16 BULLETIN 386; U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



highways is paid for from the proceeds of the sale of the State high- 

 way bonds. The maintenance is under the highway department, but 

 is paid for by both the State and the towns through which they pass. 



County highways are those built at the expense of both the State 

 and county. These serve as the principal market routes within the 

 counties. The State highway commissioner has designated 8,380 

 miles of these roads for the State. The total amount of State and 

 county highways is nearly 12,000 miles. The State's share of the 

 construction cost of county highways is paid from the appropriation 

 made by the legislature from the fund derived from the sale of State 

 highway bonds. The counties pay variable proportions of the cost 

 of these roads and the balance is paid by the State. County high- 

 ways are maintained in the same manner as State highways. 



County roads are built at the sole expense of the county and are 

 subject to the jm'isdiction of the county officials. Inasmuch as the 

 State grants aid lor the maintenance of these roads, they are to a 

 certain extent subject to the regulations of the State highway depart- 

 ment. These roads are maintained from funds appropriated for this 

 purpose, aided by a grant from the State's general fund amounting to 

 50 per cent of the county appropriation of the previous year for this 

 purpose. However, no county receives from the State f orthis purpose 

 in any one year an amount to exceed one-tenth of 1 per cent of the total 

 taxable property in the county. Town highways are all roads out- 

 side of the limits of incorporated villages and cities which do not 

 belong to the State and county system or to the cotidty road 

 systems. They are maintained and constructed by a joint State and 

 town fund. When a town desires to secure State aid, it levies a 

 money road tax for such amount that when it is added to the con- 

 tribution made by the State it will equal not less than $30 per mile 

 for aU roads outside the limits of incorporated villages and cities. 

 For towns having a valuation of less than $3,750 per mile there is a 

 lower requirement, which is $4 per thousand of assessed value. The 

 amount which a town may receive from the State is regulated both 

 by the appropriation of the town and its wealth per mile of road. 



The bureau of town highways, which is under the third deputy 

 commissioner, supervises the maintenance and construction of all 

 town highways and bridges, and audits the road accounts in every 

 town which receives State aid. At present it has 73,000 miles of 

 road under its supervision. Of these roads 9,000 miles are of heavy 

 gravel or macadam, and construction of these types is progressing 

 at the rate of about 800 miles a year. Seven-tenths of the agricul- 

 tural products of the State are moved over the town highways. 

 This bureau also does educational work through annual meetings 

 h.eld in each county. 



