ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR 1033

Article 25 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, title "County
Commissioners," sub-title "Draining Lands," to follow im-
mediately after Section 81AA of said Article (Vol. 3 of the
Annotated Code), to be designated as Sections 81AB to
81AZ, inclusive, and to read as follows:

81AB. Whenever the owner or owners of any swamp or
low grounds shall deem it fit to have them drained, if the own-
ers of said lands cannot agree, or should any be married
women, infants, non compos mentis, or non-residents of the
county- where swamp or low lands are situated, they or any
of them may petition the County Commissioners, sitting in
the county where such swamp or low lands or any part thereof
are situated, for the appointment of commissioners to locate
or lay out a ditch or ditches or drains for the purpose ; and
the County Commissioners shall thereupon appoint a board
of three or more Drain Commissioners, to be com posed, of
judicious and impartial freeholders, to be taken from the
neighborhood, or vicinity of said swamp or low lauds.

The Drain Commissioners so appointed being first duly
sworn to execute their duties faithfully and impartially, shall
call to their assistance a skillful surveyor or engineer, sworn in
like manner, and shall go upon and view the swamps or low
grounds mentioned in the petition, and lay out, by specified
courses, distances and breadths such ditch or ditches, or drains,
as shall have sufficient fall to carry water and to drain the
said swamp or low grounds. They shall estimate the probable
cost or expenses, including damages, if any, of cutting such
ditch or ditches, or installing drain tile, and the sum or pro-
portion thereof which each owner or possessor or person bene-
fitted shall be bound to pay.

81AC. The Drain Commissioners so appointed shall make
out and return to the County Commissioners, at their next
meeting thereafter to which it may be practicable a report in
writing, under their hands, with a plat or map attached, con-
taining a description by general delineation, without survey,
of the boundary lines of the swamp or low grounds mentioned
in the petition and also a delineation of each owner's or
possessor's lot or parcel, with the estimated quantity of acres
the same contain, with the name of every person, to whom they
may award damages, and the amount thereof, and the sum or
amount each owner or possessor, or person benefitted. shall be
bound to pay as his proportion of the cost or expense of cutting