28 BULLETIN 387, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



of commissioners and as fixed by the legislature at each session. 

 There is no general road-bonding law in Maryland, road bonds issued 

 in the several counties being under special authorization of the 

 legislature and generally after an election thereon. Most of the 

 counties work their convicts on the public roads. 



REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS AND BRIDGES. 



In 1914 the total revenues applied to roads and bridges amounted 

 to $6,000,652.03, comprising the following items: general county 

 road tax, $1,047,045.99; miscellaneous revenues, $816,282.68; expend- 

 itures from State appropriations and Stats bond issues apphed to 

 State roads, $3,713,279; contributions by counties spent under State 

 supervision on State-aid roads, $309,504; expenditures from county 

 bond issues, $114,542.36. 



In 1904 the total revenues appHed to roads amounted to $873,470.50, 

 thus showing that in the 10-year period revenues for this purpose 

 increased $5,127,181.53, or 586.9 per cent. This is the largest 

 increase in. revenue reported for any Southern State. Detailed 

 information showing tax rates and receipts from taxation for the- 

 various counties is shown in Table 14. 



BOND ISSUES. 



On January 1, 1915, the total county bonds outstanding 

 amounted to $443,700. During the year 1914, $114,542.36 was ex- 

 pended from bond funds and $26,500 of road bonds were retired. 

 Information showing bond issues by counties is presented in Table 29. 

 On January 1, 1915, State bond issues amounting to $12,410,000 

 were outstanding. These bonds were issued for the purpose of 

 building a system of State roads. The amount of State bonds out- 

 standing, the interest rate on each group of bonds issued, the date of 

 maturity, and the character of the bonds is presented in Table 29a. 



ROAD MILEAGE. 



At the close of the year 1914 there were 16,458 miles of pubhc 

 road in the State, of which 2,489.26 miles, or 15.1 per cent, were 

 surfaced. Of the surfaced roads, 488.70 were macadam, 1,042.31 

 bituminous macadam, 189.34 concrete, 243.95 gravel, 455.96 shell, 

 and 69 sand clay. 



In mileage of surfaced roads, Baltimore County stands first with 

 574 miles, or 47 per cent; Dorchester County second, with 215.43 

 miles, or 30.4 per cent; Montgomery County third, with 197.04 miles, 

 or 23.8 per cent; Anne Arundel County fourth, with 181 miles, or 

 33.2 per cent; and Washington County fifth, with 152 miles, or 21.5 

 per cent. Every county in the State reported some surfaced roads. 



