ART. 23.] SALISBURY. 2089

curred by the laying out, opening and making of new streets or
alleys, or by altering, straightening, widening, grading, improv-
ing or closing up, in whole or in part, any existing street or alley,
or laying out public squares, drains and water-courses, shall be
determined and assessed by five disinterested persons, residents of
said town, appointed by the mayor and approved by the council,
who shall, within ten days after notification of their appointment,
take an oath, before a justice of the peace of Wicomico county,
that they will faithfully and fairly, and without partiality or
prejudice, value and assess the loss and damages to be suffered
and incurred by any person interested in the said property, over,
through and by which the said street or alley, square, drain or
water-way is to be opened, closed, extended, widened, graded or
improved, and also to estimate the benefits that may accrue there-
from to any such property, over, through and by which the said
street or alley, square, drain or water-way is to be opened, closed,
extended, widened, graded or improved, or any property adja-
cent thereto, or any other property injured or benefited by
said street, alley, square, drain or waterway; they shall give
at least ten days' notice in one or more newspapers pub-
lished in said town, of their purpose to lay out, open, ex-
tend, close up, widen, straighten, grade or improve the street
or alley, square, drain or water-way, so directed to be laid
out, opened, extended, closed up, widened, straightened, graded
or improved, and of the day, hour and place of meeting for
the said purpose; and they shall meet at the time and place
mentioned in the notice given by them, and proceed to exercise
the powers and perform the duty assigned to and required of
them, and to ascertain whether any and what amount, in value of
damages, will be caused thereby, for which the owner or occu-
pant of any right or interest, claimed in any ground or improve-
ment, ought to be compensated, over and above the amount in
value of benefit which will thereby accrue to such owner or
occupant thereof, and ascertain what amount in value of benefit
will thereby accrue to any lot or parcel of ground, by or through
which the same may pass or improvements made, or any other
property, or to the owner or occupant thereof, and which the
said lot or parcel of ground, or the owner or occupant thereof,
ought to pay. They shall locate boundaries and prepare an
xplanatory map giving description of the street or alley opened,