The record-union., 1892-03-10
A CAPAY COLONY,
Busy Fruit-Growers in Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and It's
Adjoining Farms

robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, all of Oak.
land, with view of searching ont a snitabla
location in which to engage in the nrot5tob,a
occupation of fruit-growing. After VISITING
many localities, they decided on the Capay
valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract ut
Tancred.
negotiations were opened with the Capav
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H Mills the Genera,
agent OF that company, they arranged for the
purchase of about 220 acres of foothiu land
Inls being more than they had Thought or
taxing for their own use, they smoke 70 q
number of friends about it. with the resplt
'ilat the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: B. L. Ricllok, 40 acres: W. II
Barnett, &c acres; N. T. Greathead 90 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 % acres, and Frederick Kelly, / O acres
80 1ar this had been merely q private ven.
ture OF the gentlemen above named. bUt in
talking up the question of dividing the land
|
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 moro
land and divide it up in the same wavor
linen followed the idea Of a stock coropenv tn
take hold of larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividino
IL according to the requirements of the sub.
Gcrloers. a provisional board was formed. a
prospectus issued, aud finally, on the 5tb Of
June, 1890, the Western Co-operatjve Col.
onization and Improvement Company was
ulIy registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: President, VIII.
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ. p. Brown.
Dlrectors--H, c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
K. a. Barker; Secretary and General Manager
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, c. E. Shook: Treas
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Inc balance OF the tract, 373 acres, was pur.
eDaseo. 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
$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-
fupted. Those who went into it dCubtingly
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 4O, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines viii be
pranreu.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable At
tenton to the work of the Colony Conpanv
ana number of people are now desirous 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
Iuttfe, as We'll as for the beautiful valley in
which their operations are conducted. Hoyy
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 be
felt in the valley
The fruits set out are mostly of the standard
Varlet1es-peaches, apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc. while along
ooth slaes OF the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade.
A Aconsiderableipumber 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
colonists appear to have no doubt provided
proper care is given to the young trees. Neal
ID. Barker, General Manager of the companv
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 toVyn-site
about which there is a 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 diEipent
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 il
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 a
county road, and to build bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to give the
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 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
proyement, as the operations of such COM
panies are of widespread benefit to the whole
county and State. The attractions and com.
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
Tne following is a list of the principal mem
bers of the Tancred Colony, with the aumber
of acres owned by each, and n 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
no IA NJ ~ m tfoal
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: C. t. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w.
p. Harmon, Oakland, Ii acres; @. s. Kasson,
San Francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker, / O acres;
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont, 5 acress N. L.
Greathead, > acres; r: q. Greathead, Oakland
10 ceres; r. A. Barker, San Francisco, 10
acres; n. d. Barker Tancred, 10 acres; DIR. K.
Favor San Francisco, 27 acres; j. 2. .Brownlee,
Kincardine, Ont, acres; w. 7. Barnett
Berkeley, 5 acres; NJ. p. Brown, 10 acres;
Chas. Brook, Sr., Oakland, 10 acres; w. G.
Boutelle, Berkeley, 90 acres; Mrs. T. A. Crelin
Oakland 5 acres; C. II. Peach, Tancred. 5
acres; n. c. Ellis, Oakland 10 acres; j. Van
stone, Winnipeg, 10 acres; f. A. Vanstone,
Tancred, 5 acres; E. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres;
James Graham, San Francisco, IL acres; a.
stark, 12 acres; ]. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs M.
Vrooman, 5 acres; G. f. Shook, 10 acres; C.
I. Greathead, 12 acres; VIM. Mckay 5 acres;
Mrs. VIM. Mckay, Oakland, 8 acres; Mrs L.
| G. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. h
Beckley, Oakland, 8 acres; T. A Marriett, 5
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, 8 acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company, in.
dingclu townsite, consists of 61 acres.
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