5266 ARTICLE 24.

of said county or of this State, by posting a copy of said notice in writing
or printing in front of the property of the person to be notified, and on
account of which the adjusters have returned that said person shall pay
a part of the expenses of said improvement, and also at some hotel or
public place in Pocomoke City at least twenty days before the day ap-
pointed for such appearance and answer. All persons notified in any of
the modes herein mentioned shall be bound by an order of assessments
which may be directed or to be made by the Mayor and Council, whether
they attend or not. On the day appointed in the notice for the appear-
ance and answer of the parties named in the adjusters' return such person
may appear, and whoever appears shall be heard, and upon and after such
hearing the Mayor and Council shall make decision as to the person who
shall contribute to the expense thereof and as to the proportion in which
the several persons shall pay, and the Mayor and Council shall pass an
order setting forth their decision. Any person assessed to pay part of the
expenses of said improvement may appeal from such decision of the Mayor
and Council at any time within twenty days to the Circuit Court for Wor-
cester County, but if no appeal is taken within twenty days the Mayor
and Council shall arrange for doing the work and furnishing the material.
They may provide materials and contract for doing the work or they may
contract with the same person for the materials and work; they may call
on two or three persons skilled in such work to make an offer of terms
on which they will do the work, and they shall accept the bid or offer of
the person who in their judgment will furnish the best material and work
for the least money, or who will do the best work on the most moderate
terms. Upon the completion of the work the Mayor and Council shall
examine it and shall hear complaints, if any be made, within ten days
after the work has been completed; after ten days they may accept the
same. Controversies with the contractor may be settled by submitting the
matters in question to referees chosen in the usual manner, or the con-
tractor or claimant may be left to his action at law, but in the meantime
the public may use the improvement. After the work has been accepted
the persons who are liable to pay for the same shall not be entitled to set
up any defects in the work or material as a ground for exempting them
from paying their contribution. As soon as the work has been accepted,
or as soon as any dispute is settled by arbitration or suit at law, the Mayor
and Council, upon their previous order fixing the proportion which each
person liable to pay shall contribute, shall ascertain the entire expense
for the improvement and shall assess each person who is liable with his
proper share of said expense, and to this end the Mayor and Council shall
pass an order wherein the persons who are bound to pay any portion of
the expenses, and the property on account of which they are bound to
pay the same shall be mentioned, and each of said persons shall be ordered
to pay the treasurer of Pocomoke City his proper part of the expense.
The said assessment shall be a tax and it shall bind the property affected
thereby, and as to such property it shall be a lien thereon with a priority
over all other liens; a copy of the order may be filed and recorded in