1116 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

play of goods, wares and merchandise; to grant franchises
and regulate the putting of sewers or drains on or under its
streets or alleys, and the charges for entering same; to grant
and regulate franchises to electric light companies, power com-
panies, gas companies, telephone companies, telegraph compa-
nies, street railway companies, water companies, sewer or
drain companies, and any other which they may deem advan-
tageous and beneficial to said city or the inhabitants thereof,
and to regulate the charges for service of such companies as
now possess or may hereafter obtain franchises in said city;
all such franchises shall be for a definite term of years not
exceeding twenty-five years, and be renewable at the discretion
of the Mayor and Council, and shall specially set out the
nature, right and duration of same, and no power or right not
expressed in the franchise or grant shall pass thereunder;
and the said Mayor and Council, notwithstanding anything
that may be set out in any such franchises or grant, shall not
have the power to divest itself of the right to regulate and con-
trol the use of the rights under any franchise granted or that
may be granted by it, and to fix and regulate the charges for
service whenever they deem the public interest may require it;
to regulate the keeping of dogs in said city and to provide for
a tax thereon and to provide for the collection as other city
taxes are collected, and to provide that any person or persons
owning a dog or dogs and refusing or neglecting to pay such
tax within twenty days after notice thereof shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof before a
justice of the peace, shall be fined not less than one or more
than ten dollars and be committed to jail until the fine and
costs are paid; to provide for killing of dogs on which no taxes
are paid; to prevent the running at large of horses, cattle,
hogs, geese and other fowl on the street or in the limits, of
said city, and to regulate or prevent the keeping of same
within said city; to provide for the protection of all public
property, cemeteries and property of all public service com-
panies or corporations and for any franchise, easement or privi-
lege hereafter granted the Mayor and Council may charge for
such franchises, easements or privileges when granted, and may
charge an annual rental upon any franchise, easement or privi-
lege for using the streets, highways and sidewalks of said city
that hitherto has been granted or may hereafter be granted;
to punish and suppress tramps and vagrants by imposing fines
or both fine and imprisonment, or by hard labor on the
streets of the city, and to abate by appropriate ordinances all
nuisances in said city which are so defined at common law, by