752 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

ing the public roads and bridges of Charles county, with the
right to employ such help, obtain such teams and implements,
as they may deem necessary for the work of repairing, con-
structing and reconstructing such roads and bridges, to be paid
by the Treasurer upon the order of said County Commissioners.
The wages paid for laborers on such roads shall be one dollar
and twenty-five cents per day. The said County Commissioners
shall as soon as possible after the 15th day of April, 1910, ap-
point some competent person, who shall be a skilled and expe-
rienced civil engineer, who shall hold his office for the period of
two years after the date of his appointment or until his suc-
cessor is appointed and qualified, and be paid a salary to be
fixed by said County Commissioners, not to exceed fifteen hun-
dred dollars per year. Tn the appointment of such engineer, the
said County Commissioners shall be governed by the merits and
qualifications of the appointee without reference to his polit-
ical opinions. The said engineer shall be liable to be removed
from office for incompetency or wilful, continued or persistent
neglect of duty, upon the sworn complaint of ten or more resi-
dent taxpayers of Charles county, to be filed in writing with
the said County Commissioners, and every such complaint shall
state specifically the nature and character of the charge pre-
ferred, of which due notice shall be given the said county road
engineer, and if the said County Commissioners after hearing
said charges, at which the engineer and the parties making com-
plaint shall be entitled to be represented by counsel and to pro-
duce any competent testimony, shall find the said county engi-
neer is incompetent, or has been guilty of wilful, continued or
persistent neglect of duty it shall be their duty to immediately
remove said county road engineer from office. The said road
engineer shall reside in Charles county during his term of office,
and shall have entire charge, control and supervision of said
roads, subject to the approval and supervision of the said Coun-
ty Commissioners. The salary of said engineer, as well as the
supervisors and laborers, shall be paid monthly. The said en-
gineer shall give bond in the penalty of five thousand dollars,
with such security as the said County Commissioners may ap-
prove, and under such conditions as they may prescribe in re-
gard to the duties to be performed, and for the use, safekeep-
ing and due return of all property placed in his charge. He
shall have power and authority to discharge said supervisors
or laborers appointed or employed by the County Commission-
ers, and shall file in writing the reasons for such discharge with
said County Commissioners. Such supervisors or laborers dis-
charged by the said engineer shall have the right to appeal
within the period of ten days from the date that the reasons for
llieir discharge was filed with the Board of County Commis-