The record-union., 1891-09-03
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, all of Oak.
iaho' with view of searching out a suitable
location IN which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-growing. After visittn,
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Vaney' 1olo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
negotiations were opened with the Capav
alley Land Company, owning the tract IN
q1estion. With w. H. Mills. the Genera,
agent of that company, they arranged for tho
purchase of about 22O acres of footbiu land
Inns being moro than they had thought of
taxing for their own use, they spoke to a
number of friends about it, with the result.
That the tract was divided among the foIIorv,
ing people: B. L. Rickok. 40 acres: W.T.
farnett, 20 acres; n. t. Greathead. 90 acres.
Mrs. l. Greathead, 20 acres; w. McKav %
acres; n. D. Barker, 20 acres: F. A. Barker
~ acres; j. p. Brownlee, go acres; E. II. Has.
ie''' ~ acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
nelly, 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 0 acres.
80 lar this had been merely private ven.
ture 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 tbe
purchase would admit of, that il was sug-
gested on all hands, ''Why not get some mora
iahd ana divide it up in the same way?p
Ihen followed the idea of stock companv to
take hold of larger tract and arrange for tho
cultivation Of the whole of it, after subdtvidipo
II according TO the requirements of the sub.
scribers. provisional board was formed q
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 9Th ot
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onlzation and Improvement Company was
dIly 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
r. a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, c. E. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance OF the tract, 373 acres, was mr..
chased contract was entered into for tho
purchase OF large number of fruit trens
vines etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between $4,000 and
e4'ooo 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 doubttnpIv
have become enthusiastic, and almost all fba
members arranged to set out all their lands in
fruit trees, etc, the first year Consequently
In this, the first season, some 40, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
p1anred.
Inc satisfactory working OF this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable At
tent1on 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 sixty acres
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 so
long neglected is a puzzle to every one who
has visited it, but one thing is very sure. and
that is that this neglect will never again he
felt in the valley
Inc fruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, hgs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
Ooth sioes OF the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
a considerablesnumber 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 the
colon1StS 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 a pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by more
ambitious places. A small park of some three
hos foiH
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 dilfgent
search and a wise expenditure of money, It
is not expected that Tancred will ever be n
large and busy city, but 1t is thought that It
can be made very pleasant little place to
dwell in.
A petition has been circulated recentIv and
very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
cept Island avenue, on the colony tract, as
county road, and to build q bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, In order to give the
settlers on the east side Of the creek access to
Tancred 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 q 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 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 a list Of the principal men,
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each, and fact worthy of
mention is that in each contract or deed is
sued by the Colony Company there is pro.
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land. The ap-
parent success ofthe 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, 3 acres; w.
P. Harmon, Oakland, IA acres; G. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, acres; JOS. Barker 10 acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres; N T.
8 acres; Il. G. Greathead, Oakland
10 acres; r. A. Barker. San Francisco, 10
acres; N. d. Barker, Tancred, I o acres; DIR. X.
Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; J. P. Brownlee.
Ont, 8 acres; w. T. Barnett
5 acres; NJ p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas. Brook Sr., Oakland, 10 acres; w. C. !
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. 7. A. Crelin
5 acres; C. II. Peach, Tancred, 5
acres II. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; ]. Van.
stone, Winnipeg. 10 acres; E. A. Vanstone
Tancred, 5 acres; e. Wadsworth, Sacramento
5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres
James Graham, San Francisco II acres; A
Stark, 12 acres; j. Stark 10 acres; Mrs. NJ
Vrooman, 5 acres; c, E. Shook, 10 acres; C.
t. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acres;
Mrs VIM. Mckay, Oakland, acres Mrs Z.
C. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres; T. A. Marriott 5
acres; j. G. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company, in.
dingclu townsite, consists of 61 acres.
fe15-tfd6U