514

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 360

Repeal
and re-enact

SECTION 1. Be it enacted ly the General Assembly of
Maryland, That an Act entitled an Act to preserve the streets
'and protect the property-rights of citizens of incorporated
towns in Montgomery county, passed January Session, 1900,
chapter 476, be and the same is hereby repealed and re-enacted
with amendments, so as to read as follows:

How

franchises
shall be
granted.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That no franchise or right of
way to any railway company in and through any incorporated
town in said county of Montgomery shall be granted, or if
granted shall be valid unless all the terms, conditions and
locations in relation thereto shall be duly approved by a
formal ordinance passed by the municipal authorities of such
town, and finally ratified by a majority of the resident tax-
payers, both male and female, of 21 years of age and upward,
who have resided within the corporate limits of the munici-
pality for one year, at an election especially called for the
purpose of passing upon such ordinance after such ordinance
has been duly published for at least three weeks in two (2)
newspapers published in said town, or where there is no news-
paper published in said town, then in at least two newspapers
published in said county and circulating in said town; the
cost of such publications, together with all expenses of hold-
ing such election, to be paid to the municipal authorities in
advance by such company, and no such right of way or fran-
chise shall be granted by said authorities until such ordinance
shall have been formally passed as aforesaid, ratified by said
resident taxpayers and accepted by the railway company; and
such company shall give security that it will strictly carry out
and observe the provisions of such ordinance before such
ordinance shall be submitted for ratification or rejection by
the said resident taxpayers.
SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That this Act shall not apply

Not to apply
to franchises
already
granted.

to any right of way or franchise already granted to and
¹ formally accepted by any railway company in such a way as
to impair the obligation of any contract heretofore made
between any such municipal authorities and any such railway
company.

KepeaL.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That all Acts or parts of Acts
inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, and that this Act
shall take effect from the date of its passage.
Approved April 8, 1902.

CHAPTER 361.
AN ACT to change the name of Washington and Annapolis
Electric Railway Company to Washington, Baltimore and
Annapolis Electric Railway Company.