The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-26
and Advertiser.
PALATKA AND
THE CENSUS.

IALAlhA AMI
THE CENSUS.
Last Saturday Commissioner of
Agriculture McRae sent out the pre-
liminary figures of the 1915 State CEN
sus. These included only those cit
les in the state having population
of 5000 or more.
Palatka was not in the list-pre-
sumably for the reason that it had
no place there.
Of course this will be something
of a disappointment to many people
in this city who only short few
months before had read the state
ment of the Putnam county enumer-
ator, who, as Julian d'Nazaree, I'M
official compiler of the 1915 Palatka
city directory, said:
"Palatka's population is 1888,
of which 1886 are colored. 10
the best of our knowledge and
belief, we have taken an accu-
rate census of the city and our
report of the population is not
based upon a rule of tabulatlon,
BUT UPON A COUNT OF THE
POLLS"
The News ventured some strict
ures upon the statements of Mr.. d'Na-
zaree following the delivery of his
directory, structures the business of
which that person has never publicly
questioned.
The names of many men, long iden-
tilted in the commercial and indus
trial life of the city, were omitted en-
tirelv from the d'Nazaree directory.
More than a dozen names were found
in the course of a half-hour's eXaml-
nation, to have been omitted entirely
names of well-known citizens.
When Mr.. d'Nazaree was appointed
official census enumerator for Put
nam county, good many men in this
city and county who knew the man,
seriously questioned the wisdom of
his selection. They knew that he was
woefuly lacking in a reputation for
reliability, and for this reason while
many may feel reasonably sure that
Palatka and the county have been
given credit for all that is due them
in population, THEY WILL NEVER
BE SURE.
And how could they be in the light
of his former statements.
During the latter months of his
cebsus taking in this city and county,
Nh. d'Nazaree has had the assistance
of two or three thoroughly reliable
men, and all that Palatka and Put
nam county men will ever know con-
corning this census is, that part OF
it is correct. But which part?
In several instances during the
summer complaints have been made
to The News by citizens of the coun'
tv that no one in the interests of the
census had called on them. Some OF
these men are still awaiting visit
from the enumeration.
AS far as Palatka city is concern
ed The News is content to await the
full statement of the Commissioner
Five years ago the United State!
Census gave this city population O.
a little under 1000. The News be
lieves that the State enumeration JUS
made, will show an increase of nearl!
25 per cent. In this case Palatk:
would now have a population of abou
5000. With Palatka Heights (reaI
Iy natural part of the city, added
Palatka would have been given credy
for some $500 inhabitants.
This may be little disappointin!
to many of our professional boosters
but if the figures show this per cent
age of increase, that fact alone wi!
be boost enough for one short perio
of five years.
But the miserable feature of tn
whole thing will still consist in tn
fact that we can never be sure. W
will simply have to keep on guessing
For the county the United State
census of 1910 gave US populatio
of 1906; the state census just take
gives Putnam county 15,949, an II
crease Of 1858, or 21.8 per cent.