1586 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

of this State. He shall perform all other appropriate duties
prescribed by the Commissioners of Preston, and give bond in
such penalty and in such manner as may be prescribed by them.

SEC. 24. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioners
of Preston shall have power to make by-laws and pass ordinances
to establish grades for the streets, gutters and sidewalks of said
town, the width thereof, and prescribe the material of which
they shall be built; to cause the sidewalks, along said public
streets to be graded, curbed, paved, repaved or improved and
to assess the costs and expenses thereof in whole or in part,
upon the owner or owners of the abutting property, which costs
and expense shall be a lien on the abutting property, and re-
coverable by an action at law, or compel by fines or otherwise
the owner or owners of any such lot to grade, pave, repave and
curb the sidewalks in front thereof; and may provide by ordi-
nance for condemning, laying out, opening, extending and mak-
ing new streets or alleys and for altering, straightening, widen-
ing, grading, improving, or closing up in whole or in part any
existing street or alley, and for removing trees, posts and other
obstructions therefrom, and for laying out public squares, drains,
watercourses; and all benefits or damages done, suffered or in-
curred by laying out, opening and making of new streets or
alleys, or by altering, straightening, widening, grading, improv-
ing or closing up in whole or in part any existing street, or
alley or laying out public squares, drains and watercourses shall
be determined and assessed by three disinterested persons, or a
majority of them, residents of said town, appointed by the Com-
missioners of Preston, who shall within ten days after notifica-
tion of their appointment, take an oath before a Justice of the
Peace of Caroline County or any Notary Public, that they
will faithfully and fairly and without partiality or prejudice,
value and assess the loss and damages to be suffered and incurred
by any person or persons interested in said property over,
through and by which the said street or alley, square, drain or
watercourse is to be opened, closed, extended, widened, graded,
or improved, and also to estimate the benefits that may accrue
therefrom to any such property, over, through and by which
the said street or alley, drain or watercourse is to be opened,
closed, extended, widened, graded or improved, or any property
adjacent thereto, or any other property injured or benefited by
said street, alley, drain, square or water course; they shall give
at least ten days' notice in one or more newspapers published
in Caroline County and also by written or printed notice