88

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

proceeding shall be had on such appeal as in cases of

appeals from the judgment of justices of the peace ;

provided, nevertheless, that the mayor and council

shall not be compelled to accept the decision of the

board of street commissioners, or the judgment of the

circuit court for Washington county, but may decline

to lay out, open, extend, widen or straighten or close

up any street, lane, alley, square, highway, water

course or drain; and in case of such refusal by the

mayor and council, all costs incurred shall be paid by

the mayor and council.

SEC. 143a. All benefits assessed against any lot or

parcel of ground (or the owner or occupant thereof)

Benefits ns-

shall be a lien against said lot or parcel of ground

scsssecl a lien.

from the time the mayor and council shall finally

order the opening, widening, extending, straightening

or closing up of any street, highway, lane, alley,

square, drain or water course, as the case may be ;

and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the mayor and

council, immediately upon the passage of such order

by the mayor and council, to certify, under his hand

and the seal of the corporation, to the tax collector,

the amount of benefits so assessed against any lot or

parcel of ground, who shall forthwith enter the same

on his books against the property so assessed. The

tax collector shall collect such benefits as other taxes

are collected, provided that no property be sold for

the payment of benefits until after the expiration of

six months from the date of the passage of the order

of the mayor and council in the premises.

SEC. 143b. The notices herein provided to be given

by the board of street commissioners shall apply in all

Notices— now

cases, whether the owner or owners of property to be

to apply

affected by their proceedings be residents or non-resi-

dents, infants, non compos mentis, or laboring under

any other legal disability.

SEC. 143c. The board of street commissioners shall

have charge of all repairs and improvements of the

streets, alleys, highways, lanes, squares, drains and

water courses of the town, and have control of the

Repirs and

expenditures of all money appropriated by the mayor

improvements.

and council for the same, together with the special

improvement fund provided in sections one hundred

and forty-three i and one hundred and forty-three j,

and shall have power to expend said money wherever,

in their judgment, the same may be needed, with full