46

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

piration of every three years thereafter, make new

contracts for the same work, said contracts to date

from the first day of April of the year in which they

shall be made; and the said contracts shall be awarded

to the lowest responsible and accepted bidders, at a

public auction of the roads, to be held in each election

district, by the road commissioners and county com-

missioner in charge of said district, at such time and

place as they may select, due notice of which shall be

given by publication in the county papers and by

handbills set up in public places; provided that said

Roads to be
ottered in sec-

roads be offered in sections as laid out by the county

tions.

commissioner in whose division they may be located,

according to road districts, and as shown on plats filed

in the office of the county commissioners, said sections

to embrace the roadways of all bridges and the ford-

ings of all streams located thereon, and that no con-

tract be awarded to any person residing beyond the

limits of the road districts in which the section bid

for by him is located; and provided further, that the

road commissioners and county commissioners may

Reserve right

reserve the right to reject any or all bids; and each

to reject bids.

person to whom a contract shall be awarded shall give

a good and sufficient bond, with ample security, to the

county commissioners, in a penalty double the amount

of his contract, conditioned for the faithful discharge

of the duties imposed upon him by law, said bond to

be approved by the said road commissioners and

county commissioners, and filed, with the contract of

said person, in the office of the county commissioners ;

but if the road commissioners and county commis-

sioners should fail to sell any section of road at public

auction, they shall, as soon as practicable, contract

Contract pri-
vately.

privately for the same with some resident of the road

district in which the section, is located, at the lowest

reasonable amount, under the same conditions that

regulate the keeping and good repair of other sec-

tions; and, failing in this, they shall place said section

under the special charge of the road commissioner in

whose road district it is located, and who shall expend

in repairs and improvements thereon such amounts of

money as the county commissioners may order; and

not more than one section of road shall be contracted

for with any one person, unless it shall be wholly im-

possible to do otherwise; and the said road commis-

sioners and county commissioner shall report promptly