10 BULLETIN 389, U, S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
this department through its three appointed members, who are desingated as the 
California Highway Commission. The State highway engineer, subject to the direc- 
tion of the commission, has immediate charge of constructing the system of State 
highways. A statute also exists authorizing the State to aid counties to the extent of 
paying one-third of the cost of certain roads, but the legislature has failed to appro- 
priate the funds necessary to make this statute operative. 
General jurisdiction and control of county roads and bridges vests in boards of 
supervisors. These boards divide their respective counties into road districts, and 
each supervisor is ex officio road commissioner in his supervisor district, in charge of 
the highways and bridges under the direction and orders of the board of supervisors. 
Boards of supervisors may establish road improvement districts on declaration of 
intention so to do and hearing thereon. If a majority of the landowners within the 
proposed district protest in writing against the ordering of the proposed work as an 
entirety the board can not proceed further for a period of one year. Improvements 
made in road-improvement districts are paid for by bonds which are redeemed, both 
interest and principal, from a special fund constituted partly by transfer from the 
county road funds and partly by levy of special assessment taxes upon all land in the 
district. A superintendent of work is appointed by the board of supervisors, which 
also may appoint an engineer, to be designated ''engineer of work." 
A board of supervisors, on receiving a petition signed by freeholder electors equal 
in number to 10 per cent of the vote cast for governor in said county at the last election, 
praying that the matter of issuing bonds of the county for highway purposes be sub- 
mitted to the electors of the county, may appoint as a highway commission three 
residents and freeholders especially qualified to have charge of the improvement of 
highways" and to serve for a term of two years. This commission shall investigate 
immediately the main public highways of the county and their connections and 
ascertain which should be improved by the issuance of bonds, the kind of improvement 
that should be made and the probable cost. With the consent of the board of super- 
visors, the commission may employ a competent engineer and other necessary assist- 
ants. The commission then must report to the supervisors the highways proposed to 
be improved and the amount that should be raised by the issuance of bonds. If 
the board of supervisors approve and adopt the report, the proposition of issuing bonds 
shall be submitted to an election. After such roads are improved the board of super- 
visors may appoint a superintendent or inspector to have charge of the work of main- 
taining and repairing them. 
Boulevard districts may be formed by the board of supervisors of any county when 
petitioned by not less than 25 freeholders in the proposed district, and after hearing 
and submitting the proposition to an election. A majority vote is necessary to 
authorize the formation of such a district. At such election three persons shall be 
elected to constitute a boulevard commission. Each boulevard district may lay out, 
establish, construct, acquire, and maintain one or more boulevards. The boulevard 
commission may call an election on the question of issuing bonds of the district to 
pay for such improvements. A two-thirds vote of those voting is required to authorize 
the issue of such bonds. The boulevard commission is required each year to furnish 
the board of supervisors with an estimate of the amount of money that will be needed 
the ensuing fiscal year, and the supervisors must levy a tax on the assessed value of 
the real property of the district sufficient to raise the amount. A boulevard district 
may be dissolved at any time on a vote of two-thirds of the qualified electors residing 
therein. 
Permanent road divisions may be formed by the board of supervisors on petition 
signed by a majority of the landowners residing in the proposed division and after 
hearing thereon. Special taxes may be levied or bonds issued in such divisions, if 
authorized at an election held thereon, a majority vote of those voting being necessary 
to authorize the tax and a two-thirds vote in the case of bonds. 
