The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-18
A CAPAY COLONY.
Busy Fruit Growers in a Pretty
Yolo Valley-Tancred and Its
Adjoining Farms

TN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR
Robert A. and Neal d. Barker associated
themselves with William Mckay, ali OF Oak.
land, with view OF searching out suitable
location In which to engage in the profitable
occupation OF fruitgrowing. After visiting
many localities, they decided on the Capay
Valley, Yoio County, and the Rhodes tract at
Tancred
Negotiations were opened with the Capay
valley Land Company, owning the tract In
question. With W. H. Mills, the General
Agent OF that company. they arranged for the
purchase OF about eco acres OF foothill land
This being more than they had thought of
taking for their own use, they spoke TO a
number Of friends about 1t. with the result
that the tract was divided among the follow.
Ing people: B. L. Hickok, 40 acres: W.T..
Barnett, 20 acres; N. T. Greathead, 20 acres:
Mrs. l.. Greathead, 90 acres; w. Mckay. go
acres; N. D. Barker, go acres; r. A. Barker.
20 acres; j. P. Brownlee, 20 acres; E. HI. Has.
lett. 10 acres; Joseph Barker, 10 acres; A. w.
Aehy' 10 acres, and Frederick Kelly, 10 acres.
90 iar this had been merely private ven-
lure OF the gentlemen above named, but in
talking up the question Of dividing the land
already purchased, 1t was found that so MANY
more would like to join It than the area of the
purchase would admit of, that It was sue.
gested on all hands, "Why not get some more
land and divide 1t up in the same way?n
Tnen followed the idea of q stock company to
take hold OF larger tract and arrange for the
cultivation Of the whole OF 1t, after subdiyidins
1t according to the requirements of the SUBJ
ccribers. provisional board was formed a
prospectus issued, and 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. WILL
lam Mckay; Vice-President, M P. Brown:
Directors-H. c. Ellis, Charles Brooke and
Il. A. Barker; Secretary and General Manager.
Neal d. Barker; Solicitor, C. E. Shook; Treas.
urer, First National Bank of Oakland.
Inc balance or the tract, 37S acres was Dur.
CHASED. A contract was entered into for the
purchase Of a large number OF fruit trees
vines, etc. This early purchase of trees was
the means of saving between $4,000 and
S4,ooo TO the company, the prices in some
cases having more than doubled since then.
The ideas which the prospectus set forth
nave been but slightly modified and the
progress OF the company has been uninter.
rupted. Those who went into 1t 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 40 900 trees and
between 10000 and 10000 vines will be
pIan,e0.
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 DESTROYS 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 well rs 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 1t, 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
neutrality-suspicious., apricots, Bartlett pears.
prunes, dgs, raisin grapes, etc.. while along
both sides OF the avenues, throughout the
tract, walnuts will throw their graceful shade
Aconsiderablesnumbero 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
IL
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 q 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 1t ia proposed to beautifv
by planting in 1t from time to time as many
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 he a
large and busy city, but 1t is thought that it
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 a bridge across
Cache Creek at this point, in order to piya tn.
settlers on the east side Of the creek access 10
rancred Station. The Tancred colouiats ara
quite willing to give the necessary right of
way, and are very DESTROYS OF having q bridge
there, as the colony lands extend along both
sides OF the stream. It Is thought that II
would be O very wise expenditure of puhic
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 those
VINO are willing 70 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 n,-,b
The following is q list OF the prdncipal mar,.
bers OF the Tancred Colony, with the nnmhex
OF acres owned by each, and fact worthvo,
mention Is that In each contract or deed 10.
sued by the Colony Company there 10 a nro.
vision that no Intoxicating LIQUOR shall ever
be manufactured or sold on the land Tbean.
parent success otthe enterprise shows that
the ideas and plans OF the colony. as set forth
IN tne prospectus some time ago, are not i'm.
Prao.icaDie: y. =. HUH, berkeley, 5 acres; w.
namhoh, oakland, IA acres; G. s. Kasson,
San francisco, II acres; Jos. Barker 10 acres:
A. w. Kelly, Kincardine, Ont. s acres. n. n
Greathead, acres; r. g. Greathead Oakland
~ acres; H. "A. Barker, San Francisco, 10
acres; N. ~ barker, Tancred, 10 acres: Dr. X
Favor, San Francisco, 81 acres: ]. P. Brownlee,
kincardine, Ont, 8 acres: w. T. Barnett,
berkeley, acres; n. p. Brown. 10 acres;
Cnas. brook, ST., Oakland, 10 acres: W. c.
Bouteie, berkeley, go acres; Mrs. T. A. CreIin,
oakland, acres; G. II. Peach, Tancred, 5
acres' "a. =. Ellis, Oakland, 10 acres; ]. Van
s.one, winnipeg, 10 acres; E. A. yanstone,
lancreo' 0 acres; e. Wadsworth, Sacramento,
acres; M. A. Thomas, Oakland, acres;
james Graham, San Francisco, IL acres; A.
starx' AZ acres; ]. Stark, 10 acres; Mrs. M.
Srooman, acres; G. e. Shook, 10 acres; C.
=. drealnead, 12 acres; VIM. Mckay, 5 acres;
MRS. Nm. Mckay, Oakland, 5 acres; Mrs. Z
2. Wooiey, Brooklyn, N. Y, 10 acres; Mrs II.
beckley, Oakland, s acres; T. A. Marriott. S
acres; }. G. Harrison, Tancred, 5 acres The
lano reserved by the Colony Company, in.
olneclu toWnsite, consists Of 81 acres
"a