1600 ARTICLE 6.

preceding section, may discontinue such joint fence, after giving three
months' notice in writing to the party, his agent or overseer; in all other
cases (unless by mutual consent) twelve months' notice shall be given to
discontinue any joint fence.

P. L. L., 1888, Art. 6, sec. 138. 1860, Art. 6, sec. 89.

234. In all suits or actions brought to recover damages for trespass
upon any land in said county by any kind of live stock, the defendant
may plead the general issue and give the special matter in evidence, and
the plaintiff shall be nonsuited whenever it shall be clearly proven that
the lands whereon the trespass is alleged to have been done were not
enclosed according to this subtitle of this Article.

FIRE COMPANIES.

1927, ch. 270, sec. 1.

235. The County Commissioners of Caroline County are hereby au-
thorized, empowered and directed to pay the sum of eight hundred dollars
($800.00) annually to the several volunteer fire companies so long as said
fire companies remain active bodies, and active fire fighting organizations
for their benefit, said sum of money to be used by the respective fire com-
panies for the purchase, repair or maintenance of fire fighting equipment.

1927, ch. 270, sec. 2.

236. Said payment shall be made on the first day of September in
each and every year by the County Commissioners of Caroline County,
and it shall be distributed as follows: To the Denton Volunteer Fire Com-
pany, Incorporated, of Denton, Maryland, the sum of three hundred dol-
lars ($300.00); to the Federalsburg Fire Company of Federalsburg,
Maryland, the sum of two hundred and fifty ($250.00) dollars; to the
Ridgely Fire Company of Ridgely, Maryland, the sum of two hundred
and fifty ($250.00) dollars.

1927, ch, 270, sec. 3.

237. The County Commissioners of Caroline County be and the same
are hereby authorized, directed and empowered to levy the said sum of
eight hundred ($800.00) dollars annually for the above purpose on the
assessable property of said Caroline County. Before the County Com-
missioners shall be required to pay the aforesaid sums of money to the
respective fire companies, the said Commissioners shall have the power to
require the officers of said fire companies to appear before them and show
to the satisfaction of said Commissioners that any sums of money paid
by the said Commissioners to the said fire companies under this Act have
been expended for the purposes set forth in this Act, and also that said
respective fire companies are active fire fighting organizations. In the
event any of the fire companies hereinbefore mentioned cease to remain
active fire fighting organizations, or have not used the moneys appropriated
to them for the sole purposes set forth in this Act, then the County Com-