ART. 4.] STREETS, BRIDGES AXD HIGHWAYS. 643

STREETS, BRIDGES AND HIGHWAYS.

P. L. L.. (1860,) art. 4, sec. 837. 1878, ch. 143.

806. The mayor and city council of Baltimore shall have full
power to provide for laying out, opening, extending, widening,
straightening or closing up, in whole or in part, any street,
square, lane or alley within the bounds of said city, which in
their opinion the public welfare or convenience may require; to
provide for ascertaining whether any, and what amount in value,
of damage will be caused thereby, and what amount of benefit
will thereby accrue to the owner or possessor of any ground or
improvements within or adjacent to said city, for which such
owner or possessor ought to be compensated, or ought to pay a
compensation, and to provide for assessing and levying, either
generally on the whole assessable property of said city, or
specially on the property of persons benefited, the whole or
any part of the amount of damages and expenses which they
shall ascertain will be incurred in locating, opening, extending,

widening, straightening or closing up the whole or any part of
any street, square, lane or alley in said city; to provide for grant-
ing appeals to the Baltimore city court, from the decisions of any
commissioners, or other persons appointed in virtue of any ordi-
nance to ascertain the damage which will be caused or the benefit

which will accrue to the owners or possessors of ground or im-
provements by locating, opening, extending, widening, straight-
ening or closing up, in whole or in part, any street, square, lane
or alley within said city, and for securing to every such owner
and possessor the right, on application within a reasonable time,
to have decided by a jury trial whether any damage has been
caused, or any benefit has accrued to them, and to what amount;
to provide for collecting and paying over the amount of compen-
sation adjudged to each person entitled, or investing it in stock
of the said corporation, bearing an interest of five per centum
per annum, for the use of any such person who, because of their
infancy, absence from the city or any other cause, may be pre-
vented from receiving it, before any street, square, lane or alley
in whole or in any part shall be so opened, extended, widened,
.straightened or closed up, and to enact and pass all ordinances,