ARTS. 53 & 54] LANDLORD AND TENANT——LAND OFFICE. 1401

impaired by reason of his acceptance of a new lease of the same
premises without any intermediate surrender of possession.
Carlin v. Ritter, 68 Md. 478.

1896, ch. 19, sec. 28.

29. A covenant or promise by the lessee to leave, restore,
surrender or yield up the premises in good repair shall not
have the effect to bind him to erect similar buildings or pay for
such buildings as may be destroyed by fire or otherwise with-
out negligence or fault on his part, unless otherwise expressly
provided by written agreement or covenant that he shall be so
bound.

ARTICLE LIV.

LAND OFFICE.

Commissioner — Powers and Duties. 1. Commissioner a court of record. 2. Appointment and salary of chief clerk and assistant clerks 3. Appointment and salary of clerk to complete indexing. 4. Summons for witnesses; taking depositions. 5. Writs, attachments, etc., to be served by sheriff. 6. Docket. 7. Papers to be recorded. 8. Pees for recording. 9. Seal. 10. Chancery records and ante-revo- lutionary papers. 11. Copies of chancery proceedings ; fees 12. Bond 13. Moneys due the State on ac- count of public lands, how payable. 14. To record certificates and issue patents. 15. Land records; copies.

16. Extracts of deeds transferred from clerks of courts to be filed and bound. Appropria- tion therefor. Such extracts to be Indexed. Comptroller's warrants for costs thereof. 17. Authority of commissioner to continue indexing land re- cords and deeds. 18. Appropriation of one thousand dollars annually for such costs. 19. British confiscated lands. 20. Advertisement of intent to ap- ply under preceding section. 21. If not contested; if contested. 22 Hearing; exparte determination; reasons to be filed. 23 Disputes before commissioner; decree. 24. Disputes in which commissioner is interested. 25. Vacant or escheated land. 26. Warrant for taking up vacant or escheated land. 27. Where the land lies in two counties

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