ROAD MILEAGE, REVENUES, SOUTHERN STATES, 1914. 35 
OKLAHOMA. 
Oklahoma has a land area of 69,414 square miles, a total road 
mileage of 107,916 miles, and a population, according to the 1910 
Census, of 1,657,155. The State, therefore, has a population of 
23.87 per square mile of area and 15.36 per mile of road, with 1.55 
miles of road per square mile of area. Of the population in 1910, 
80.7 per cent, or 1,337,000, was rural, thus indicating a rural popu- 
lation of 12.38 per mile of road. 
In 1911, the legislature passed an act creating a State highway 
department and provided for its maintenance by a registration fee 
of $1 imposed upon each automobile in the State. A law was enacted 
in 1915 which created a new department of highways with enlarged 
powers and more adequate funds. This new law became effective 
July 1, 1915. 
Owing to the reorganization of the State highway department, it 
it was not practicable to obtain road mileage and revenue statistics 
for the year 1914. It, therefore, was found necessary to wait until 
the new department was organized and could undertake the work of 
gathering the necessary information. For that reason the data con- 
tained in this bulletin relating to Oklahoma are for the }^ear 1915, 
and were collected by W. P. Danford, assistant State engineer and 
collaborator for this office. 
One commissioner, appointed by the governor, by and with the 
advice and consent of the senate, and known as the commissioner of 
highways, is in charge of the department of highways. The com- 
missioner of highways is vested with the power of general super- 
vision over all matters relating to State highways, including the 
preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates, establishing 
standards for the construction of roads and bridges, giving engi- 
neering advice to local road officials, and collecting and compiling 
statistics relative to the roads and bridges throughout the State. 
He is authorized, with the consent of the governor, to appoint a 
State engineer, who is required to be a civil engineer of established 
reputation and qualified in road and bridge construction. The com- 
missioner niay also appoint, with the consent of the , governor, 
necessary assistant engineers and clerical help. 
The law provides for the appointment of a county engineer by the 
board of commissioners of each county. Such engineer is required 
to pass an examination held by the department of highways. He is 
required to report to the State engineer upon all matters relating to 
highways and bridges in his county. His salary is paid from the 
State road construction fund and the road and bridge fund. 
Where township organization is retained, the township board of 
each township is required to select, annually, the roads to be dragged, 
