292 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the tax being generally a poll-tax on the male inhabitants 
between certain ages, though in some there is a trifling levy 
in money. The levy for the cost of new roads and bridges is 
usually in money, on the taxable property in the rural dis¬ 
tricts. The system of labor-tax and of selecting road super¬ 
visors alternately throughout the districts, to direct the outlay 
of such tax, regardless of qualification or fitness for the work, 
notwithstanding it has so long and generally prevailed, is 
everywhere acknowledged to be very defective and unprofit¬ 
able in its results. 
PROPOSED SYSTEM. 
All money required to construct and maintain the roads and 
bridges in eacb county should be raised by levying a tax in 
money. A competent county road engineer should be per- 
mently employed, who should have the entire direction of all 
construction and repairs of roads and bridges in his district, 
'with the power to draw on the treasury for the necessary 
means to meet all reasonable requirements in defraying the 
•cost of the work tctbe executed. He should be authorized to 
purchase ail teams, vehicles and implements required, the 
same to be the property of the county, and to employ as many 
competent foremen as required for his district. They should 
have charge of these teams, &c., and have power to employ, 
•control and discharge the number of laborers directed to be 
employed by the engineer. The foremen should each have 
their respective districts allotted them to be kepi in repair. 
The engineer and his foremen and the laborers employed 
should be required to devote their entire time to labor on the 
roads. The water bars, culverts, bridges and gutters should be 
examined as often as once a week, and all loose stones, and 
other surface obstructions removed. Work for repair of sur¬ 
faces should be constantly pursued, and the principal amount 
of material required on the earth roads should be applied in 
the dry season. The winter should be devoted to quarrying 
stones for bridges, culverts, and macadamizing, and in raising 
and hauling gravel, and depositing it where it may be readily 
applied at the proper season. With such a force in charge of 
