ART. 25.] COUNTY COMMISSIONERS—BRIDGES. 411

P. G. L , (1860,) art, 28, sec. 48. 1856, ch. 308, sec. 2.

20. When any person intends to apply for building or repair-
ing any bridge, he shall give notice in the same manner, and for
the same length of time prescribed for applications for opening
roads; and the county commissioners, when they have heard the
reasons and evidences for and against the application, shall de-
termine the case, as in their judgment will best promote the
public convenience.

Ibid. sec. 49. 1856, ch. 308, sec. 8.

21. Whenever the county commissioners shall have deter-
mined to build or repair a bridge, they shall, at their usual time
for levying taxes, levy on the assessable property of the county,
a sum sufficient to pay for the bridge and its embankments and
abutments.

Ibid. sec. 50. 1856, ch. 308, sec. 4. 1884, ch. 114.

22. All bridges shall be built or repaired by contract; and the
county commissioners shall advertise in one or more newspapers,
and if there be no newspaper published in the county or counties,
then by such public notice as they may deem most advisable, set-
ting forth the place where said bridge is to be built or repaired,
with full specifications of the plan and materials, and that sealed
proposals for building or repairing said bridge will be received
until a day named in the advertisement; provided, however, that
nothing herein shall apply to the building of bridges, the cost of
which shall not exceed two hundred dollars, nor to repairs of
existing bridges, where the cost of said repairs shall not exceed
that sum; and in all cases where such cost of building or repair-
ing shall not exceed said sum of two hundred dollars, the manner
of providing for said work, and whether the same shall be done
by contract or otherwise, and if by contract, the manner of let-
ting the same shall be in the discretion of the county commission-
ers.

Ibid. sec. 51. 1856, ch. 306, sec. 4.

23. On the day named in such advertisement the proposals
shall be opened, and the contract awarded to the lowest bidder,
who in the opinion of the county commissioners shall be qualified
to build or repair the bridge; and the contractor shall be required