400

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Perpetual suc-
cession.

east fifty-four and eighty-four hundredths perches to
the place of beginning; and that the citizens residing
within the said corporate limits be and they are

hereby created a body corporate, with perpetual suc-

cession, by the name of the town of Bel Air, with

all the privileges of a body corporate, and tohave and

use a common seal ; and shall be liable and capabJe

in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded

in any court of law or equity.

SEC. 2. Be it enacted, That the citizens residing

Bold election.

within the corporate limits of the town of Bel Air

shall hold an election on the first Monday of May,

eighteen hundred and seventy-four, and in each and

every year thereafter, for tive commissioners, who

shall hold their offices for one year, or until their

successors are elected and qualified, and shall have

the management of the town; and who shall have

full power and authority to enact and pass all ordi-

Pass ordinance

nances, to preserve the health of the town, to pro-

mote cleanliness and good order, to regulate the

keeping and running at large of cattle, swine, goats,

dogs, fowls and other animals; to enact and pass all

such ordinances as may conduce to the peace, order,

and good government of said town ; to regulate the

police, and provide for the payment of the same; to

impose and appropriate taxes, fines, penalties, and

forfeitures for the breach of the ordinance ; to es-

tablish new avenues, streets, alleys and side-walks ;

to open, widen, narrow, repair, extend, stop up or

discontinue avenues, streets, alleys and side-walks,

Levy taxes

now laid out or used, and such as may be established

under the authority herein confirmed; to levy and

collect taxes for establishing, opening, narrowing,

closing, repairing and keeping in order such avenues,
streets, alleys and side-walks, and the roads leading

from and to said town ; provided that when any ave-

nue, street, alley or side-walk shall be opened,

widened or closed, the full value of all property

taken and used for such avenue, street, alley or side-

walk, or damage to be sustained in closing the same

in whole or in part, shall be assessed by the com-

missioners, and the said full value so assessed shall

be paid, or offered to be paid, to the proprietors of

said property before the said avenue, street, alley or

side-walk is opened, widened or closed; and that