ART. 91] PUBLIC ROADS. 1987

promote the objects of this act; condemn, lay out, open, establish, con-
struct, extend, widen, straighten, grade and improve, in any manner, any
main road, of the system, in any county of this State and establish or fix
the width thereof; cause to be prepared such surveys, plans, drawings or
maps as it may deem proper in the course of its work; acquire for the
State of Maryland, by agreement, gift, grant, purchase or condemnation
proceedings as prescribed by section 269 to 274 inclusive, or by section
399 to 405 inclusive of article 23 of the Annotated Code of
Public Civil Laws, any private road or roads whatsoever, or pri-
vate property or rights of drainage for public use, whether belong-
ing to private^ individuals or to turnpike companies or other cor-
porations, and including any avenues, roads, lanes or thorough-
fares, rights or interests, franchises, privileges or easements, that
may be, in its judgment, desirable or necessary to complete said
system of roads or to carry out the purposes of this act; contract with
any person or persons, company or corporation, either private or quasi-
public, or municipal, in furtherance of the duties and objects of this act
or any of the same; employ all necessary attorneys, consultants, agents,
laborers, help and assistants, skilled and unskilled, technical or profes-
sional, for the promotion of any of the work with which it is charged
hereunder, make and enter into any and all contracts, agreements or
stipulations germane to the scope of its duties and powers under this
act; and purchase all machines, machinery, tools, implements, appli-
ances, supplies, materials and working agencies whatsoever which it may
deem necessary for the full performance and completion of any of the
powers conferred and duties imposed upon said commission, or which
may be germane to the same or to the purposes and objects of this act.
and where rights, easements and franchises of the United Railways and
Electric Company of Baltimore, its successors and assigns, exist upon
any turnpike or private right of way in the Annex which may be
improved hereunder, then said rights, easements and franchises may
(if the mayor and city council of Baltimore and said railways com-
pany, its successors and assigns fail to agree upon terms of purchase
or surrender) be condemned by the mayor and city council of Balti-
more under the provisions of chapter 274 of the acts of 1904, and
chapter 566 of the acts of 1906, or in the exercise of its general powers
of condemnation, the cost thereof to be defrayed out of the loan pro-
vided for in said first mentioned act, or out, of the ordinary proceeds
of municipal taxation; provided, however, that the provisions of said
act of 1906 shall be obligatory upon, and not discretionary with, the
mayor and city council of Baltimore and the board of estimates, and
the price to be charged for new rights, franchises and easements simi-
lar to those condemned, shall be the same as the amount of the con-
demnation award.

1908, ch. 141, sec. 32 c.

35. If the state roads commission shall determine that the public
necessity or convenience, or that the purposes of this act require that any
turnpike, or part thereof, whether maintained as such by any turnpike