502

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

to provide for the good government and general

police of said city ; and shall have power to enforce

the observance of all such ordinances by fines,

penalties and forfeitures, not exceeding twenty dollars

for any one offence.

SEC. 108. The said Mayor and Common Council

Laying out,
opening and
extending

shall have power to provide for laying out, opening
and extending, or widening any street or alley in

said city, and fix the dimensions thereof, which, in

their judgment, the public welfare or convenience

may require ; to provide for ascertaining whether

any and what amount in value of damage will be

caused thereby, for which the owner or possessor of any

property th rough or over which such street or al ley may

pass, ought to be compensated and paid; and for asses-

sing and laying either general ly on the whole assessable
property within the city, or specially on the property

of persons benefitted by such improvement, the whole

or any part of the damages and expenses which may

be incurred in laying out, opening, extendingor widen-

ing such street or alley ; to provide in case they shall

Damages and

determine to levy and assess the whole or any part

expenses

of said damages and expenses upon the owner or

owners of the property in said city, specially benefitted

by such improvements; for the apportionment

amongst them of the amount of such damages and

expenses so determined, to be levied upon them in

due proportion, to the amount of benefits by them

respectively received; to provide for the appointment

of Commissioners to assess said damages and benefits,

and prescribe their duties and compensation; to

provide for the condemnation of all land and property

Condemnation

so taken for public use, in opening, extending or

widening any street or alley as aforesaid, for the

notice to be given in relation thereto; for the pay-

ment of the damages so awarded, and for the col-

lection and mode of payment under any action

allowed by law, of the benefits so determined to be

assessed; and to pass all ordinances necessary and

proper to the exercise and enforcement of the

Proviso

powers granted in this section ; provided that no land

or property shall be taken under the powers given

in this section without just compensation, being first

paid or tendered to the party entitled to such com-

pensation as agreed on with the owners of such