810 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

said mortgage to the purchaser. If the owner of the mortgage
does not reside in said county, the County Commissioners may
direct the Treasurer of Dorchester county and Clerk to make
inquiry as to the post office address of the same, and if learned,
the County Commissioners may direct the said official to send
a copy of the hereinbefore mentioned notice by registered let-
ter. The mortgagee or his representative, the assignee or his
representative, or other owner of the mortgage may file with
the County Commissioners a statement, substantiated by his
oath, that one or more bona fide payments have been made on
the mortgage debt, and thereupon the County Commissioners
may make such a rebate of the amount of the tax to be paid,
according to the right and equity of the manner.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect
from the date of its passage.

Approved April 11, 1910.

CHAPTER 659.

AN ACT to amend Section 10 of the Code oi Public Local Laws
of the State of Maryland, title -Dorchester County," sub-
title "East New Market," by adding an additional section
thereto, to follow immediately after Section 151, and to be
known as Section 151A, said new section enlarging the pow-
ers of the Town Commissioners of East New Market in rela-
tion to the granting of franchises.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Article 10 of the Code of Public Local Laws of the
State of Maryland, title "Dorchester County," sub-title "East
New Market," be and the same is hereby amended by adding
an additional section thereto, to follow immediately after Sec-
tion 151, to be known as Section 15lA, and to read as follows:

SEC. 15lA. The Commissioners of East New Market shall
have and are hereby vested with full power and authority to
grant and regulate franchises to electric light companies,
power companies, gas companies, telephone companies, tele-
graph companies, water companies and sewer or drain com-
panies ; provided, that all such franchises shall be for a definite
period, not exceeding twenty-five years, and be renewable at
the discretion of said Commissioners, and shall specially set
out the nature, right and duration of the same, and no power
or right not expressed in any such franchise shall pass there-
under.