600 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 229

tide 16 of the Code of Public Local Laws, title "Montgom-
ery County," sub-title "Roads," as enacted by Chapter 109
of the Acts of 1912.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Sections 177H, 177 I, 177 J, 177P, 177Q, 177S
and 177U of Article 16 of the Code of Public Local Laws,
title "Montgomery County," sub-title "Roads," as enacted by
Chapter 109 of the Acts of 1912, be and the same are hereby
repealed and re-enacted with amendments, so as to read as
follows:

177H. All matters pertaining to and affecting the public
highways, roads, bridges, avenues, streets and alleys of the
county shall be under the control and supervision of the County
Commissioners of Montgomery County, who are hereby given
power to enter into and make any and all contracts for mate-
rial, machinery, implements and equipment for such public
highways, and to employ or direct the employment of so many
and such agents, superintendents, foremen, inspectors, assist-
ants, mechanics and laborers as may be found necessary for
the proper construction, care, improvement and maintenance
of the same, and to fix the rate of compensation thereof. Said
County Commissioners shall have full power to determine
how the roads of the county and any special road or roads
thereof may be worked, repaired, improved or maintained,
and to regulate the wages that shall be paid employees en-
gaged in such work, and the prices to be paid for material to
be used on the same, and to provide for such clerical 01 other
assistance as may be required by them or the Montgomery
County Road Superintendent, with their authority and ap-
proval first had and obtained, for the efficient performance of
their several duties. Said County Commissioners shall have
the power to have work done by direct employment of labor
or to let the construction, repairs, maintenance or improve-
ment of any road or portion of a road by contract when, in
their judgment, such course is deemed advisable, in which
case preference shall be given where practicable to persons
directly interested in the proper care or improvement of such
road or roads. All contracts made by the County Commis-
sioners for the repair or construction of roads or bridges, or
for materials to be used therein or thereon, shall be reduced
te writing and filed for record with the Clerk of said County
Commissioners. Whenever work on any road or bridge in-
volves an outlay of -five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more,