1194

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

and uses to which the power so applied can be made applica-
ble, and to fix, charge, collect and receive rates and tolls
therefor.

Time
granted.

SEC. 12. And be it enacted, That the construction of the
main line of said Frederick, Thurmont and Northern Railroad
shall be commenced within five years, and completed within
ten years from and after the passage of this Act.

Effective.

SEC. 13. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect
from the date of its passage.
Approved April 9, 1898.

CHAPTER 515.
AN ACT to create and sustain by taxation Public Libraries
and Reading Rooms.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-

Public
library.

land, That the governing board of any municipality incorpo-
rated under the laws of this State, shall have power to establish
and maintain a public library and reading room for the use and
benefit of such municipality, and may levy an annual tax, not
exceeding five cents on each one hundred dollars of an assessed
valuation of taxable property. Such tax to be collected and
levied in like manner as other general taxes of said munici-
pality, and when collected, to be known as the "Library Fund ;"
provided, that before such tax be laid, or such library estab-
lished, the decision of the said governing board be ratified by
a majority of the votes cast at a regular municipal election.
SEC. 2. Whenever the governing board of any municipality

Notice to be
given.

shall vote to establish a public library, they shall notify the
proper officers that public notice may be given, that at the
next municipal election a vote will be taken as to the ratifica-
tion of such decision ; and that on the official ballot at said
election there shall be placed spaces headed, "For the establish-
ment of a public library," and "Against the establishment of a
public library."
SEC. 3. When any municipality shall have voted to establish

Board of
directors.

and maintain a public library and reading room under this Act,
the chief executive officer of such municipality shall appoint,
with the approval of the municipal governing board, a board
of nine ditectors for said libiary, chosen from the citizens at
large with reference to their fitness for such office, and not
more than one member of the said governing board shall be at
any one time a member of said board of directors.