PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, GOVERNOR. 1587

mailed to the last known post office address of the owner or
owners of said property of their purpose to lay out, open, ex-
tend, close up, widen, straighten, grade or improve the street
or alley, square, drain or watercourse so directed to be laid out,
opened, extended, closed up, widened, straightened, graded, or
improved and of the day, hour and place of meeting for the
said purpose; and they shall meet at the time and place men-
tioned in said notice given by them, and proceed to exercise the
power and perform the duties assigned to and required of
them, and to ascertain whether any and what amount in value
of damages will be caused thereby for which the owner or
occupant of any right or interest in any ground or improvement
ought to be compensated over and above the amount in value
of benefit which will thereby accrue to such owner or occupant
thereof, and ascertain what amount in value of benefit will
thereby accrue to any lot or parcel of land by or through which
the same may pass or improvements be made, or any other
property, or to the owner or occupant thereof, which the said
lot or parcel of land, or the owner or occupant thereof ought
to pay. They shall locate boundaries and prepare an explana-
tory map giving description of the street or alley opened, closed,
extended, widened, straightened or improved, with each separate
lot or parcel of land deemed to have sustained damages or re-
ceived benefits, and they shall within twenty days return to
the Commissioners of Preston such map, together with the
amount of damages awarded to such owner or occupants and
the amount of benefits assessed to any lot or parcel of ground or
the owner thereof, together with a certificate of their qualifica-
tions, which may be ratified, or rejected or altered and amended
in whole or in part, by said Commissioners of Preston; provided
that the Commissioners of Preston shall give at least ten days'
notice by publication in one of the newspapers published in
said County and at least ten days' notice mailed to the last
known post office address of the owner or owners of said prop-
erty so interested, of the time set for final action on the return
of said assessors, and said Commissioners of Preston shall act
on said return within twenty days after the expiration of said
notice, and may issue a new commission as in their judgment
may seem proper, and before actually proceeding to open, widen,
extend, straighten or close any such street or alley the Com-
missioners of Preston shall pay or tender to the person, his agent,
guardian or representative the amount of damages so awarded;
and if anyone shall feel aggrieved by the decision of the Com-
missioners of Preston, in any matter affected by their decision,