east side of the creek access to
Cancred Station The Tancred coIonists arc
quite willing to give the necessary right Of
way, and are very desirous of having a bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along 10th
sides OF the stream. 1t is thought that it
would be & very wise expenditure OF public
money to grant them this very necessary inn
provement, as the operations OF such COM
panies are of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and COM
forts of tho 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 q 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 pro-
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
parent success o the enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans of the colony, as set forth
in the prospectus some time ago, are not im-
practicable c. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w.
p. Harmon, Oakland, ii acres; @. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, il acres; Jos. Barker, 1o acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine Ont, acres; T.
Greathead, acres; r. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco 10
acres; N. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; j. p. Brownlee.
Kincardine Ont, . acres; w. I. Barnett,
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas Brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres; w. C.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 20 acres Mrs. t. A. Crelin,
Oakland, acres; G. II. Peach, Tancred,
acres; II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
stone Winnipeg, 10 acres; E A. Vanstone,
Tancred, 5 acres; r. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, 6 acres;
James Graham, san Francisco, II acres; A.
Stark, ID acres; j. Stark 10 acres; Mrs. NJ.
Vrooman, acres; C. E. Shook, 10 acres; c.
T. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acreSi
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs. f.
c. Wooley, Brooklyn, ". Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, Oakland, acres; T. A. Marriott 8
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company, ins
dingclu townsite, consists of 81 acres.
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