122 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 76

CHAPTER 76.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section 1 of
Article 78A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, title "Pub-
lic Works—Board of, " so as to authorize a private contract
for stationery, record and blank books, account books, and ma-
terials of a like nature, when the amount to be expended
therefor shall be less than five hundred dollars.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 1 of Article 78A of the Annotated Code of
Maryland, title "Public Works—Board of, " be and the same
hereby is repealed and reenacted with amendments so as to
read as follows:

1. The Board of Public Works is hereby authorized, on or
before the first day of July in each and every year, to
advertise for ten successive days in three daily newspapers
published in the City of Baltimore, and having, as nearly as
said board may be able to ascertain, the largest circulation,
that said board will receive bids for, based upon specifications
to be furnished to all who may apply for the same, the sta-
tionery, record and blank books, and such other materials of
a like nature as may be needed for the following departments
of the State government, to wit: The Court of Appeals and
Library of the State, the Executive Department, the General
Assembly of Maryland for the year during which the same may
be in session, and each of the bids made in accordance with
such advertisements shall be transmitted to the said Board of
Public Works on or before the time specified therefor in said
advertisement, together with a bond to the State of Maryland,
with a penalty of twenty thousand dollars, with two or more
sureties, conditioned for the due, prompt and faithful com-
pliance with the contract entered into, if such bid shall be
accepted; and said board shall, on that day, at or near twelve
o'clock M. of said day, not before, open such bids in the pres-
ence of such bidders and other persons who may choose to at-
tend, and award the contract for such supplies to the lowest
responsible bidder who shall have filed with his bid a bond sat-
isfactory to said Board of Public Works; and said Board shall
be the judge of the sufficiency of said bond, and no bid shall
be considered by said Board unless accompanied by such bond.

Provided that whenever, in the judgment of the Board of
Public Works, the amount to be expended for stationery, record
and blank books, account books, and other materials of a like
nature, as aforesaid, shall be less than the sum of five hundred