KOAD MILEAGE, CENTRAL AND WESTERN STATES. 39 



■with the State highway commission a system of prospective county highways to 

 include the main traveled roads of the county, together with those leading to the 

 county seat and to such other towns, settlements, and railroad stations as may be 

 deemed advisable. Each such board is directed to employ a surveyor to prepare, in 

 accordance with instructions of the State highway commission, a map showing the 

 system of prospective county highways which must meet at the coimty lines so as to 

 make continuous and direct lines of travel between the counties. 



A State tax of 1 mill is levied each year and the proceeds are paid into the State 

 treasxary to the credit of the State road fund. Also, one-half of the net proceeds from 

 licensing and registering motor vehicles is applied to the State road fund. In addition 

 a State tax of one-fourth mill is authorized to be leaded and the proceeds used in 

 carrying out the provisions of the acts providing for constructing the highway known 

 aa the "El Camino Real." 



The board of coimty commissioners of each coimty is authorized to levy a general 

 road tax of not to exceed 3 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation. 



At the general election in 1912, a State bond issue of $500,000 was authorized, to be 

 Bold as needed by the State highway commission for the construction of the State 

 system of highways. 



All able-bodied males between 21 and 60 years of age are required to pay an annual 

 road tax of $3, or in lieu thereof to work thi-ee days on the roads. 



On petition of 100 legal voters and taxpayers, the board of county commissioners 

 may levy a special tax of not to exceed IJ mills for the purpose of creating a county 

 road fund. Also, one-half of the net proceeds from licensing and registering motor 

 vehicles is apportioned to the several counties in proportion to the amounts collected 

 in each, and applied to the county road fund. 



On petition for the building of a public bridge signed by taxpayers to the number 

 of 400 in class A counties, 200 in class B counties, and 100 in class C counties, the 

 county board of commissioners may leyj^ to pay therefor taxes limited in amounts, 

 according to the classification of the several counties, as follows: $25,000 in class A 

 counties, |10,000 in class B counties, and §3,500 in class C counties. 



Bonds for road and bridge purposes may be issued by the board of county commis- 

 sioners of any county in an amount not to exceed 4 per cent of the assessed value of 

 all property therein, if authorized by a majority vote at an election thereon. 



ROAD MILEAGE. 



At the close of 1914 New Mexico had, according to the reports received, 11,873 

 miles of public road, of which 261.5 miles, or 2.2 per cent, were surfaced. Of the 

 surfaced roads 184 miles were gravel, 72.5 miles sand-clay, and 5 miles bituminous 

 macadam. There also was reported 1,906.5 miles of graded and drained earth road. 

 At the close of 1909 New Mexico had 16,920 miles of public road, of which 104 miles, 

 or 0.61 per cent, were surfaced, an increase of 157.5 miles of surfaced roads. Detailed 

 information as to road mileage in each county at the close of 1914 is presented in 

 Table 21. 



REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS AND BRIDGES. 



In 1914 there was applied to roads and bridges a total of $556,398.82, of which 

 $357,955.15 was derived from the general State and county road and bridge tax; 

 $16,871.69 from the forest reser^^e fund; §63,320.46 from special bridge levies; $42,280.64 

 from a $3 personal tax; $29,970.88 from county le^des for special roads; $30,000 fi'om 

 bond issue funds in Dona Ana County; and §16,000 from automobile licenses, expended 

 by the State. The forest resei-ve fund is applied to roads and schools, but it was 

 impossible to ascertain how much of the amount given above was expended for schools. 

 The total revenue applied to roads and bridges in 1904 amounted to $165,651.56, an 

 increase in the 10-year period of $390,747.26, or 235.88 per cent. Information as to 

 revenue applied to roads during 1914 is presented by counties in Table 44. 



