982 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 495

fire companies, and, by ordinance, to prescribe precautions and
safeguards against fire, and to define and appoint the parts
and sections of the town to which measures of precaution, as
well as means for extinguishing fire, shall apply. (8) To
keep in repair sidewalks, gutters and roadways of the streets,
lanes, alleys, and thoroughfares of said town. (9) To regu-
late the terms and conditions upon which the public water sup-
ply and public sewers of the said town may be used and to
establish a system of charges for the use thereof, and to appoint
such officers and employes as may be necessary to conduct and
manage the business of the town water works, and to provide
by ordinance for the protection of buildings, machinery, water
pipes, hydrant, water plugs, standpipe and other property be-
longing to or connected with the public water supply, and also
for the protection of the public water supply of said town
against pollution, obstruction and wastes, and to enforce all
ordinances by reasonable penalties. (10) To provide by ordi-
nance for arresting and committing to the lockup or to the
county jail of any vagrant or drunken person who may appear
on any of the streets, lanes, alleys, or thoroughfares or any
place of public resort in said town, and any common disturber
of the peace, and by ordinance to punish all profane, indecent
and obscene language in the hearing or in the presence of other
persons within the corporate limits. (11) To declare and
adjudge by order entered in the minute book any encroach-
ment and continuing obstruction of any of the streets, lanes,
alleys or thoroughfares of said town to be a public nuisance
and to order the same to be corrected or removed at the ex-
pense of the parties or persons who brought about or placed
the encroachment or obstruction thereon or who uses or takes
advantage thereof or who are responsible for the continuance
thereof or who by their connection therewith are the parties or
persons who ought to correct or remove the same, and on re-
fusal or failure of the person ordered to correct or remove said
encroachment or obstruction to remove or have the same re-
moved at the charge and expense of the party or persons so
ordered, with a right on the part of the Mayor and Council to
sue for and recover all sums of money laid out and expended
by them in removing or correcting said obstruction or encroach-
ment in an action at law without relieving the said parties or
persons so responsible for such nuisance from criminal prose-
cution. (12) To prohibit the keeping of any vicious or dan-
gerous dog or other beasts in said town by order noted on the