ROAD MILEAGE, CENTEAL AND WESTEEN STATES. 31 



amount of such bonds not to exceed, with existing indebtedness, 5 per cent of the 

 assessed valuation. On petition of the owners of a majority in acres of land within 

 one-half mile of a public road or part thereof in such district, praying for the improve- 

 ment of such road and the assessment of the cost thereof on all lands in the district, 

 payable in not to exceed 15 installments if a county, and not to exceed 20 if a town- 

 ship, the board of commissioners shall have prepared a map of the district and of 

 the proposed road, with plans, specifications and estimates, and shall submit the same 

 to the State highway commissioner for his approval, after which approval the im- 

 provements may be made and the cost assessed on the lands. Special assessment 

 bonds may be issued in anticipation of the payment of the assessments so made on 

 the lands. 



In coimties under township organization the township board is required annually 

 to divide the township into convenient road districts and appoint a road overseer for 

 each district. 



A county license tax on dramshops is assessed in amounts of not less than $250 or 

 more than |400 each six months, the proceeds of which are set aside as a special road 

 fund in such county and divided among the road districts of the county in proportion 

 to the mileage of public roads in each district. 



A stamp tax of 25 cents is imposed on each broker's sale of stocks and bonds of any 

 corporation, or of cotton, petroleum, grain, or other commodities, on a margin or other- 

 wise, and all revenues derived therefrom are set apart for road purposes and dis- 

 tributed among the counties in the same proportion as the school funds. 



The county court of all counties, except those under township organization, is 

 required to levy an annual road poll tax of from $2 to $6 on each able-bodied male 

 over 21 years and under 50, outside the limits of incorporated cities, towns, or vil- 

 lages, and deteiTQine if such tax shall be paid in labor or cash. The court also is 

 required to levy upon all taxable property, real and personal, outside incorporated 

 towns, cities, or villages, a tax of not less than 10 cents nor more than 20 cents on 

 each $100, which is placed to the credit of the road district from which collected. 

 In addition, the county coiul;, in counties not imder township organization, may 

 levy not to exceed 25 cents on each $100 valuation, the proceeds to go into a special 

 road and bridge fund of the county or township. 



The township board, in counties under township organization, annually assesses a 

 road and bridge tax of not to exceed 25 cents on each $100 assessed property valuation, 

 and credits the proceeds to the district in which collected. The board may levy a 

 poll tax on all able-bodied males over 21 and under 50 years of age residing outside of 

 incorporated cities, towns, or villages, of not less than $3 nor more than $6, which 

 may be worked out or paid in cash at the option of the person assessed. 



County courts may issue bonds for and on behalf of the townships of their counties 

 in amounts not exceeding, with existing indebtedness, 5 per cent of the assessed 

 valuation of the township for which issued, if authorized by a two- thirds vote of those 

 voting at an election thereon. Also, on petition of 100 tax-paying citizens of a county, 

 the county court may submit the question of issuing bonds of the county for the per- 

 manent improvement of roads, bridges, and culverts therein, and may issue such 

 bonds if authorized by two- thirds of those voting. 



The net proceeds from the registration and licensing of motor vehicles is paid into 

 the State road and bridge fund. 



Authorization is given for the working of county convicts on roads and in the 

 preparation of road materials. 



ROAD MILEAGE. 



At the close of 1914 Missouri had, according to reports received, 96,041 miles of 

 public road, of which 6,712.57 miles, or 6.98 per cent, were smrfaced. Of the surfaced 

 roads, 3,671.5 miles were gravel, 1,442.25 sand-clay, 1,531.05 macadam, 59 bituminous 



