HIGHWAY BONDS. Sd | 
dence purposes is also dependent upon highway conditions and it is 
becoming evident yearly that whatever makes for an increase in rural 
population must be encouraged. Since the introduction of motor 
traffic, country highways have been used to an increasing extent by 
city residents. In fact, the cost of maintaining many country high- 
ways has been greatly increased by the presence of city-owned motor 
vehicles. The general advance in facilities for doing country business 
from town headquarters when roads are improved is no inconsiderable 
factor.in the commercial life of the community. 
Examples of county bond-built roads.—The Office of Public 
Roads during the past four years has undertaken a detailed study of 
economic conditions in several counties which have issued bonds for 
highway construction. These studies have involved field work each 
year for from three to five years in the several counties. The detailed 
results of these studies are embodied in reports which are now on file 
in the office. Sufficient data have been gathered to emphasize and 
illustrate many points brought out by the discussion in the present 
bulletin. 
The locations of the studies were Dinwiddie, Lee, Spotsylvania, and 
Wise Counties, Va.; Dallas County, Ala.; Lauderdale County, Miss.; 
Manatee County, Fla.; and Franklin County, N. Y. Although no 
special field studies were made in Wayne County, Mich., statistics for 
that county have also been compiled. 
TABLE 18.—Financial items. 
| e 
aa x : < : ae ror cent of 
| Highway erm in Yomina Jaluation (valuation in 
County and State. bonds. years. interest. | year ofissue.| highway 
| bonds 
iriwad die; Via sae s,. os=- 25 BV Ach a tae | $105,000 20 and 30/ Sand6 $3, 661, 897 2. 84 
LLGe ASS AS on eee a eee oe | 440, 000 | Serial. | 5and 53 3, 014, 405 | 14.59 
STROUSILN EINE Wa ee as ee or eee 183, 000 30 5 11,962,956 | 9. 32 
Wal SOEs Se a 960, 000 30 5 11, 011, 780 | 8.71 
Manatee ublaecsese nc acta hese seco ee 250, 000 30 5 2, 450, 000 10. 20 
(yy ugg e! cae nee eae 410,000 | 30 5 13, 330, 355 | 3.08 
Mate erdalom MISS sosess sees. cash ek Shs: 350, 000 | 30 5 and 53 16, 443, 301 213. 
Beamish ime NEY eee ea ee Se Ss 500,000 | 60 | 43 and 5 12, 293, 434 4.07 
BP uRer Wn Chess Pe oe a et os / 2,000,000 | Serial. 4 467, 400, 635 | .43 
11913. 
The total amount of bonds issued by these counties during the years 
1900 to 1913, inclusive, was $5,188,000, and with the exception of 
Lee and Wayne Counties, where the bonds were issued under the 
serial plan, and Franklin County, N. Y., where they are to run for 60 
years, they are straight terminable bonds for 30 years. Table i8 
summarizes the financial items for each county. 
In some instances no preparation has been made for establishing a 
sinking fund to retire bonds at maturity. In several of these counties 
there is no provision whatever for systematic maintenance. In 
Virginia the State law provides that State aid allotted to counties may 
de used for the redemption of bond issues where the roads are built 
