824 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 416

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That after the passage of this Act, the County Com-
missioners of Wicomico and Worcester Counties are hereby
fully empowered to take such steps as they may deem proper
to drain the lands along the upper waters of the Pocomoke
River in said two counties by. clearing out and deepening the
bed of said River, where it runs through said swamp lands and
by causing to be cut proper drains into said River through said
lands, so as to drain the same.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That before undertaking said
work said County Commissioners of Worcester County shall
select a suitable engineer and the County Commissioners of
Wicomico County shall likewise select a suitable engineer and
said two engineers shall jointly proceed to lay out a swamp
district in each of said counties and ascertain the number of
acres of land in said swamp district and also the number of
acres in each county and shall make suitable plots of the same
and shall lay off the swamp land in each county into divisions
or zones according to the benefits it will receive, in their judg-
ment, from said drainage and the total cost in their judgment
of draining said land.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That before beginning said work
the County Commissioners of each of said Counties, shall adopt
said report with full power in them to amend, adopt, or reject
said report and plans or to modify the same in such manner as
they may deem proper.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That after the adoption of suit-
able plans for doing said work, the County Commissioners of
the two Counties shall advertise for bids in whole or in part
for doing said work and shall award the Contract for doing
said work to the lowest responsible bidder and shall require
each bidder to specify the time required for said work and shall
require the bidder to whom the contract is awarded to give
bond for the faithful performance of his contract according to
said plans and specifications, and may have such assistance as
they may deem proper to see that said contract is properly
performed.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the County Commissioners
of each of said Counties are hereby fully authorized and em-
powered to levy in their respective Counties upon the swamp
lands and lands drained in each district, such sum of money
as may be necessary to pay each county's proportion in pay-