1086

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Proper loca-
tion or width
of a road.

Sec. 204. Whenever any doubt exists as to the proper loca-
tion or width of a road, the Road Commissioners of the dis-
trict, under the direction of the County Commissioners, may
cause the same to be surveyed and make such alterations as
the public convenience may require, subject as to the rights
of any person of the provision contained in this Act, for the
opening of new roads.

Application
for opening,
etc.

Sec. 205. All applications for opening, altering- or closing
roads shall be by petition to the County Commissioners.

Shall publish
length and
location of
said road.

Sec. 206. Whenever any taxable inhabitant or inhabitants
of Baltimore County intend to petition the Commissioners for
opening, altering or closing any road, he shall give thirty
days' notice thereof in one or more of the newspapers pub-
lished in Baltimore County, setting forth as near as may be
the length and location of said road.

Counter-
petitions.

Sec. 207. Counter petitions may be presented to the County
Commissioners at a time within fifteen days after the expira-
tion of the thirty days' notice, provided for in Section two
hundred and six, of this Act, and when any counter-petitions
are so presented, the County Commissioners shall appoint a
day when the petition and counter-petitions shall be heard, and
shall consider the same and such other testimony as may come
before them, and determine the case as in their opinion shall
seem right and proper.

When expe-
dient to open
road, Commis-
sioners may
contract for
right of way.

Sec. 208. Whenever the County Commissioners shall decide
that it is expedient that a road be opened as provided in the
preceding section, that they may contract with the owner or
owners of the land through which the road is intended to
run for the right of way necessary for said road, if he, she or
they be competent to contract, and in case the said County
Commissioners shall so contract, they shall cause a plat of the
said road to be made by the Baltimore County Roads En-
gineer, and filed and recorded in the office of the Clerk of the
Circuit Court for Baltimore County, which said plat shall be
referred to in and shall be a part of said deed or deeds, and
the lands so conveyed shall be and become thenceforth the
property of the county in the same manner and to the same
extent as other county roads and no further, subject to the
public right of way over the same; and it shall be lawful for
the said County Commissioners of Baltimore County so to
contract for lands for a public wharf drain for county roads or
other public use or uses, which said land shall be the prop-
erty of said county subject to said use or uses; and whenever