Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-26
B0NHAM.
An Old Town With Youthful But
Conservative Spirit.
lis Trade, Society, Houses. Churches
and Schools.
,eclaI Correspondence OF the Gazette

special Correspondence OF the Gazette.
Bonhaili, January 2S,-This is an old
town. II looks old, and its ancient
landmarks are the more emUhasized
by the adjacent fine modern brick
stores of recent construction. You
may imagine the age of some OF the
store buildings which were built above
the street several feet, and are reached
by series of steps. One of the best
corners in the place IL occupied
by II dingy, tumble-down two-st ry
brick, bound about with
iron bands to hold its trembling
aged brick together. Surely the many
weat her stained frame buildings have
had a charmed existence, else the fire
fiend would have gotten in Lis work,
but here, Us in So many of the other
wise enterprisiDg Texas towns,
stand these unsightly buildings,
awaiting their ultimate fate-ashes.
The fir-t court held in Fanniu county
was back in 1888, and sometime before
that the late Bailey English founded
what Was To become the pleasant and
thrifty place ii il. While one il not
ut once iavorably impressed with
the individual buildings in
Bonham, he cannot but admire the
comparative activity in commercial
circles. The main street was to-day
througed with wagons laden with cot
ton, around which the watchful
creditor and busy cotton buyer hover
ed, gathered and clashed on prices
But Notwithstanding the 1900 bates
of cotton handled here this season, the
merchants very generally complain
with AN injured air, that trade Is
dull; very dull since Christmas. !"
| Few places in the state are better pre-
pared To successfully wilhs and AN
absence of business activity
as easily as can this; for the majority
of Ronhan merchants own their bust.
n, ~ property-in itself a healthful
siun-and their transactions are CON
sentative and well within their ability
| to handle. No mushroom growth II
here but gradual and healihtul in
ere Sc In business ard population
Next To the last state bank chartered
was the Fannin County bank presided
over by citizens whose names are
synonymous with stability. This
bank did business In the
past six months exceeding
$500, 900, and the increased demands
for banking facilities is bringing into
existence tho First National bank OF
Boihan,, of which the prominent mer-
chant VIM. A. Nunalee il president.
Bonham society is claimed TO be
above the average In elevated tone,
and tbereis no apparent reason for dis
putting the assertion. Two private ed
ucal ional institutions exist, aud under
such management as justifies the con
tidence repo-ed in them. Prof J. T..
Nelson pre-ides over the FaDnin col
ege, now containing ninety four
scholars. II is the purpose OF the col
lrge authorities to erect u
fine building next spring The
Masonic, Female college Is IA little mis-
lpadii In title, having nothing In
common with the Masonic order other
than that body are trustees Of the pro.
perty which was left for educational
purposes by Mr. English. Judge
simpson. lately deceased, WAS also q
onor OF part OF this property. Bon
ham does not seem tn be abreast with
her many sister towns in the matter
Of free schools. The citizens thlnR
they are paying dear for the govern
mental whistle when they
contribute for city taxes six