264

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

said mayor and council ; provided, that the mayor shall give

ten days' notice, at least in writing to each property owner

specially interested, of the time set for final action on

return of said examiners, and before proceeding to open,

widen, extend, straighten or close any such street, alley,

square, drain or waterway, the mayor and council shall pay

or tender to the person, his agent or guardian or represen-

tative the amount of damages so awarded ; and if any one

shall feel aggrieved by the decision of the mayor and council

in any matter relating to their decision, he, she or they may

appeal to the Circuit Court for Worcester County by giving

written notice of said intention within twenty days from

said decision filed with the clerk of the council, of their

desire to appeal, and on the filing of the said notice it shall

be the duty of the said clerk to deliver the papers con-

nected therewith to the clerk of the Circuit Court, and the

same proceedings shall be had on the appeal as in cases of

appeal from judgments of justices of the peace, provided,

that the mayor and council may refuse to open, extend,

widen, grade or straighten any street, alley, square, water-

way or drain upon the actiou of said court, by paying all

the legal costs of said appeals. All benefits assessed by

virtue of the foregoing provisions shall be liens npon the re-

spective lots or parcels of ground on which they are assessed

from the time of the final ratification of the aforesaid

return, and shall be collected as taxes are collected or may be

collected by action at law, on appeal, the court or jury may

alter the award so returned, whether damages or benefits,

and award costs in its discretion.

SEC. 18. And be it enacted, That for the purpose of carry-

ing out the foregoing powers, and for the preservation of

the health, comfort, convenience, morals, cleanliness, peace

May
enforce

and good order of the community, and for the protection of

ordi-

the lives and property of the citizens from fire, or disease,

nances

and to suppress or cause to be suppressed, abated or discou -

tinned any and all nuisances within the limits of said town,

the mayor and council may pass any and all ordinances and

by-laws, from time to time, deemed necessary, and to enforce

and insure the observance of the said ordinances in

addition to an action in debt, or such other civil remedies

as may exist in such cases by law for the recovery of fees,

fines and penalties thereto affixed, they may affix thereto

reasonable fines, and in default of payment of any fine and

costs, so imposed, they may provide for the imprisonment of

the offender, for a period not exceeding thirty days in the

town lockup, or the county jail if there be no lockup, or for

his commitment to the custody of the policeman under sen-

tence to hard labor upon the streets not exceedings ten days.