46 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 29

the City of Hagerstown which shall block or impede the pro-
gress of said sewerage system when in progress of construction
and establishment, shall rest upon and be borne by the said
Sewerage Commission exclusively.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted. That all work done or
supplies or materials purchased in carrying out the purposes
of this Act when involving an expenditure of five hundred dol-
lars or more shall be by contract, awarded to the lowest re-
sponsible bidder; provided, however, that said commission
shall be empowered, if it see fit, to insert in the specifications
for any such reasonable and lawful conditions as to hours of
labor, wages and the residence or character of workmen to be
employed by the contractor, and especially, so far as may be
practicable in the judgment of said commission, such reason-
able and lawful conditions as will tend to confine employment
on such work, in whole or in part, to permanent and bona fide
residents of the State of Maryland only; and provided, how-
ever, also that said commission with the consent of a majority
of all of its members may itself do any part or parts of any
such work under such conditions in every respect as it may
prescribe, by day labor; in which event the said commission,
in addition to its other powers in the premises, shall likewise
be authorized to devise, promulgate and enforce such rules and
regulations as will make merit and personal fitness, ascertained
by some system of open competition or registration or both, the
sole test of eligibility for all positions or employments under
its control, which it may see fit to embrace within the scope of
said rules and regulations, which, however, may be limited to
permanent and bona fide residents of this State in any par-
ticular. Any and all bids for any such work or supplies or
materials may be rejected by said commission.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted. That in order to pro-
vide money for the projection, construction and establishment
of said sewerage system and sewerage disposal plant the Mayor
and Council of Hagerstown be and it is hereby authorized, em-
powered and directed to borrow a sum of money not to exceed
$750, 000 upon the faith and credit of Hagerstown; and, to
provide for borrowing the sum necessary to construct said sew-
erage system and sewerage disposal plant the Mayor and Coun-
cil of Hagerstown is hereby empowered and directed to issue
coupon bonds in such amounts and denominations as it may
deem best, said bonds to be issued from time to time as the
Mayor and Council of Hagerstown shall by ordinance pre-