4402 ARTICLE 20.

waterway or drain notwithstanding the decision of said court; but in case
of refusal so to do they shall be liable for costs incurred, and shall pay
the same. All benefits assessed by virtue of the above provisions shall be
a lien on the respective lots or parcels of ground on which they are as-
sessed 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 as other debts are collected. On appeal the court or jury may alter
the award so returned, whether of damages or benefits, and award the
costs in its discretion. On final ratification of any report of a commis-
sion appointed under the provisions of this section, the clerk to the City
Council shall at once record in a book, kept for that purpose, the said
return, plat and all proceedings connected therewith. And if for any
reason the person to whom damages are awarded shall refuse to receive
the damages assessed, or from infancy or any other cause is prevented
from receiving and receipting for same, the damages so assessed shall be
deposited in some bank, paying interest on deposits, if any, to the credit
of the person entitled to such damages, and thereupon the Mayor and
Council may proceed in the same way as if the said damages had been paid
to the person or persons themselves and this proceeding shall have the
same effect.

1910, ch. 529, sec. 89 (p. 1099). 1916, ch. 458, sec. 89.

85. The Mayor and Council of Crisfield shall have power to provide
by ordinance for the establishment and change from time to time of the
grade lines of any streets, lane, alley or part thereof now or hereafter
marked, located or laid out, to provide by ordinance for grading, macada-
mizing, paving and curbing or for regrading, remacadamizing, repaving
and recurbing of any street, lane, alley in said City or part thereof now
condemned, ceded, dedicated or opened as a public highway, or which
may hereafter be condemned, ceded, dedicated, opened, widened, straight-
ened or altered, according to the laws and ordinances regulating same, and
also assessing the cost of any work, not exceeding one-half the cost, upon
any property binding upon streets, lanes, alley or highway or part thereof,
according to the front foot rule of apportionment of the cost of improve-
ment on an equitable basis, as it may determine, and for the collection
of said assessment, as other city taxes are collected, or in such manner
as it may prescribe, either before or after the work shall have been done.
To provide by ordinance for grading, macadamizing, paving or curbing
or for regrading, remacadamizing, repaving or recurbing of any street,
lane, alley or highway or part thereof in said city, whenever the owners
of a majority of the front footage or of property binding on such street,
lane, alley or highway or part thereof shall apply for the same, upon terms
and under conditions to be prescribed in said ordinances, and for the as-
sessment in any such case of the whole or any part of the costs of such
work pro rata according to the front foot rule of apportionment of the
cost of the improvement on an equitable basis upon all abutting property,
binding upon such street, lane or alley and for the collection of such