540

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

assessment shall be a lien thereon with priority over other
liens. But when the lessee in any lease is nominally inter-
ested therein only by reason of there being no improvements
in the way of buildings, the fee shall be also bound, as well
as the lessees interest, and the owner of the fee shall be
entitled to notice of the proceeding in some one of the modes
hereinbefore provided.

Commission'rs
may arrange
for doing the
work

Thereupon the Commissioners shall arrange for doing the
work and furnishing the materials. They may provide the
materials and contract for doing the work, or they may con-
tract with the same person for the materials and work. They
shall call on two or three persons skilled in such work to
make an offer of terms on which they will do the work, and
they shall accept the bid or offer of the person who, in their
judgment, will furnish the best materials and work for the
least money, or who will do the best work on the most mod-
erate terms. Upon the completion of the work the Commis-
sioners shall examine the same, and shall hear complaints, if
any are made, within ten days after the work has been com-
pleted. After ten days they may accept the same. Contro-

Dispute with
contractors
settled by
referees.

versies with the contractors may be settled by submitting the
matters in question to referees, chosen in the usual manner, or
the contractor or claimant may be left to his action at law;
but in the meantime the public may use the improvements.
After the work has been accepted the persons who are liable
to pay for the same shall not be entitled to set up any defects
in the work or materials as a ground for exempting them
from paying their contribution. As soon as the work has
beeti accepted, or as soon as any dispute is settled by arbitra-
tion or suit at law, the Commissioners, upon their previous
order fixing the proportion which each person liable to pay
shall contribute, shall ascertain the entire expense for the

Assessment
for proper
share of
expense.

improvement, and shall assess each person who is liable with
his proper share of said expense, and to this end it shall pass
an order wherein the persons who are bound to pay any por-
tion of the expense, and the property on account of which
they are bound to pay the same shall be mentioned, and each
of said persons shall be ordered to pay to the Town Clerk and
Treasurer his proper part of the expense. The said assess-
ment shall be a tax, and shall bind the property affected
thereby, and as to such property it shall be a lien thereon,.
with a priority of liens over all other liens.

How payment
may be
enforced.

A copy of the order may be filed in the office of the Clerk
of the Circuit Court for said county, if the amounts ordered
to be paid therein be not paid within thirty days after the