764 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

of such improvements, and if the County Commissioners shall
approve the report of the said county road engineer, they shall
direct the expenditure of any amount not to exceed one-half
of the total of said estimate, to be paid out of the road levy or
liquor license fund; provided, that the petitioners for such im-
provements shall first pay into the treasury of the county an
amount not less than one-half of said estimate; all of said
money to be expended under the direction of the county road
engineer.

SEC. 160A. It shall be the duty of the County Commission-
ers of Charles County whenever the office of the county road
engineer shall become vacant by death, resignation or removal
from office, to appoint within thirty days from the date of such
vacancy some person to fill the same, and in the manner and
with the same qualifications as prescribed in Section 158 of
this Act.

SEC. 160B. Whenever the county road engineer shall find it
necessary to open an outlet or watercourse through private
property in Charles county to secure proper drainage of any
public road therein, he shall forthwith so inform the County
Commissioners of said county, and if the owners of such
property consent to the opening of such outlet or watercourse,
and if such owners and the said County Commissioners shall
agree upon the value and price to be paid for the same, then
such consent and agreement shall be entered on the books of
the County Commissioners, and such outlet and watercourses
shall be opened by the said county road engineer; but if the
owner and the County Commissioners shall fail to agree as
aforesaid, then the County Commissioners shall have such
power and authority to condemn the land for such outlet or
watercourse in manner as is now or hereafter may be conferred
by the Code of Public General Laws of the State of Maryland
to the County Commissioners for condemning land for the
opening of public roads, and shall appoint three examiners to
go over the outlet or watercourse for such drainage and esti-
mate the damage to the owner or owners of the land through
which the said outlet or watercourse shall run, and make re-
turn thereof to the County Commissioners, after which, upon
tender of the amount so estimated to the said owner or owners,
the said county road engineer shall immediately cause such
outlet or watercourse to be opened; provided, however, that
there shall be an appeal to the Circuit Court for Charles County
from the finding of said examiners to be filed in the office of
the County Commissioners within ten days after the return
of the same, and said appeal, provided bond is given with such
security as may be approved by the Circuit Court for Charles