12 BULLETIN 387, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
to consist, ex officio, of the commissioner of State lands, highways 
and improvements, as chairman, and two other members to be ap- 
pointed by the governor to serve for terms of two years each. Sub- 
ject to the approval of the State highway commission, the commis- 
sioner of State lands, highways and improvements appoints a State 
highway engineer. The head professor of civil engineering in the 
State university is ex officio consulting engineer of the department 
of State lands, highways and improvements. There is a highway 
improvement fund which consists of all fees accruing in the office 
of State lands, highways and improvements, and the proceeds from 
the registration and licensing of motor vehicles. The work of the 
State highway department embraces the educational, advisory, and 
constructive phases of road work as follows: 
(1) The holding of road institutes in each county every year 
and the issuance of bulletins pertaining to road work. 
(2) Consultation relative to and investigation of all road and 
bridge matters upon request. 
(3) Making preliminary surveys, plans, estimates, and specifi- 
cations of all road work contemplated under the general road 
district law and the working of all available State convicts on 
the public roads or in the preparation of road materials. 
The constitution gives the county courts exclusive original juris- 
diction over all matters relating to roads, bridges and ferries. The 
comity courts, with approval of the quorum court, may appoint a 
commissioner of roads, highways and bridges for their respective 
counties, to have charge of the building and repairing of roads and 
bridges under the direction of the county judge. Said court shall 
divide the county into convenient road districts and appoint an over- 
seer for each such district. In six counties a county highway engineer 
may be appointed by the county courts for a term of one year. 
Where a county highway engineer is appointed he shall have super- 
vision over all road work and shall direct the overseers in the per- 
formance of their duties. In counties having the county engineer 
system, all work may be done by contract, the county engineer to pre- 
pare plans, estimates and specifications and let the work to the lowest 
responsible bidder, the funds for paying same to be derived from the 
general 2\ or 3 mill road tax. An optional system for working roads 
is provided, subject to adoption by the county court, whereby each 
political township is made a road district and a township road over- 
seer is to be elected at each general election. 
Road improvement districts may be created by the county court 
when petitioned for by a majority in land value, acreage, or number 
of land owners within the proposed district and after the required 
public notice and hearing. 
