64 BULLETIN 393, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
on the present basis, however, a $5,000 farm, assessed at $3,000, 
which is about the average, would pay for the improved roads from 
$4 to $5 annually, according to the method which is adopted for 
payment of the indebtedness. 
No aid was granted by the State toward the roads built under 
the bond issue, but an apportionment of $2,000 for each of the years 
1911, 1912, and 1913 and $3,271.13 for 1914, or a total of $9,271.13, 
was granted by the State toward the cost of other roads whose con- 
struction was directed by the State highway department under a plan 
whereby the State and county paid, respectively, 50 per cent of the 
cost. Begmning with 1916, State aid must be applied to a trunk- 
line system designated by the State legislature. The average cost 
of the 9 miles of gravel road built with the aid of the State was 
$1,997.85 
HOW THE ROAD WORK WAS MANAGED. 
The roads to be improved were selected by the county board of 
commissioners, which consists of the judge of probate, who is ex-officio 
president, and four members. The four commissioners are elected 
from the four districts of the county for a term of four years and 
receive $4 per day for time actually employed, or an average of from 
$600 to $800 per annum each. The commissioners have charge of 
the roads in their respective districts and employ overseers at $2 
per day for time actually employed. These overseers have charge 
of the statute labor. The probate judge is elected for a 6-year term 
from the county at large and his compensation is based on the fee 
system. There are no other administrative road officials. An en- 
gineer was employed by the county board in 1911 at a salary of $3,000 
per annum. His successor receltved $2,500 per annum, and the 
present engineer in charge of road work receives $150 per month 
and necessary expenses. 
A superintendent of convict forces is employed at $95 per month, 
a bridge superintendent at $100 per month, and a superintendent of. 
euanibensnce at $75 per month. These three officials report to the 
respective commissioners according to the district in which the work 
is conducted. Most of the construction under the bond issue was 
by contract either on the basis of a fixed charge per hour for labor 
and teams or on the unit-cost basis. 
Gravel roads aggregating 78.45 miles and sand-clay roads 23.30 
miles, or a total of 101.75 miles, were constructed with the bond-issue 
funds. The county is well supplied with clay gravel and with natural 
sand-clay. Where the wagon haul was excessive the materials were 
shipped by rail from the county gravel pit to the siding nearest the 
proposed improvement. This pit is located on a railroad siding and 
the material is excavated by steam shovel. The pit has a 28-foot 
