HIGHWAY BONDS. 5 
These figures represent 61.2 per cent of all the counties, townships, 
and districts reporting bond issues during 1912 and 1913. 
The reports on the mileage of road constructed from the proceeds 
of local bond issues are very incomplete and in many instances con- 
tradictory. After eliminating all reports which were obviously 
incorrect or defective, a list of counties and districts giving complete 
returns of classified mileage of roads constructed has been made. A 
similar list for township work has also been made. These two lists 
are presented in Appendix B. It is quite probable that omissions in 
reports from counties and their subdivisions concerning mileage 
built are due in part to the frequent changing of local officials. 
It will be seen from the diagram of first issues (Pl. I, fig. 1) and 
from the fact that probably over 80 per cent of local bonds for high- 
ways and bridges are still outstanding (see p. 3), that the highway 
bond movement has yet to meet the test of repayment. The maxi- 
mum outlay for retirement of outstanding highway loans will appar- 
ently be reached in about 20 years. 
If highway bond issues are to continue successfully, certain fun- 
damental principles require attention. They are, therefore, discussed 
briefly in this publication. Necessary information is presented in 
considerable detail with illustrations and tables to guide highway 
officials in borrowing and expending highway funds. 
COUNTY HIGHWAYS. 
The highways of a county may usually be classified into main 
market roads, intercounty roads, and neighborhood roads. A rela- 
tively large percentage of the total mileage—more than 80 per cent in 
many counties—may be classed as neighborhood roads, which are 
either feeders to market roads or crossroads of relatively small impor- 
tance. The intercounty roads are usually in part also main market 
roads. The market roads are, therefore, the roads for which the 
question of borrowing money frequently arises. The total mileage cf 
main market roads varies greatly from county to county, but usually 
does not exceed 150 miles. 
The distribution and individual lengths of market roads is of much 
importance to the highway engineer, who must plan for improve- 
ments. Rules can not be Jaid down which will apply universally for 
the selection of such roads. The area served by a given market 
road depends upon the length of the road and the form of the road 
network, which, in turn, is largely governed by topography and the 
situation of shipping points. In regions where the public land 
survey system prevails the roads very generally follow the section 
lines and radial roads are not common. 
It is usual to find from four to eight main market roads radiating 
from market centers. The average number of such roads of consid- 
erable length is about six for each shipping point. The traffic on 
