1408 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 680

to make by-laws and regulations not inconsistent with the con-
stitution and laws of the State.

113. Whenever said commissioners shall by ordinance di-
rect any street, alley or sidewalk within the limits of said
town to be opened, widened, narrowed, piked, paved, repaired,
extended, stopped up or discontinued in whole or in part, they
shall upon a certain day to be named in said ordinance and
within three days inclusive of the day of meeting proceed to
ascertain what amount of value in damages will be caused
thereby and what amount the contemplated improvement will
cost, and they shall have power to provide for the payment oi
the damages and costs aforesaid by levying and. assessing the
same generally upon the whole of the assessable property of
said town or specially upon the assessable value of the property
benefited thereby, or in their discretion partly upon the prop-
erty benefited and balance upon the whole of the assessable
property of said town, and the said commissioners shall have the
power to ascertain and determine what amount of benefits will
thereby accrue to any lot or parcel of ground adjacent to said
street, alley or sidewalk or the owner thereof, and which said
lot or parcel of ground or the owner thereof ought to pay,
and they shall on the day fixed by said ordinance and within
three days inclusive of said meeting, so ascertain and deter-
mine, and their decision in writing shall be filed with the sec-
retary and shall be by him recorded in a book kept for that
purpose, and any proprietor who may feel himself aggrieved
by such action of the commissioners shall be entitled to an
appeal at any time within thirty days after the decision of
the commissioners shall be filed as aforesaid to the Circuit
Court for Harford County, and such appear shall be heard and
determined as appeals from justices of the peace are now
heard, and all benefits so assessed against any lot or parcel of
ground or to the owner or occupant thereof shall be a Hen
against said lot or parcel of ground from the time said com-
missioners shall finally order the work contemplated to be be-
gun, and it shall be the duty of said commissioners to certify
under the seal of the corporation to the tax collector the amount
of benefits so assessed, who shall forthwith enter the same on
his books against the property so assessed, and the said tax
collector of said town shall collect such benefits as other town
taxes are collected; provided that no property shall be sold for
the payment of benefits until after the expiration of six months