82 BULLETIN 393, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



HOW THE WORK WAS MANAGEI). 



The board of county commissioners has sole jurisdiction over the 

 construction and maintenance of public roads, including those built 

 under the bond issues, and consists of five members, of whom one is 

 elected for each of the five districts. They are elected for 2-year terms 

 and receive $4 per day for time actually employed, not to exceed 

 $200 per annum. They are allowed mileage extra. 



The clerk of the circuit court acts as clerk and accountant to the 

 board of supervisors. The clerk's compensation is derived from fees 

 and he receives no extra compensation from the board. 



An engineer was employed by the county commissioners, under 

 whose immediate supervision aU bond-built roads were constructed. 

 The engineer received $10 per day for time actually employed, and 

 expenses. During the construction period he received approxi- 

 mately $5,000, not including transportation. 



The county engineer now employed by the county commissioners 

 for genefal'road and bridge work receives a salary of $150 per month 

 and the use of an automobile. For the Venice-Sarasota district an 

 engineering firm has been employed to do aU engineering work. 

 Compensation wiU be 4 per cent of the total expenditure of $250,000. 



The roads to be improved were selected by the board of county 

 commissioners prior to the bond election. The bond issue called for 

 the construction of 64.4 miles of road, which was done under contract 

 let by the board. The total mileage constructed was 63.65 or 11 per 

 cent of the total of 575 miles in the county. The accompanying map 

 (PI. XXXV) shows the roads constructed under the first bond issue 

 and those proposed for construction with bond fimds subsequently 

 provided. 



The mileage and character of surface constructed under the 

 original bond issue were as follows: Marl and rock, 15.187; marl 

 rock with bituminous binder, 17.050; marl and shell, 9.850; shell, 

 14.171; brick, 1.00; graded, 6.40; making a total of 63.658 miles 

 constructed. (See PI. XXXVI, figs. 2 and 3.) 



These roads were completed during 1913. The local materials 

 available for road work are soft hmestone and flint rock, marl, and 

 shells. The shells are obtained from mounds in various parts of the 

 county, and the other materials are fairly well distributed. These 

 materials are suitable for roads of Hght traffic, but considerable 

 expense will be entailed in keeping the roads in good condition 

 because of the automobile traffic and the heavy tonnage of fruits 

 and vegetables which pass over them. The expense of shipping in 

 more durable materials led the county authorities to build the roads 

 of local materials and to depend upon bituminous apphcations to 

 preserve their surfaces. 



