The record-union., 1892-02-12
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
YolO Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

hobert a. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with view of searching out a suitable
location In which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruitgrowing After VISITING
many localities, they decided on the Capay
valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred
Negotlauons were opened with the Capav
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H. Mills. the Genara,
Agent of that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 22o acres of foothin land
This being more than they had thought OF
taxing for their own use they smoke to n
number OF friends about it. with the result
mat the tract was divided among the follow
ing people: B. L. Rickok, 40 acres; w. 7,
Barnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead. 20 acres.
Mrs L. Greathead, 20 acres; w. Mckay. %
acres; n. D, Barker, 20 acres; R. A. Barker
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres: E. ii. Has
iett. 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.
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 the
purchase would admit of, that it was suo.
gested on all hands, "Why not get some mora
Iand and divide it up in the same way?n
Then followed the idea of stock company TO
take hold of larger tract ana arrange for tha
cultivation OF the whole of it. after subdividine
1t according to the requirements of the sub
scrlbers. A provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally on the 9TH of
June, 1890, the Western Co-operatiya Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
ol-ly registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers: President, Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. P. Brown
Dlrectors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
r. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, c. f. Shook; Treas
0rer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres. was pur.
cnased A contract was entered into for the
purchase of a large number of fruit trees
Tlnes, 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.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
have been but slightly modified and the
progress of the company has been uninter-
fupted. 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 4O, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
p1anJeu.
Inc satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable at
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 hrtobt
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 it, but one thing is very sure, and
that is that this neglect will never again ba
felt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
Varletles-peaohes, apricots, Bartlett pears.
pfunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
A Observation-Disclosures OF citrus trees are also
being set out; quite sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success.
fully grown in the valley, about which the
colonlsts appear to have no doubt, provided
| proper care is given to the young trees Neal
d. 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 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 diligent
| search and wise expenditure of money. It
| 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 recentlv and
! very largely signed, asking the county to ac-
! cept Island avenue, on the colony tract as a
/ county road, and to build a 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 a 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 we'll 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 a fact worthy o
mention is that in each contract or deed is
| sued by the Colony Company there is pro
vision that no intoxicating liquor shall ever
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 i'm
practicable: C. T. Hull, Berkeley, 5 acres; w
P. Harmon, Oakland, II acres; @. S. Kasson
San Francisco, IL acres; Jos. Barker, / o acres
| A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acres; N. T
| Greathead, acres; r. g. Greathead, Oakland
/ 10 acres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco, 1C
acres; N. d. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. X
Favor, San Francisco, % acres; j. p. Brownlee
Kincardine, Ont, 9 acres; w. I. Barnett
Berkeley, acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres
Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland, 10 acres; w. G
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. T. A. Crelin
Oakland, acres; G. FL. Peach, Tancred {
acres; Fl. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; j. Van
| stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; E. a. Vanstone
! rancred, 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, ; acres; G. E. Shook, 10 acres; c
i. Greathead 12 acres VIM. Mckay, 5 acres
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, acres; Mrs. I
C. Wooley, Brooklyn, N. Y, j o acres; Mrs. Il
Beckley, Oakland 5 acres; t. A. Marriott
acres; j. C. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres. TIL
II la, NV COl0nv in