926 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 458

putting in of sewers or drains on or under its streets or alleys
and the charges for entering and maintaining same; to con-
struct and maintain works and apparatus for at public expense
or to grant and regulate franchises to electric light companies,
power companies, gas companies, telephone companies, tele-
graph companies, street railway companies, water companies,
sewer and drain companies, and any other which they
may. deem advantageous and beneficial to said City or the
inhabitants thereof, and to regulate the charges therefor by the
municipality or for service of such companies as now possess
or may hereafter obtain franchises in said City; all such fran-
chises shall be for a definite term of years, not exceeding twen-
ty-five years, and be renewable at the discretion of the Mayor
and Council, and shall specially set out the nature, right and
duration of same, and no power or right not expressed in the
franchise or grant shall pass thereunder; and the said Mayor
and Council, notwithstanding anything that may be set out in
any such franchises or grant, shall not have the power to divest
of the right to regulate and control the use of the rights under
any franchise granted or that may be granted by it, and to fix
and regulate the charge for service whenever they deem the
public interest may require it; to regulate the keeping of dogs
in said city; and to provide for a tax thereon, and to provide
for the collection thereof, as other taxes are collected, and to
provide that any person or persons owning a dog or dogs and
refusing or neglecting to pay such a tax within twenty days
after notice thereof shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor,
and on conviction thereof, before a justice of the peace shall be
fined not less than one nor more than ten dollars, and be com-
mitted to jail until the fines and costs are paid; to provide for
the killing of dogs on which no taxes are paid; prevent the run-
ning at large of horses, cattle, hogs, geese and other fowl on
the streets or within the limits of said City, and to regulate or
prevent the keeping of same within said City, to provide for
the protection of all city property and to regulate and license
all public service companies or corporations, and any franchise,
easement or privilege for using the streets, highways and side-
walks of said City that hitherto has been granted or may here-
after be granted; to punish and suppress tramps and vagrants
by imposing fines, or both fine and imprisonment, or by hard
labor on the streets of the city, and may so employ any person
sentenced to the town jail for thirty days or more and confined
therein for non-payment of any fines and costs, and to abate by
appropriate ordinance all nuisances in said City, which are so