MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 3381

fence upon giving three months' notice in writing to the party refusing
or delaying, his agent or tenant; and in all other cases (unless by mutual
consent) twelve months' notice shall be required to discontinue any joint
fence.

1918, ch. 363, sec. 9.

319. Should the owner of arable land who may be proceeded against
under the preceding Section of this sub-title be a non-resident of the State
of Maryland and have no agent, employee, tenant or representative living
upon said laid, in such case any notice provided for in said preceding
sections may be stuck upon the door of the principal dwelling house upon
said land, and if there be no such dwelling house, then on some prominent
object on said land.

FIRE COMPANIES.

1927, ch. 191, sec. 1.

320. The County Commissioners of Montgomery County are hereby
authorized, empowered and directed to pay the sum of five hundred dollars
($500.00) annually to the several volunteer fire companies for each piece
of fire-fighting apparatus it maintains in efficient operating condition, said
sum of money to be used by the respective fire companies for the purchase,
repair and maintenance of fire-fighting equipment. No such payment shall
be made unless the fire-fighting apparatus shall be equipped with a pump

-or with chemical tanks. No volunteer fire-fighting company shall receive
any benefits under this Act unless it has more than one thousand (1,000)
feet of standard hose.

1927, ch. 191, sec. 2.

321. Said payment shall be made on the first day of September in
each and every year by the County Commissioners of Montgomery County.

1927, ch. 191, sec. 3.

322. The County Commissioners of Montgomery County are hereby
authorized, empowered and directed to levy whatever sum of money may
be necessary annually for the above purpose on the assessable property
of Montgomery County. Before the County Commissioners shall be re-
quired 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 pur-
poses set forth in this Act, and also that said respective fire companies are
active fire-fighting organizations, and show the equipment to be in proper

fire-fighting condition. In the event that any of the fire companies here-
inbefore mentioned cease to remain incorporated bodies or active fire-
fighting organizations, or have not used the monies appropriated to them