OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROADS. 747 



cerning the kind and order of road construction to be undertaken. 

 In view of the general deficiency of clay deposits it was advised that 

 gravel or stone roads be built wherever the present earth roads could 

 not be made to serve for a term of years. The construction of 32 

 roads of various kinds, having a total length of 119f miles and 

 intended to supply the needs of 81 per cent of the population outside 

 of Mobile, was suggested in some detail. The item of bridges to be 

 built in the future received careful attention. Emphasis was placed 

 upon the matter of maintenance in relation to the existing law, and 

 general suggestions looking toward better methods of construction 

 were offered. 



Wetumpka, Ala. — During September and October, 1910, an ex- 

 amination of the road conditions in Elmore County was made and 

 suggestions were submitted for their improvement. Due considera- 

 tion was given to the geographical conditions and the topography, to- 

 gether with the deposits of road materials within the county and the 

 present financial condition. Upon the information developed along 

 these lines a system was outlined. This system involves the issue 

 of bonds to provide a road system of the greatest possible mileage 

 within the resources of the county. Construction of sand-clay roads 

 was recommended and a map was prepared locating roads to nearly 

 every settlement and reaching every market, so as to serve approxi- 

 mately 97 per cent of the entire area involved. Advice was offered 

 concerning the betterment of the county road administration and 

 detailed specifications were made up for the construction of sand- 

 clay roads and concrete culverts. A system of 39 roads, totaling 

 209f miles, at a cost of $201,486, was projected. The character and 

 order of construction, the number of culverts, and other details for 

 all the above roads were worked out and their separate costs esti- 

 mated. 



Dade County, Fla. — Assistance and advice from this office was 

 given to this county during January, 1911, with a view to system- 

 atizing the construction of county roads, 



Brookhaven, Miss. — The time of the engineer from this oflSice at 

 this point was partly occupied in prospecting for the best deposits 

 of road gravel nearest to the various roads which it was contem- 

 plated to improve under an authorized issue of $150,000 in bonds. 

 The proceeds from the bond issue are to be expended under certain 

 legal provisions, viz, that the road shall be let out by contract 

 after having been surveyed by a competent engineer, and after plans, 

 specifications, and estimates have been made. The services of the 

 engineer from this office were also furnished in drawing up specifi- 

 cations and rendering other general assistance. 



Albuquerque. N. Mex. — An investigation was made during July, 

 1910, of the hignways in Bernalillo County, N. Mex. An examina- 

 tion of the condition of this county showed a valuation of taxable 

 property of about $4,000,000, and a population sparsely distributed, 

 except in the irrigated district, which is about 3 miles wide and 

 extends across the county 25 miles. In this section the population 

 is dense and heavy crops are produced. The revenue for road and 

 bridge purposes in 1909 was approximately $9,000, derived from a 

 levy of 2f mills and a theoretical per capita labor tax of $3. In 



