168

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

use or occupation of the same, application may be
made to any justice of the peace for said county,
who shall thereupon issue his warrant under his
hand and seal, directed to the sheriff of said coun-
ty, requiring him to summon a jury of twenty
inhabitants of said county, not related to the par-
ties, or in any wise interested, to meet on the land
or near to. the property to be valued, on a day to
be named in the warrant, not less than ten nor
more than twenty days after issuing of the war-
rant.

Jury sum-
moned to value
damages re-
quired to take
oath.

Sec. 16. The sheriff shall, before the jury pro-
ceed to act, administer to each an oath that he
will justly and impartially value the damages,
and if any of the jurors summoned do not attend,
the sheriff shall immediately summon as many
jurors as shall be necessary with those in atten-
dance to finish the panel of twenty, and from them
each party or his agent, or if either be not present
in person or by agent, the sheriff, for him, may
strike off four jurors, and the remaining twelve
shall act as a jury of inquest of damages.

Benefits ac-
cruing to the
owner of land
to be estimated

Sec. 17. They jury in estimating the damages,
shall take into estimate the benefit resulting to the
owner from the opening and laying out said streets,
lanes or alleys, through, along or near to the pro-
perty of said owner, but only in the extinguish-
ment of the claims for damages ; and the jury

Inquisition to
be reduced to
writing, &c.

shall reduce their inquisition to writing, and shall
sign and seal the same, and it shall then be re-
turned by the sheriff to the clerk of the circuit
court for said county, and shall be confirmed by
said court at its next session, if no sufficient cause
to the contrary be shown, and when confirmed
shall be recorded by said clerk, at the expense of
said Commissioners.

Inquisitions,
payment of
valuation, title
to property,
&c.

Sec. 18. If said inquisition be set aside, the said
court may direct another to be taken in the same
manner as the first ; every inquisition shall de-
scribe the property taken or the bounds of the land
condemned, and the quantity and duration of the
interest in the same, therein valued, and such val-
uation when paid or tendered to the owner of the
property or his legal representatives, shall entitle
the said Commissioners to the estate, use and in-
terest in the same so valued for the purposes afore-
said, as fully as if the same had been conveyed by