DOECHESTER COUNTY. 2205

poses, the Commissioners of Cambridge shall have full power and author-
ity to take proceedings, as hereinafter set forth for the condemnation of
such lands or other property needed; and upon such condemnation under
said proceedings, and on the payment or tender of the .money adjudged
to be paid, the lands or other property condemned shall vest in the Com-
missioners in fee simple. Before taking the proceedings the Commis-
sioners ought to ascertain whether they can buy the property from owners
at a fair price. But the omission to negotiate shall not affect the right
of the Commissioners to take proceedings. For condemning lands or prop-
erty as aforesaid the Commissioners shall proceed as follows, to wit:

First. They shall issue a warrant signed by the Commissioners, or at
least three of them, authenticated by the corporate seal, directed to the
Sheriff of Dorchester County, commanding him to summon twenty male
residents of the said town, over the age of twenty-five years, who are not
interested in the property to be condemned, and not related or connected,
by blood or marriage, with the owners of the said property, that out of
said number an impartial jury of twelve men may be selected.

Second. The warrant shall designate the court-house in said town for
the place of meeting, unless for a cause, deemed by the Commissioners
sufficient, a different place in said town be designated therefor, and it
shall name a day and date for the meeting, not less than twenty days
after the elate of the warrant, or it may appoint a more distant day and
date, if the parties or persons owning or interested in the property reside
out of said county or out of this State. If on the day appointed for such
meeting it shall seem just and right to the sheriff, he may postpone the
meeting to a future day and date, not more than twenty days thereafter,
but by consent of the Commissioners and the owners and the persons inter-
ested in the lands or property, the sheriff may postpone the meeting to
any day and date agreed on. The sheriff may adjourn the inquisition
from day to day (Sundays excepted) until its work is completed, or it
may adjourn to any day agreed upon by the parties.

Third. With the warrant, or about the date thereof, the town clerk
shall issue and deliver to said sheriff summonses directed to the owners
or persons interested in said property, residing in said county or in any
other county of this State. The summons for parties or persons residing
in Dorchester County shall be served by the said sheriff, while the sum-
monses for parties or persons residing in other counties of this State
shall be sent by said sheriff to the sheriff of such counties, that he may
summon the parties or persons named therein. If any of the parties or
persons interested in the property shall reside out of this State the town
clerk shall deliver to the sheriff of Dorchester County an order of publi-
cation, to be published once a week for three successive weeks in some
newspaper in said town, at least thirty days before the day and date of
the meeting named in the warrant or afterwards appointed.

But in place of an order of publication a summons may be personally
served on any non-resident by any person appointed by the sheriff, if the
person who serves the same makes oath to such service before a notary