PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, GOVERNOR. 1549

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That the Wicomico Oil and Gas Company, a corporation in-
corporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and licensed
to do business in the State of Maryland, its successors and as-
signs, be and it is hereby authorized and empowered to make,
construct, lay down, equip, operate and maintain pipe lines for
the transmission of natural gas from gas wells located within
the State of Maryland, for the purpose of lighting, heating,
power, or any other purpose for which it may be suitable;
and also to authorize and empower the said Company, its suc-
cessors and asigns, to run and utilize such laterals or branches
within the State of Maryland in the counties of Somerset, Wor-
cester, Wicomico, Dorchester, Caroline, Talbot, Kent, Queen
Anne's, and Cecil, and Cities Towns and Villages thereof
as the respective Commissioners, Mayors, and Councils, or other
governing bodies thereof will permit; and said corporation,
its successors and assigns, shall have a right to charge such
reasonable rates for transmission, sale or delivery of such
natural gas on its main line and any of the branches or
laterals thereof as the Board of Directors or its authorized
agents may, from time to time, determine; and the said corpora-
tion, its successors and assigns, shall have power and authority
to furnish, buy, sell and use such natural gas for the lighting
of streets, alleys, roads, public and private buildings, factories
and other things and for whatever purposes the same may be
applied or utilized, as well as transmit natural gas for other
persons or corporations, from gas wells located within the
State of Maryland, but the consent of the owner or owners
of the lands under or through which the said main lines,
branches or laterals or pipes shall or may pass shall be first ob-
tained, if obtainable, for a reasonable consideration, if not,
then the said property or so much thereof as may be necessary,
may be condemned according, to the provision of Article 23 of
the Code of Public General Laws of the State of Maryland, and
the said Corporation, its successors and assigns, shall also have
power and authority to erect, construct, build and maintain
such bridge or bridges over any stream or streams in the State
of Maryland in said Counties as the Board of Directors or au-
thorized agents of said Corporation may deem necessary for the
use and purpose as aforesaid, subject to the approval of the prop-
erly constituted authorities, and to the necessary means to accom-
plish all the purposes of said corporation; provided, however, per-
mission is first granted by the Board of County Commissioners or
of the municipal authorities of the towns and cities intended to be