The record-union., 1892-03-09
A CAPAT COLONY.
Busy Fruit-Growers in a Pretty
YOlO Valley -Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms.

IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert a. 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 profitabls
occupation of fruit-growing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract a.
Tancred
Negotiations were opened with the Capav
Valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. Il. Mills, the General
agent OF that comnaay, they arranged for the
| purchase of about 22o acres of foothiu land
Ihis being more than t4ey had thought of
taking for their own use. they spoke to a
number of friends about t. with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: B. L. Hickok, 40 acres VT.
Barnett, 20 acres; n. T. Greathead. 90 acres.
Mrs. L. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. 90
acres; n. d. Barker, 20 acres; R. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. p. Brownlee, go acres; +. H. Has
lett. 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 acres.
So far this had been merely a private ven
ture OF the gentlemen above named, but in
already purchased, it was found that so rnanv
more would like to join it than the area of the
purchase would admit of, that it was sug-
gested on all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide it up in the same way?n
Then followed the idea of a stock company to
take hold of a larger tract ana arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividfng
1t according to the requirements of the sub
ecribers. AproyisionaI board was formed. a
prospectus issued, and finally, on the 5th OF
June, 1890, the Western Co-operati-e 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:
Directors-H, c. Ellis. Charles Brooke and
H. a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager,
zeal D. Barker; Solicitor C. e. Shook; Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
The balance of the tract, 373 acres. was pur.
chased A 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
PiCSIIS9 VI VIC company mas Deen unlQt6r-
Tupted Those who went into it doubtingly
have 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 40, ,0OG trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be
pIanJeu.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
mad the effect of attracting considerable at
tention to the work of the Colony COMPANY.
md q 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 very bright
future, as wen 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 VIII never again be
felt in the valley.
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears.
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
both sides of the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts win throw their graceful sbade.
A Aconsiderable.number 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
colonists appear to have no doubt. provided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
!
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-sita
! about which there is a pleasant innovation
which might with profit be followed by moro
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 beautffv
! 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 diiigent
/ search and a 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.
petition has been circulated recently 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 ut this point, in order to eivetl,a
| settlers on the east side of the creek access to
| Gancred Station. The Tanered colonfsts are
| quite willing to give the necessary right Of
way, and are very DESTROYS 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 publtc
| 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 tl,osa
| 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 forrb
Tne following is a list of the principal mem.
bers of the rancred Colony, with the number
of acres owned by each. and n fact worthy of
! mention is that in each contract or decd ig
sued by the Colony Company there is a r,ro.
| vision that no intoxicating liquor shall evov
be manufactured or sold on the land. The an.
parent success O 1.-THE enterprise sbov-s tbat
the IDEAS and plans of the colony. as set fo-tl,
III the prospectus some time ago, are not i'm
practicable: G. T. Hull. Berkeley. :, acrns. ",
P. Harmon. Oakland, Ia acres: c. s. Kassoo
San Francisco, II acres; jos. Barker. 1oacyes.
a, w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont. acres. \. II,
Greatheatl, . acres; +. q. Greathead Oaiy,and
10 acres; =. A. Barker, san Francisco 10
acres; \. D. Barker, Iancred, 10 acres. DR.. K.
Favor, san Francisco, . : acres; ]. p. Broy3,ice
Kincardine, Ont, 8 acres; ". 4. Rarnett.
BERKELEY, . acres; ". p Brown. 10 acres;
Chas. Brook, ST., Oakland 10 acres. w. G.
Boutelle, Berkeley, &c acres; Mrs. z. a. Crelin,
Oakland, acres; G. ii. Peach. Tancred, .
acres; =. Z. t1tiis Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
stone v winnipeg, lo acres; II. A. Vanstone,
IaneTed, , acres; u. Wadsworth. Sacramento,
5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas. Clslktsad g acres;
James GRAHAM, san Francisco. II acres; A.
stark. Il acres; j. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. ".
yrooIiaii, acres; G. L. SnocS, 10 acres; C..
J. GFeatheaa, T. acres; WA Mckay, > acres;
MIS- v H. Mckay, Oakland 5 acres; Mrs. &.
= W ooLey, BROOKLYN, \. y, 1o acres; Mrs. II.
Beckley, oakland, 5 acres; T. A. Marriott, 3
acres j. G. Harrison, Tancred. acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company, liz
olnscla to"nsite, consists OF 81 acrea-
te1o-tfdGw