PUBLIC WORKS—BOARD OF, 2533

shall, on that day, at or near twelve o'clock M, of said day, not before, open
such bids in the presence of such bidders and other persons who may
choose to attend, and award the contract for such supplies to the lowest
responsible bidder who shall have filed with his bid a bond satisfactory
to said Board of Public Works; and said Board shall be the judge of the
sufficiency of said bond, and no bid shall be considered by said Board unless
accompanied by such bond.

Provided that whenever, in the judgment of the Board of Public Works,
the amount to be expended for stationery, record and blank books, account
books, and other materials of a like nature, as aforesaid, shall be less than
the sum of five hundred dollars, then in such case the said Board shall
not be required to advertise forbids, but is authorized to have the work done
and to procure the said supplies by private contract. In such event the
contract shall be based upon specifications prepared by the State Librarian,
and its terms shall conform to the requirements of the succeeding Sections;
and such contractor shall give bond to the State, with surety and penalty
satisfactory to the Board of Public Works, for the due, prompt and faith-
ful compliance with said contract.

An. Code, sec. 2. 1904, sec. 2. 1904, ch. 397, sec. 2.

2. It shall be the duty of the state librarian for and on behalf of the
court of appeals, on behalf of the general assembly for the year in which
the same may be in session, and on behalf of the state library and of the
secretary of State for and on behalf of the executive department to furnish
said board of public works, before the first day of June, in each year,
specifications for the stationery, account books, record books and other
materials of like character necessary to the work of the above mentioned
departments in each and every year, and for the general assembly specifica-
tions shall be drawn by the state librarian for the bids for the year during
which the general assembly shall hold its sessions.

An. Code, sec. 3. 1904, sec. 3. 1904, ch. 397, sec. 3.

3. Said board of public works shall immediately, upon determining the
lowest responsible bidder, award said contract to said bidder, and notify
him thereof; and it shall ten days thereafter enter into contract with said
bidder for the supplies so enumerated; and if from any cause said bidder
shall fail to enter into said contract, the said board of public works shall
award the contract to the next lowest responsible bidder, who shall have
filed his bond as directed in section 1.

An. Code, sec. 4. 1904, sec. 4. 1904, ch. 397, sec. 4.

4. If any person shall bid for said stationery, books and materials of
a like character necessary for said departments, and fail to enter into
contract with the said board of public works, it shall be the duty of the
attorney-general of the State to enter suit in the name of the State of Mary-
land against the bond of said bidder for the amount of the difference
between said bid and the next lowest responsible bidder, in the circuit
court for the county, or in the superior court of Baltimore city, where