2 BULLETIN" 390, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
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 deter min e even the bare total of what funds had been 
expended on roads and bridges during the previous years. At times 
the memory of some official 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 officials 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 publication in a series 
of four bulletins, as follows: Middle Atlantic States. Bulletin 3S6; 
Southern States, Bulletin 387; Xew England States. Bulletin 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. — Eevenues 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 S240.263.7S4. 
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 879,623,616, thus showing an increase 
for the 10-year period of 8160,640,168, or 201.75 per cent. 
