28 BULLETIN" 387, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
of commissioners and as fixed by the legislature at each session. 
There is no general road-bonding law in Maryland, road bonds issued 
in the several counties being under special authorization of the 
legislature and generally after an election thereon. Most of the 
counties work their convicts on the public roads. 
REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS AND BRIDGES. 
In 1914 the total revenues applied to roads and bridges amounted 
to $6,000,652.03, comprising the following items: general county 
road tax, $1,047,043.99; miscellaneous revenues, $816,282.68; expend- 
itures from State appropriations and State bond issues applied to 
State roads, $3,713,279; contributions by counties spent under State 
supervision on State-aid roads, $309,504; expenditures from county 
bond issues, $114,542.36. 
In 1904 the total revenues applied to roads amounted to $873,470.50, 
thus showing that in the 10-year period revenues for this purpose 
increased $5,127,181.53, or 586.9 per cent. This is the largest 
increase in revenue reported for any Southern State. Detailed 
information showing tax rates and receipts from taxation for the 
various counties is shown in Table 14. 
BOND ISSUES. 
On January 1, 1915, the total county bonds outstanding 
amounted to $443,700. During the year 1914, $114,542.36 was ex- 
pended from bond funds and $26,500 of road bonds were retired. 
Information showing bond issues by counties is presented in Table 29. 
On January 1, 1915, State bond issues amounting to $12,410,000 
were outstanding. These bonds were issued for the purpose of 
building a system of State roads. The amount of State bonds out- 
standing, the interest rate on each group of bonds issued, the date of 
maturity, a ad the character of the bonds is presented in Table 29a. 
ROAD MILEAGE. 
At the close of the year 1914 there were 16,458 miles of public 
road in the State, of which 2,489.26 miles, or 15.1 per cent, were 
surfaced. Of the surfaced roads, 488.70 were macadam, 1,042.31 
bituminous macadam, 189.34 concrete, 243.95 gravel, 455.96 shell, 
and 69 sand clay. 
In mileage of surfaced roads, Baltimore County stands first with 
574 miles, or 47 per cent; Dorchester County second, with 215.43 
miles, or 30.4 per cent; Montgomery County third, with 197.04 miles, 
or 23.8 per cent; Anne Arundel County fourth, with 181 miles, or 
33.2 per cent; and Washington County fifth, with 152 miles, or 21.5 
per cent. Every county in the State reported some surfaced roads. 
