ART. 96.] UNITED STATES—CONDEMNATION. 1437

attendance, to make up the number of twenty, and from them,
each party or his agent, or if either be not present in person or
by agent, the sheriff for said party may strike four jurors, and
the remaining jurors shall act as the jury of inquest of damages

1874, ch. 395, sec. 7.

11. Before the said jury shall proceed to act, the sheriff shall
administer to each juror an oath that he will justly and impar-
tially vaiue the damages which the owner will sustain by the use
or permanent occupation of the land required by the United-
States.

Ibid. sec. 8.

12. The jury shall summon such witnesses as the parties may
require, and examine them on oath in relation to the value of the
property to be condemned; and they shall reduce the testimony,
if any be taken by them, to writing, and after the testimony is
closed, and without any unnecessary delay, they shall ascertain
and determine the compensation which ought to be made by the
United States to the party owning or being interested in the land
to be condemned.

Ibid. sec. 9.

13. The jury shall reduce their inquisition to writing, and!
shall sign and seal the same, and it shall then be returned by the
sheriff, together with the testimony, if any taken and reduced to
writing as aforesaid, to the clerk of the circuit court for the
county wherein said land lies, and shall be filed by said clerk in
said court.

Ibid. sec. 10.

14. The said inquisition shall be confirmed by said court if no
sufficient cause be shown by the fourth day of the term thereof
beginning next after it is filed in said court; and when con-
firmed, it shall be recorded by said clerk at the expenses of the
United States; and the United States shall also pay all the costs
incident to said petition and inquisition in all cases.

Ibid sec. 11.

15. If the said inquisition be set aside, the said court may
direct another inquisition in the manner hereinbefore prescribed.