1304 ARTICLE 4.

obstructions in, over or under the public lanes, alleys, avenues, streets
or highways of the City of Baltimore, which shall block or impede the
progress of the work of said Commission when under way, shall upon rea-
sonable notice from said Commission, promptly so shift, adjust, accommo-
date or remove the same, at their own cost and expense, as to fully meet
the exigencies occasioning such notice; and if any individual or corpora-
tion shall refuse, neglect or fail, after such reasonable notice, to discharge
any duty cast upon him or it by this section, he or it shall, in addition,
but not in substitution for any other remedy or remedies that said Com-
mission or the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may have in the
premises, be subject to a fine of one hundred ($100) dollars for each and
every such offense, and also to an additional fine of fifty ($50) dollars a

day for every day that said refusal, neglect or failure shall continue, said

fines to be collected as other fines in the City of Baltimore are collected, and

should the exigencies of said Commission and its work in any cause involve
a taking, in the constitutional sense, of the franchise or right, in the
exercise of which such obstruction had its origin, the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore shall be empowered to secure the condemnation of
such franchise or right in the manner provided for in Section 3 of this
Act.

1906, ch. 401. sec. 5.

841Y. All work done, or supplies or materials purchased, in carrying
out the purposes of this Act, when involving an expenditure of five hun-
dred ($500) dollars or more, shall be by contract awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 14 and
15 of Article 4 (entitled "City of Baltimore") of the Public Local Laws
of Maryland; provided, however, that said Commission shall be empow-
ered, if it see fit, to insert in the specifications for any such work reason-
able and lawful conditions as to hours of labor, wages and the residence
or character of workmen to be employed by the contractors, and especially
so far as it may be practicable in the judgment of said Commission, such
reasonable and lawful conditions as will tend to confine employment on
such work, in whole or in part, to permanent and bona fide residents of
the State of Maryland only; and provided, however, also, that said Com-
mission with the consent of all its members may itself do any part or parts
of any such work, under such conditions in every respect as it may pre-
scribe, by day labor, whenever the Chief Engineer in writing shall rec-
ommend that course; provided, however, that in that event said Commis-
sion shall among its other powers in the premises, be empowered to devise,
publish and enforce such rules and regulations as will make merit and
personal fitness, ascertained by some system of open competition or regis-
tration, or both, the sole tests of eligibility for all positions or employ-
ments under its control, which it may see fit to embrace within the scope
of said rules and regulations, which, however, may be limited to perma-
nent and bona fide residents of this State in any particular. Any and all
bids or parts of bids for any such work or supplies or materials may be
rejected.