LLOYD LOWNDES, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR. 565

or to contract with any person or persons or corporation for
supplying said town, and the inhabitants thereof, with water,
gas or electricity, and to cause the public streets and public
buildings to be lighted, supplied with water or other conveni-
ences, as they may deem necessary and proper; to establish
and regulate a fire department and provide auch means,
engines, apparatus, measures or material, for the prevention or
extinguishment of fires, as they may deem necessary; to pre-
vent, under such restrictions as they may deem proper, the
laying of railroad tracks, and the running of cars drawn by
horses, steam, electricity or other power thereon; the laying
of gas or water pipes in the public streets; and to construct
and maintain, and permit the construction and maintenance
of the telegraph, telephone and electric lines therein; and they
shall impose such restrictions and conditions upon the location
and maintenance of gas, electric light and water works, pipes,
wires, poles and railroad tracks as shall secure the least possible
public or private inconvenience; and they shall provide for
the enforcement of such restrictions and conditions; to con-
tract for lighting and supplying with water the streets and
public buildings, and for sprinkling the streets, but no such
contract shall be for a longer period than two years, and the
same shall be let only after thirty days' notice calling for bids
for such purpose or purposes, has been given at least three
times during that period in some newspaper of general
circulation in the town; and the council may, in their
discretion, reject any or all bids; and such contract or con-
tracts shall be awarded by ordinance; to license for the pur-
pose of regulations and revenues all and every kind of
business transacted or carried on in the town; to fix the
rate of license upon the same, and provide for the collection
thereof by suit or otherwise; to establish markets and regulate
the hours and limits thereof, and the mode of dealing in rela-
tion thereto; to control and protect the public grounds and
property of the town and protect public buildings, churches
and private buildings, trees, fences and song birds from deface-
ment or injury; to provide by ordinance for condemning, lay-
ing out, opening, extending and making new streets or alleys,
and for altering, straightening, widening, grading, improving
or closing up in whole or in part, any existing street or alley,
and for laying out public squares, parks, drains, sewers or
water courses; to establish and regulate a station house or
lockup for the temporary confinement of violators of the law
and ordinances of the town; to levy, to tax and impose a
license upon dogs or other animals or fowls running at large;