50

LAWS OP MARYLAND.

cation shall agree to contribute one-half of the cost

in cash or in labor, as they may prefer, and said im-

provements shall be made under the supervision of

the road commissioner in whose road district the road

is located; and whenever the citizens of any district

Petition county
commissioners.

shall petition the county commissioners for the erec-

tion of a new bridge, or the said commissioners shall

desire the construction of a new road already laid out,

they shall refer the matter to the road commissioners

of the district, with instructions to diligently inquire

as to the public requirements, the probable cost of the

work_? and to report promptly to them with such re-

commendations as may be deemed proper, and the

erection of all new bridges, and the construction of

all new roads, shall be under the immediate supervi-

sion of the road commissioner in whose road district

the same shall be done; but before the county com-

missioners shall accept the same from the contractors

Inspect work;.

or builders thereof, the work shall be thoroughly in-

spected by said road commissioner, with the county

commissioner in charge of the election district, and

approved by them; provided that this shall not apply

to small bridges which may be erected by the road

commissioners under the order of the county commis-

sioners.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That it shall be unlawful

for any landowner to drain water from his lands into

Drain water

or upon any public road, and that the person so offend-

unlawfully.

ing shall be liable to indictment by the grand jury,

and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than ten

or more than one hundred dollars, said fine to be

paid into the county treasury to the credit of road

and bridge account; and if, in the construction and

repair of public roads, it be necessary for the proper

drainage of said roads to let off the water therefrom

upon the adjoining lands, the county commissioners

shall award to the owner of said lands reasonable

How construct.

compensation for the privilege, and shall construct

drains through such lands so as to prevent the spread-

ing of the water over cultivated fields; but nothing

contained in this act shall be so construed as to apply

to the natural course of water from the public roads

into and upon adjoining lands, or from said lands into

and upon the roads.

SEC. 9. And be it enacted. That it shall be unlaw-

ful for any one to obstruct, fill up or otherwise injure