The record-union., 1892-03-18
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-GrOwers in Pretty
Yolo VaIley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

Z LIZ oIhING OF LAST TEAR
Robert a. and Neal D. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with a view of searching out a suitabIo
location in which to engage in the profitable
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capav
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred.
Negotiations were opened with the Canov
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With W. H. Mills, the General
agent OF that company, they arranged for tina
purchase of about ego acres of foothfn land
inns being more than they had thought q,
taxing for their own use, they spoke to n
number of friends about it. with the resuIt
that the tract was divided among the foIIovr,
ing people: b. L. Hickok, 40 acres. w n
Barnett, 60 acres; N. T. Grcathead. 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.
lett. 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly. 10 acres
so lar this had been merely s private ven.
ture of the gentlemen above named. bat in
talking up the question of dividing the Land
already purchased, it was found that so MANY
more would like TO join 1t than the area of tf,.
purchase would admit OF, that it was s,,n.
gested on all hands, S'Why not get some moro
land and divide it up in the same way?n
Then followed the idea of a stock. corapany to
take hold Of a larger tract ana arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after srbCiyidfnc
1t according to the requirements of the sub.
ccribers. A provisional board was formed. .
prospectus issued, aud finally, on the 5th Of
June, 1890, the Western Cooperative Col.
onization and Improvement COMPANY was
duly registered and proceeded to business
with the following officers: President win.
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p. Brown.
plrectors-H, e. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
H. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager
Neal D. Barker; Solicitor c. T. Shook: Treas
nrer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Inc balance of the tract, 373 acres, was pl1r.
chased. contract was entered into for the
purchase OF n large number of fruit 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 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 doubtinglv
| nave become enthusiastic and almost all the
members arranged to set out all their lands in
! lrult trees, etc, the first year. Consequently
in this, the first season, some 40, 600 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
pranJeu.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable at
tent1on to the work of the Colony Conpauv
and number of people are now dcsiroIls Of
Joining in with them. An additional 200
acres have been added to the sixty acres
originally purchased.
FOR the company is predicted 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 so
long neglected is puzzle to every one who
has visited it, but one thing is very sure and
that is that this neglect will never again be
felt in the valley
Inc fruits set out are mostly Of the standard
Varletles-peaches, apricots Bartlett pears
prunes, hgS, raisln grapes, etc, while along
oolh SIDES OF the avenues, throughout the
tract walnuts win throw their graceful shade
A Aconsiderabeinumber of citrus trees are also
! being set out; quite q sufficient number to
demonstrate that these fruits can be success
FULLY grown in the valley, about which tba
colontsts appear to have no doubt provided
proper care is given to the young trees, Neal
ID. Barker, General Manager of the cornpanv
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 q pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed bv 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 beautifv
by planting in it from time to time as rnanv
of the beauties and curiosities of tree and
shrub life as may be obtained by dilipent
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 recently ana
| 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 tho
settlers on the east side OF the creek access To
| Fancred Station. The Tancred colonists are
| quite willing to give the necessary right of
| way, and are very desirous of having q br ICIge
| 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 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.
| Rntly, 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 a pro.
| vision that no Intoxicating liquor shall ever
/ be manufactured or sold on the land The ap.
| 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. Huh, Berkeley. 3 acres: w.
| z. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; C. 6. Kasson
! San Francisco IL acres; Jos. Barker, 1o acres;
| A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, acres: N 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, 81 acres; ]. 2. BrownIee,
! Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; w. T. Barnett,
/ Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. z. Brown, 10 acres;
| Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland, 10 acres; w. c.
/ Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs T. A. Crelin,
I Oakland, ; acres; G. III. Peach. Tancred 3
/ acres; 81. c. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres: j. Van.
| stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; Il. \. Vanstone.
! Tancred, 3 acres; f. Wadsworth. Sacramento,
/ 8 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, 6 acres;
| James Graham, san Francisco, II acres; a.
/ Stark, II acres; j. Stark, i o acres: Mrs. NJ.
/ yrooman, 5 acres; G. E. Shook, 10 acres; C.
! I. Greathead, II acres; Wnl. Mckay. 3 acres;
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland ; acres; Mrs. Z.
/ G. Wooley, Brooklyn, y. Y. 10 acres; Mrs. II.
| Beckley, Oakland, 5 acres; T. A. Marriott, 8
acres; ]. c. Harrison, Tancred, acres. The
| land reserved by the Colony Company, In.
| aingclu townsite, consists of 81 acres.
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