PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, GOVERNOR. 79

172. The Commissioners for Opening Streets shall be the
second sub-department of review and assessment, and the head
of this sub-department shall be a board composed of three per-
sons, appointed by the Mayor in the manner prescribed in
section 25 of this article, and removable as therein provided.
One of their number shall be president, and shall be so desig-
nated when appointed by the Mayor. Their term of office
shall be for three years, one commissioner to retire every year;
except that the commissioners first appointed shall determine
by lot their terms of office, so as to provide for the termination
of the term of one commissioner each at the end of the first
and second years. The said commissioners shall receive a sal-
ary of one thousand, eight hundred dollars each per annum,
payable monthly. The said commissioners shall be charged
with the duty of opening, extending, widening, straightening,
and, if the ordinance so provides, grading or closing any
street, lane, alley or part thereof, situated in Baltimore City
whenever the same shall have been directed by ordinance to
be done, and shall perform such other duties as the Mayor
and City Council of Baltimore may, by ordinance prescribe.
The said commissioners shall appoint a clerk, who shall be
paid a salary of one thousand five hundred dollars per annum,
payable monthly, and shall perform such duties as the commis-
sioners may prescribe. The said commissioners may also
appoint such other employees as the Mayor and City Council
of Baltimore by ordinance may direct, and fix their compensa-
tion, not to exceed in the aggregate the amount appropriated
by ordinance.

174. When the said commissioners shall assess a sum of
money to be paid by any person or persons, for benefits derived
by such person or persons from opening, extending, widening,
straightening, grading, curbing or closing any street, lane or
alley, or part thereof, and shall assess a sum of money to be
paid to the same person or persons for damages sustained by
said opening, extending, widening, straightening or closing, it
shall and may be lawful, upon a certificate of title from the
city solicitor, for the City register or city collector to receive
from such person or persons an assignment for the sum or
sums so assessed as damages aforesaid.

175. Whenever the Mayor and City Council shall hereafter
by ordinance direct the Commissioners for Opening Streets
to lay out, open, extend, widen, straighten, grade or close up,
in whole or in part, any street, square, lane or alley, within
the bounds of this city, the said commissioners, having given
the notice required by law of their first meeting to execute the