LLOYD LOWNDES. ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

before a justice of the peace of Wicomico county that they
will faithfully, fully and fairly and without partiality or preju-
dice, value and assess the costs and damages to be suffered and
incurred by any person interested in the said property, over,
through and by which the said road, drain, water way or land-
ings is to be opened, closed, extended, widened, graded or im-
proved, and also to estimate the benefits that may accrue there-
from to any such property, over, through and by which the
said road, drains, water way or landing is to be opened, closed,
extended, widened, graded or improved, or any property adja-
cent thereto, or any other property injured or benefited by said
road, drain, water course or landing ; they shall give at least

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fifteen days' notice in one or more newspapers published in
Wicomico county of their purpose to lay out, open, extend,
close up, widen, straighten, grade or improve the road, drain,
water way or landing so directed to be laid out, opened,
extended, closed up, widened, straightened, graded or improved,
and of the day, hour and place of meeting for the said purpose ;
and shall meet at the time and place mentioned in the notice
given by them, and proceed to exercise the powers and perform
the duty assigned to and required of them, and to ascertain
whether any and what amount in value of damages will be
caused thereby, for which the owner Or occupant of any rights
or interest, claimed in any ground or improvement, ought
to be compensated, over and above the amount in value
of benefits which will thereby accrue to said owner or occu-
pant thereof, and ascertain what amount in value of bene-

Notice to be
given.

fits will thereby accrue to any lot or parcel of ground by or
through which the same may pass, or improvements made, or
any other property, or to the owner or occupant thereof, and
which said lot or parcel of ground, or the owner or occupant
thereof ought to pay. They shall locate boundaries and pre-
pare an explanatory map, giving description of the road opened,
closed, extended, widened, straightened, or drain, water course
or landing, with each separate lot or parcel of ground deemed
to have sustained damages or received benefits, and they shall
within twenty days, return to the County Commissioners such
map, together with the amount of damages awarded such
owners or occupants and the amount of bentits assessed to any
lot or parcel ol ground or the owner thereof, together with a
certificate of their qualifications, which may be ratified or
rejected or allowed and amended, in whole or in part, by said
County Commissioners; provided, that the County Commis-
sioners shall give ten days' notice, at least, by publication in
one newspaper published in Wicomico county, or by ten days'

Boundaries
located.