The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-14
4 CAPAY 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.
iand' 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 Capav
Valley, Yolo County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred
Negotiations were opened with the Csuav
valley Land Company, owning the tract in
question. With w. H. Mills, the General
agent OF that company they arranged for tho
purchase of about ego acres of foothiu land
This being more than they had thought or
taking for their own use. they smoke tn a
number of friends about il. with the resr,4
that the tract was divided among the follow.
ing people: B. L" Ricllok, 40 acres; VT.
barnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead, 20 acres.
Mrs. l. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay 90
acres; n D. Barker 90 acres; r. A. Barker
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee 90 acres: e. II. Has.
lett. 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres: A. w.
Kelly 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, L acres.
so lar this had been merely private VEN
lure OF the gentlemen above named. but in
taking 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
land and divide it up in the same way?n
Then followed the idea of a stocl, companv tn
take hoId OF a larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation of the whole of it, after subdividing
1t according to the requirements of the SUBJ
scrlbers. A provisional board was formed. q
prospectus issued, and finally, ON the 18th Of
June, 1890, the Western Co-operatiye Col
onization and Improvement Company was
duly registered and proceeded to business.
with the following officers: President. Will
lam Mckay; Vice-President, NJ P. Brown;
Dlrectors-H. G. 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 the
purchase OF large number of fruit trees.
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between So, 900 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 doubtinply
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, 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be-
pIanueu.
The satisfactory working of this scheme has
had the effect of attracting considerable At
tentlon to the work of the Colony COMPANY
ana number of people are now DESTROYS 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 BRIGHT
| Iutufe, 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 be
! felt in the valley
Inc fruits set out are mostly of the standard
yarieties-peaches apricots, Bartlett pears
prunes, figs, raisin grapes, etc, while along
ooth sides of the avenues, throughout the
| tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
! a considerableinumber 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
colonlsts appear to have no doubt, provided
proper care is given to the young trees Neal
d. Barker, General Manager of the conpany
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. 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 MANY
OF the beauties and curiosities of tree and
| shrub life as may be obtained by dilieent
search and wise expenditure of money. It
| is not expected that Tancred will ever be q
large and busy city, but it is thought that it
can be made a very pleasant little place to
! dwell in.
A petition has been circulated recently and
very largely signed, asking the county to &C.
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 DESTROYS of having 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 well known, but to those
who are willing 10 settle on the land and show
| that the country also affords attractions and
comforts and ways of making money pleas
antly, every lnducement 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 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: c. T. Hull, Berkeley, acres; w.
p. Harmon, Oakland, ii acres; @. S. Kasson,
San Francisco, IL acres; Jos. Barker, 10 acres;
( A. W. Kelly Kincardine, Ont. acres; N T.
/ 10 acres; r. A. Barker San Francisco, 10
acres; n. D. Barker, Tancred, 10 acres; DR.. K.
| Favor, San Francisco, 27 acres; J. 2. Brownlee,
! Berkeley, acres; NJ. P. Brown, 10 acres;
/ Boutelle, Berkeley, &c acres; Mrs. r. A. Crelin,
/ Oakland, 5 acres; C. n. Peach, Tancred, 5
4 acres; II. G. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; J. Van
! stone Winnipeg, 10 acres; f. A. Vanstone,
/ Tancred, acres; f. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
4 5 acres; NJ. A. Thomas, Oakland, 6 acres;
! James Graham, San Francisco. II acres; A.
/ Vrooman 5 acres; @. E. Shook 10 acres: C.
1 T. Greathead, II acres; VIM Mckay, 5 acres;
/ Mrs VIM Mckay, Oakland 5 acres; Mrs. e.
! c. Wooley, Brooklyn, n. Y, 10 acres; Mrs. II.
( BeckIey, Oakland, 8 acres; T. A. Marriott, 5
acres; j. c. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres. The
land reserved by the Colony Company In
,-1E..N ,-sN, -feFr,. ~.