142 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 87

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That Section 157 of Article 22 of the Code of Pub-
lic Local Laws of Maryland, title "Washington County, " sub-
title "Hagerstown, " be and the same is hereby repealed and re-
enacted with amendments so as to read as follows:

Section 157. In case of a vacancy in the office of Mayor, by
death or otherwise, or in case any person who may have been
elected Mayor at any general election, shall fail or refuse to
qualify as Mayor within three days after service of notice of
election, as hereinafter provided, the Council, at any general
or special meeting shall elect some legally qualified person to
fill the office of Mayor for any unexpired term of any vacancy
caused by death or otherwise, or for the term of any person
who may have refused to qualify; and in case of any election
of Mayor by the Council, the person receiving a majority of
the whole number of members of the Council shall be declared
elected as Mayor of said town for any unexpired term, in case
of a vacancy caused by death or otherwise, or for any term for
which any person previously elected may have refused to qual-
ify; and the clerk of the Mayor and Council shall immediately
certify the vote so taken to elect any such successors, or to elect
any person for any term so as aforesaid, under his hand and
the corporate seal of the town, to the Clerk of the Circuit Court
for Washington County; and the said Clerk of the Circuit
Court, upon receipt thereof, shall forthwith notify the person
so elected, who shall, within three days after the service of
such notice, qualify by taking the oath hereinafter prescribed
for town officers; and if such person elected shall fail to qaul-
ify as hereinafter provided, another election shall be held by
the Council, to fill the vacancy; and until such vacancy is filled
or in case of a sickness or absence of the Mayor or his inability
to be present and preside at any meeting of the Council called
by not less than four of its members when in their judgment
such, meeting is necessary, and said Councilmen are hereby
authorized to call any such meeting, the Council shall choose
one of its members as Mayor, who shall discharge the duties of
the office protempore, and all Acts done by the Mayor and
Council as thus constituted shall be valid and binding in law.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That this Act shall take effect
from the date of its passage, it being hereby declared to be an
emergency law and necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public health and safety.

Approved March 15th, 1916.