ROAD MILEAGE, CENTRAL AND WESTERN STATES. 55 
the State penitentiary, under the State commission on prison labor. It was made 
the duty of the commission to use all such convicts as it might deem practicable for 
that purpose. The work was to be done under the supervision of competent persons 
selected by the commission. The roads constituting the State system of public high- 
ways were to be located and surveyed under the direction of the State engineer, 
appointed by the governor. It also was made the duty of the State engineer to cause 
plans and specifications for their construction, repair and maintenance to be pre- 
pared, to select the materials of which such roads should be constructed, and to fur- 
nish a deputy engineer, whose salary and legitimate expenses should be paid by the 
respective counties in which work might be done. The State engineer certifies to the 
State corn/mission on prison labor each month the expense rendered and incurred in 
respect to said highways during the preceding month in each county through which the 
same may pass, and the boards of county commissioners pay to the State engineer the 
amount due for the work done in their respective counties out of the road fund or 
general fund of the county. Boards of county commissioners secure the right of way 
for such highways and construct necessary bridges, in accordance with the plans of the 
State engineer; provided that, as far as practicable, bridges across small streams shall 
be constructed by the use of convict labor. 
The board of county commissioners of each county is vested with power and juris- 
diction over the laying out, alteration or discontinuance of public highways therein. 
The boards also have jurisdiction over the granting of licenses for keeping ferries, 
toll bridges, and toll gates. The boards divide their respective counties into road 
districts and when the county is so divided a district road supervisor is elected for 
each district. If the county be not divided into road districts a county road supervisor 
is elected. 
Bridges between counties may be constructed by the counties interested, each 
county to pay one-half, or other pro rata share, of the cost. If such cost will burden 
the road and bridge fund unreasonably, or if it will exceed $5,000, the board of county 
commissioners may cause a portion to be paid out of the road and bridge fund of the 
county and may levy a special tax, not exceeding 2 mills on each dollar of taxable 
property in the county, to raise the balance. 
An inheritance tax is provided, the proceeds of which in each county are to be 
expended for the permanent improvement of the county roads outside the limits of 
incorporated cities and villages. The county boards are authorized to levy a tax of 
not to exceed 3 mills on each dollar of taxable property in the county, the proceeds 
of which constitute a general county road fund. At the time of making the annual 
levies for county purposes the county board may levy upon each able-bodied man 
between 21 and 50 years of age, not exempt by law, a special poll or road tax of $2, 
which may be paid in cash or by one day's labor on the roads. If the funds thus 
derived be insuflicient for the work in any road district, the county board may appro- 
priate necessary additional funds from the general road fund. The proceeds of the 
special poll or road tax, collected from persons residing within incorporated cities or 
towns of the State, are paid into the treasury of such cities or towns. 
The net proceeds from the registration and licensing of motor vehicles is paid to the 
county from which collected, to be expended for the temporary improvement of the 
county roads outside of the limits of incorporated towns or cities. 
The county boards of commissioners are authorized to work prisoners confined in 
any county jail upon the public highways of the county. 
ROAD MILEAGE. 
At the close of 1914 Wyoming had, according to reports received, a total of 14,381 
miles of public road, of which 52.5 miles, or 0.36 per cent, were surfaced with gravel. 
There were also reported 1,672 miles of graded and drained earth roads. In the 
Yellowstone Park, which is located in the northwest corner of the State, there are 416 
