1442 KENT COUNTY. [ART. 15.
BRIDGE AT CHESTERTOWN.

P. L. L., (1860,) art. 14, sec. 31. 1888, ch. 376.

43. The county commissioners of Kent county and the county
commissioners of Queen Anne's county, or a majority of them,
respectively, are authorized and empowered to negotiate with the
stockholders of the Chester river bridge company, or their duly
constituted agent, and purchase the capital stock of said bridge
company at a price not exceeding the par value thereof, and pro-
vide for the payment thereof in one, two and three annual instal-
ments, as may be agreed on, by levies on their respective counties
in the proportions said respective boards of commissioners may
agree upon between themselves as properly chargeable to their
respective counties; and upon the purchase and payment thereof,
said commissioners shall have prepared and executed a deed from
said bridge company for all the property, rights and franchises of
said company to said Kent and Queen Anne's counties in the
proportions of ownership, as shall be agreed on and established
by their several boards of county commissioners in the purchase
thereof, to be taken, held and perpetuated as a free bridge and
public thoroughfare between said counties.

Ibid.

44. There shall be a keeper of said bridge, who shall be
appointed for a term of two years by the joint action of the
county commissioners of Kent and Queen Anne's counties, at a
salary that may be agreed on between them; and the said bridge
shall be kept in good repair, and the said keeper shall attend the
draw thereof BO as to admit the passage of steamboats, vessels
and other water-craft through said draw-way at all proper hours;
and said keeper may be appointed supervisor for the repair of
said bridge or to superintend the repair thereof, under the direc-
tion and authority of said county commissioners; and all the
expenses of salary and repair as aforesaid shall be borne by said
counties in the proportion of their respective ownerships in said
bridge; and the amount necessary to keep said bridge in repair,
and to pay the keeper's salary, shall be annually levied by said
respective commissioners upon their respective counties in the
proportions as aforesaid; and the liabilities of said respective
counties for damages received shall be also in the proportions as
aforesaid.