6 BULLETIN 393^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



no provision was made for maintenance of the bond-built roads. It 

 was found that rapid deterioration was taking place and that in- 

 sufficient funds existed with which to meet the situation. Accord- 

 ingly toU gates were estabUshed on the principal roads and a sufficient 

 revenue was derived from this source, not only to maintain the roads 

 but to actually extend the construction a short distance. This re- 

 version to a system long since abolished by most countries is partly 

 due to the Virginia administrative and fiscal organization, under which 

 the cities of the State are not taxed for county purposes (although 

 they may aid in the improvement of roads for a distance of 1 miles 

 from the city limits if the city council so elects). Thus it came about 

 that while the city of Fredericksburg, in Spotsylvania County, con- 

 tributed no part of the financial burden of maintaining the roads, it 

 was, because of the heavy automobile traffic emanating from that 

 point, a very destructive element to the county road system. In 

 view of the very rapid development of motor vehicles during the 

 past decade and the prospects of much more widespread use of this 

 means of transportation in the future, the desirability of making 

 provisions so that the cities may aid in the construction and main- 

 tenance of roads in the surrounding territory. 



As to the quahty of supervision, it would seem that there is little 

 room for criticism in any of the eight counties. The work in the four 

 Virginia counties was directed by a resident engineer from the State 

 highway department, while the work in Dallas, Lauderdale, and 

 Manatee Counties was all directed by special highway commissions^ 

 who, without exception, selected competent engineers and accom- 

 phshed most commendable results. Franklin Coimty, N. Y., was 

 fortunate m having for the direction of its work a competent county 

 superintendent, who possessed all of the practical and technical quali- 

 fications for the successful management of the work. 



ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE RESPECTIVE COUNTIES. 



In arriving at an estimate of the benefits which a county receives 

 through the improvement of its pubUc roac^s, certain factors must 

 be taken into account more as the media by which the benefits 

 may be measured than as the actual benefits themselves. While 

 it is reahzed that the increase in the value of land must not be 

 added to the saving in hauling costs, the convenience and access 

 to schools, markets, churches, etc., but is rather the effect pro- 

 duced by those causes, it is perhaps the best index which can be 

 obtained as to the economic value of the roads to the community. 

 A study of the increase in the values of farm lands in the eight 

 counties reveals the rather interesting fact that following the improve- 

 ment of the main market roads the increase in the seUing price of 

 tillable farm lands served by the roads has amounted to from one 



