2 BULLETIN 390, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE, 



methods, especially in the local subdivisions of States, are, in gen- 

 eral, far from satisfactory. In many places the records were found 

 to be so indefinite or so incomplete that the most careful investiga- 

 tion failed to determine even the bare total of what funds had been 

 expended on roads and bridges during the previous years. At times 

 the memory of some ofiicial or employee seemed a better guide than 

 the permanent existing records. 



Lack of definite data and records by the local subdivisions is even 

 more pronounced as to road mileage. Hundreds of instances were 

 discovered where the local ofiicials could give no more than a rough 

 estimate, as maps had not been prepared or measurement of the roads 

 been made. This lack of definite information in some of the States 

 accounts for the fact that the total mileage of roads reported in 1914 

 was considerably greater than in 1909, while the mileage of surfaced 

 roads reported in 1914 was less than the mileage reported for 1909. 

 The data on mileage and revenues from some of the States should, 

 therefore, of necessity, be considered as approximate. The statistics 

 for each State have been checked, as far as practicable, by the col- 

 laborators or by the State highway departments, and it is believed 

 that the 1914 investigation is more complete and accurate than 

 either of the former investigations. 



For convenient reference and to avoid delay in publication, the 

 information obtained has been prepared for pubHcrtion in a series 

 of four bulletins, as follows: Middle Atlantic States, Bulletin 386; 

 Southern States, Bulletin 387; New England States, BuUetm 388; 

 and the Central, Mountain, and Pacific States, Bulletin 389. 



In this publication the information contained in the foregoing 

 bulletins is summarized and presented in a series of tables, as follows: 



GENERAL SUMMARY. 



Table 1. — ^Mileage and revenues and the relation of these to area, 

 population, rural population, and assessed valuation, for the United 

 States as a whole. 



PUBLIC ROAD REVENUES. 



Table 2. — Revenues applied to roads and bridges in the various 

 States in 1914, with comparative information for the year 1904. It 

 will be seen from this table that the total revenue applied to roads and 

 bridges in the United States in 1914 amounted to $240,263,784. 

 This includes State appropriations, motor vehicle registration and 

 license fees, amounts derived from local taxation, and expenditures 

 from State and local bond issues. In 1904 the total revenue applied 

 to this purpose amounted to $79,623,616, thus showing an increase 

 for the 10-year period of $160,640,168, or 201.75 per cent. 



