1674 ARTICLE 6.

and amended in whole or in part, by said Commissioners of Preston;
provided that the Commissioners of Preston shall give at least ten days'
notice by publication in one of the newspapers published in said county
and at least ten days' notice mailed to the last known post office address
of the owner or owners of said property so interested, of the time set
for final action on the return of said assessors, and said Commissioners
of Preston shall act on said return within twenty days after the expira-
tion of said notice, and may issue a new commission as in their judgment
may seem proper, and before actually proceeding to open, widen, extend,
straighten or close any such street or alley the Commissioners of Preston
shall pay or tender to the person, his agent, guardian or representative
the amount of damages so awarded; and if anyone shall feel aggrieved by
the decision of the Commissioners of Preston, in any manner affected
by their decision, he may appeal to the Circuit Court of Caroline County,
by giving written notice within twenty days from said decision, filed
with the Secretary of the Commissioners of Preston, of his desire to
appeal; and on the filing of the said notice it shall be the duty of the said
secretary to deliver the papers connected therewith to the clerk of said
Court, and the same proceeding shall be had on appeal as in the case of
appeals from judgments of justices of the peace; provided, nevertheless,
that the Commissioners of Preston may decline to open, lay out, extend,
widen, grade or straighten any street, alley or highway or any square,
waterway or drain, notwithstanding the decision of said Court; but in
case of refusal so to do they shall be liable for all costs incurred, and
shall pay the same, all benefits assessed by virtue of the above provisions
shall be liens on the respective lots or parcels of ground on which they
are assessed from the time of the final ratification of the aforesaid return,
and shall be collected as taxes are collected, or may be collected by action
at law. On appeal the Court or jury may alter the award so returned,
whether of damages or benefits, and award costs in its discretion. On
final ratification of any report of the assessors appointed under the pro-
visions of this section, the secretary to the Commissioners shall at once
record in a book kept for that purpose the said return, plat and all pro-
ceedings connected therewith. And if for any reason the person to whom
damages are awarded refuses to receive the damages assessed, or from in-
fancy or any other cause are prevented from receiving and receipting
for same, the damages so assessed shall be deposited in some bank of
Caroline County, paying interest on deposits, if any, to the credit of the
person entitled to such damages, and thereupon the Commissioners of
Preston may proceed in the same way as if said damages had been paid
to the person or persons themselves.

1914, ch. 833, sec. 25.

450. All able-bodied male citizens residing in the Town of Preston,
twenty-one years of age and over, shall be compelled to labor one day of
ten hours in every year on the public streets of said town; provided, how-
ever, no person shall be required to labor as aforesaid, who may furnish a