PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, ESQ., GOVERNOR. 919

to grant and regulate franchises for electric light and gas com-
panies, telephone and telegraph companies; all such franchises
shall not be granted for a period of more than twenty-five years,
and be renewable at discretion of the commissioners of Sharp-
town ; to regulate the keeping of dogs in said town and provide
for a tax thereon, and for the collection of the same; to provide
for the killing of dogs on which no taxes are paid; to prevent
the running at large of horses, cattle, hogs, geese and other
fowl on the streets or in the limits of said town, and to regulate
the keeping of same in said town.

SEC. 2. This act shall not impair or affect any right vested
or acquired and existing at the time of the passage of this act;
provided that this section shall not be construed to make
irrepealable or irrevocable any right which before the passage
of this act was repealable or revocable; nor shall this act impair,
discharge or release any contract, obligation, duty, liability or
penalty whatever now existing. All suits and actions, both
civil and criminal, pending, or which may hereafter be insti-
tuted for causes of action now existing or offenses already com-
mitted against any law or ordinance repealed by this act, shall
be instituted, proceeded with and prosecuted to final determina-
tion and judgment as if this act had not been passed. No tax
or enforcement of the payment of the same before the passage
of this act shall in any manner be affected by the passage of
this act, and the mode of procedure in any such matter shall
be the same as if this act had not been passed.

SEC. 3. All laws now in force relating or applicable to the
Commissioners of Sharptown and not included in this act and
not inconsistent with this act, and all ordinances of the Com-
missioners of Sharptown now in force and not inconsistent
with this act, shall be and they are hereby continued until
changed or repealed, respectively, by the General Assembly of
Maryland, or the Commissioners of Sharptown.

SEC. 4. All officers provided for or named in the Charter
of Sharptown or any amendments thereto, as it now stands
before the passage of this act, whether by election or appoint-
ment, shall continue to hold, exercise and discharge the duties
of their respective offices until their successors shall be duly
qualified, and nothing contained in this act shall be construed
to interfere with the continuity of the terms or tenure of said
officers; nor shall a reappointment or re-election of any of said
officers be necessary in order to secure the said continuity of
their said terms and tenure of office, unless otherwise provided
by this act