JAS. BLACK GROOME, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. 285

collected, for the purpose of constructing two fire-
proof vaults in the court-house at Easton ; which
said vaults shall be adjacent to and connected with
the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the
office of the Register of Wills for said county, and
be used for the preservation of the public records
belonging to said offices respectively.
SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That Isaac C. W. Powell,
John Mason and Robert B. Dixon, be and they are	Committee to contract
hereby appointed a committee to devise a suitable
plan for said fire-proof vaults, and to contract with
the lowest responsible bidder, after public advertise-
ment, for the construction and completion of the
same, at a cost not to exceed the sum of three
thousand dollars; and on the approval of said com-
mittee, and not before, the said Commissioners of
Talbot county shall pay the contractor for work done	Pay contractor
and materials furnished under said contract; and for
that purpose the said Commissioners are hereby
authorized to borrow such sum of money as may be
necessary, and in payment thereof to execute the
corporate note of said county with interest thereon;
and the sum hereinbefore authorized to be levied,
shall be pledged for the redemption of said loan or
loans.
SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That in the event of the	Vacancy
death, resignation or removal from the county of
any member of said committee, the Commissioners
of said county are hereby empowered to fill up the
committee by appointment whenever a vacancy oc-
curs.
SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That it is hereby made the
duty of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the
Register of Wills for Talbot county, to keep the	Duty of Clerk and Register
public records belonging to their respective offices,	of Wills
stored in said vaults whenever the same are com-
pleted, at all times (except) when said records are
not being used ; and the bond of said Clerk and of
said Register shall be liable for the loss or destruction
of any of said records not so kept within said vaults.
SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That this act shall take
effect from the date of its passage.	In force
Approved, April 2d, 1874.