3020 ARTICLE 96.

compos mentis, if such facts are known to the agent filing such petition,
and the public uses to which the United States desire to put the said land,
and shall require all persons interested in the said land to come forward
on a day to be specified in said notice, and file their objections, if any they
have, to the proposed condemnation of said land.

An. Code, sec. 9. 1904, sec. 9. 1888, sec. 9. 1874, ch. 395, sec. 5.

9. At the time specified in said notice, or at the earliest convenient day
thereafter, it shall be the duty of the said court to proceed to hear and
determine upon said petition, and the objections, if any, filed against the
proposed condemnation; and the said court may order such witnesses to
be summoned, and hear such evidence as may be produced before it by the
respective parties, to show the necessity or impropriety of the proposed
condemnation; and if the said court shall determine that condemnation of
the said lands or other real property ought not to be had, it shall dismiss
said petition, at the cost of the United States; but if it shall determine that
condemnation of the land in said petition described ought to be had by the
United States, it shall pass an order directing the clerk of said court, under
his hand and the seal of said court, to issue a warrant to the sheriff of the
county wherein said land lies, requiring him to summon a jury of twenty
inhabitants of said county not interested in the land to be valued to meet
on or near the land to be valued on a day named in said summons, not less
than ten nor more than twenty days after issuing the same; provided, five
days' notice thereof be given, to the owner, reputed owner or agent of such
owner of the lands proposed to be condemned.

An. Code, sec. 10. 1904, sec. 10. 1888, sec. 10. 1874, ch. 395, sec. 6.

10. If at the time named in such summons any of said jurors sum-
moned do not attend, the said sheriff shall immediately summon as many
jurors as may be necessary, with the jurors in attendance, to make up the
number of twenty, and from them each party or his agent, or if either be
not present in person or by agent, the sheriff for said party may strike
four jurors, and the remaining jurors shall act as the jury of inquest of
damages.

An. Code, sec. 11. 1904, sec. 11. 1888, sec. 11. 1874, ch. 395, sec. 7.

11. Before the said jury shall proceed to act, the sheriff shall adminis-
ter to each juror an oath that he will justly and impartially value the
damages which the owner will sustain by the use or permanent occupation
of the land required by the United States.

An. Code, sec. 12. 1904, sec. 12. 1888, sec. 12. 1874, ch. 395, sec. 8.

12. The jury shall summon such witnesses as the parties may require,
and examine them on oath in relation to the value of the property to be con-
demned; and they shall reduce the testimony, if any be taken by them to
writing, and after the testimony is closed, and without any unnecessary
delay, they shall ascertain and determine the compensation which ought to