44 BULLETIN 389, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
received. 88.861 miles of public road, of which 24.106 miles or 27.13 per cent were 
surfaced, an increase in surfaced road mileage in the five-year period of 6.463.17 miles. 
Detailed information on this subject is presented in Table 23. 
REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS AND BRIDGES. 
The total revenue applied to roads and bridges in 1914 amounted to $14,334,245.98, 
of which $5,266,081.98 was derived from the general county and township tax; 
$796,476.72 from the State-aid fund disbursed to counties; $1,072,413.95 expended 
by State highway department in addition to disbursements to counties; $6,384,355.74 
expended from county and township bond issues; and $814,917.59 from other sources. 
The total revenue applied to roads and bridges in 1904 amounted to $5,706,083.61, 
an increase in the 10-year period of $8,628,162.37, or 151.2 per cent. Detailed infor- 
mation on this subject is presented in Table 46. 
ROAD AND BRIDGE BONDS. 
The total road and bridge bonds outstanding in 1914 amounted to $31,175,968.53. 
These were county and township bonds. There was expended from county and 
township bonds in 1914, $6,384,355.74; there was retired $2,684,593.81. In the 
same year $8,702,303.46 was voted and $8,593,303.46 sold. Detailed information on 
this subject is presented in Table 65. 
OREGON. 1 
Oregon has a land area of 95,607 square miles and a total road mileage of 36,819, 
of which 4,726.4 miles, or 12.81 per cent, were surfaced at the close of 1914. 
There is a State highway commission composed of the governor, as chairman, the 
secretary of state and the State treasurer. Until 1915 the commission appointed a 
State highway engineer. In that year the legislature abolished that office, creating the 
elective one of State engineer, who supervises and directs all State road work, advises 
and assists the county courts when so requested in all road and bridge matters, and 
selects trunk or State roads leading to the chief market centers, and so far as possible 
connecting with the principal county roads of the State, to be submitted to the State 
highway commission as a suggested system to be improved at State expense. The 
State highway commission appoints a chief deputy to the State engineer, to have 
immediate charge of highway work. A State tax of one-fourth of a mill is levied on 
all property in the State and the proceeds constitute the State road fund, which is 
expended under the direction of the State highway commission. 
The county court has jurisdiction over all county road matters, divides the county 
into suitable and convenient road districts annually, and appoints a road supervisor 
for each. The county surveyor, who is elected, surveys and lays out roads under the 
direction of the county court. A board of viewers recommends action on such roads 
to the court. A county road master, who has general supervision of all road matters 
under the direction of the county court, may be appointed each year by the court. 
A tax of not to exceed 10 mills on the dollar on all taxable property in the county, 
the proceeds of which shall be set aside as a general road fund to be used in the 
improvement and construction of county roads or bridges on county roads, may be 
levied by the county court. Seventy-five per cent of the funds thus derived are 
apportioned to the several road districts in the county in proportion to the taxable 
valuation of each district. The resident taxpayers of any road district in a county 
may vote an additional tax for road purposes. District road meetings legally called 
have power to determine what, if any, county roads or portions thereof in the road 
district are to be improved in any special manner and to levy a special tax of not to 
exceed 10 mills on the dollar on all taxable property in the district to pay for them. 
Improvements so made are under the control of the county court. 
1 In collecting the information for Oregon, assistance was rendered by G. Ed Ross, collaborator of the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
