JOSEPH KENT, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1827,

any such appeal being made, the said Judges or a majority of
them, or the chief judge, if the city court shall not be in sessi-
on, may and shall appoint a day for hearing the said appeal,
which shall not be less than five, nor more than twenty days,
after the expiration of the thirty days limited for making
appeals as aforesaid, and shall direct the cleric of the said
court to issue a subpoena duces tecum, to the Register of the
eity of Baltimore, requiring him to produce and deliver to
the said court, the return made to him by the said commis-
sioners, and all plots, documents, books and papers connect-
ed with such return, and the said Judges of Baltimore city
court or a majority of them, shall have full power to meet
at the time so appointed, and hear and fully examine the
subject, and deride on the said appeals, and for that pur-
pose they are hereby authorised and empowered to ad-
journ from time, to time, and may cause all such appeals
to be consolidated or hear and decide them separately, and
may require the said commissioners, their clerk, surveyor
and other agents and servants or any of them, and all such
Other persons as they shall deem necessary, to attend and ex-
amine them on oath or affirmation, and may permit and re-
quire all such explanation, amendments and additions to be
made to, and of the said return, as the said Judjges shall deem
requisite, and the said Judges in their discretion may direct
the Sheriff of Baltimore county, to summon twelve or more
persons qualified to be Jurors of their court, and may im-
panel any twelve disinterested persons so summoned or at-
tending the court, to try any question of fact, or to ascertain,
and decide on the amount of damage or benefit under the
direction of the said court, and the said Judges shall not re-
ject, or set aside the return of the commissioners for any de-
fect or omission either in form or substance, but shall amend
and supply all such defects and omissions, and reduce or in-
crease the amount of damages or benefits assessed and alter
modify and correct the said return in all or any of its parts,
as to the said Judges or a majority of them, shall seem just
and proper, and shall cause their proceedings and decision on
the said return and appeals, certified by their clerk, under the
seal of their court, to be transmitted to the Register of the
City of Baltimore, which shall be final and conclusive in every
respect.

CHAP. 21

SEC. 3. And be it enacted? That the said Judges of Balti-
more city court, shall have full power in their discretion to
add the reasonable costs of any appeal, to be taxed by them,
or any part thereof, to the damages to be collected for the
opening of the said street, or to require such costs or any part
thereof to be paid by all or by either of the appellants as the
circumstances of each appeal in their opinion shall justify

Costs of Appeal

SEC, 4, And be it enacted, That within ten days after the
time herein before limited lor making appeals shall have e-
lapsed, if no appeal shall have been prayed, or after the re-
turns of the decision on aoy appeal or appeals to the register
of the said city as aforesaid directed, it shall be the duty of

Collections of sums
assessed.