BALTIMORE COUNTY. 723

or action or costs adjudged against them shall be satisfied and paid in due
course out of the proper funds for such purpose.

1904, ch. 465. B. Co. C. (1908), sec. 339. 1914, ch. 465. B. Co. C. (1916), sec. 463.
1920, ch. 4. 1927, ch. 184. B. Co. C. (1928), sec. 579.

579. Said Commissioners shall have prepared by the County Surveyor
an official road map of the county, upon which shall be designated all
county roads and the distance between intersections of roads or prominent
thereon; whenever a new road shall be opened or accepted or an old road
altered or closed its location or the fact that it has been altered or closed
shall be properly designated on said map. Said Commissioners may, at
their discretion, have finger-boards or sign posts placed at road crossings
or intersections designating the distance to the nearest prominent point
and may give suitable names to the county roads and change the same as
they may see fit.

Said County Commissioners shall have the power to let out the repair
or maintenance of any road or portion of a road by contract when, in the
judgment of said Road Engineer, such course is deemed advisable, in
which case preference shall be given, where practicable, to the owners of
land directly interested in the proper care of such road or roads, and such
work shall be done under the supervision of said Roads Engineer. When-
ever any taxpayer of the county shall offer to haul stone or other hard
material upon any public road of his district at the price paid for the
same on such road or in such locality, the County Commissioners shall
give such taxpayer the preference, provided such stone or other hard mate-
rial is in condition for spreading on the road when hauled, if so required
by the County Commissioners, and that its quality is approved by the
Roads Engineer for use on the road upon which it is proposed to be used.
All contracts made by the County Commissioners for the repair or con-
struction of roads or bridges shall be reduced to writing and all payments
thereunder shall be subject to the approval by the Roads Engineer of
the work done under the contract. Whenever work on any road or bridge
involves an outlay of five hundred dollars or more, plans and specifications
therefor shall be prepared by the Roads Engineer and bids for work in-
vited by reasonable publication in such papers as the Commissioners may
designate; but it shall not be obligatory upon the said Commissioners to
have such work done by contract if it be found after receiving bids therefor
that the same can be done more cheaply by direct employment of required
labor. The County Commissioners of Baltimore County shall and may
adopt all necessary and reasonable rules, regulations and orders with ref-
erence to the proper care, repair, improvements, construction and main-
tenance of the county roads and bridges, and shall have power to make
all such rules and regulations with reference to the use of the roads, streets,
avenues, lanes, alleys, and bridges of the county by telephone and tele-
graph companies, steam railroad and street railway companies, gas, water
and electric light companies, and similar uses thereof, and by individuals
and the traveling public, as said Commissioners may consider necessary
for the proper protection of said roads, streets, avenues, lanes, alleys and