ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 259

and they are further authorized and empowered to levy and
collect a pro-rata front foot assessment against abutting prop-
erty owners on the portion of the streets, alleys, or highways
improved under the provisions of this Act for the remaining
one-half of said cost; one-fourth of the whole cost of such
improvements, being apportioned among the abutting owners
on one side of the street, alley of highway improved, and the
remaining one-fourth being apportioned among, abutting
property owners on the other side of the street, alley or high-
way improved.

SECTION 2. The said Commissioners of St. Michael's shall
provide by ordinance for assessing against property owners
abutting on the streets, alleys and highways so improved as
aforesaid, the portion of the cost of the said improvements to
be paid by said abutting property owners, as hereinbefore pro-
vided, and for the collection of the same by the town collector
of taxes as other assessments are levied and collected, and said
property owners shall be permitted to pay the amounts
assessed against their respective properties in equal portions in
one and two years from the date of said assessments, the de-
ferred payments to bear interest from said date.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act is
hereby declared to be an emergency law, and necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public health and safety, and
being passed by a yea and nay vote, supported by three-fifths
of the members elected to each of the two Houses of the Gen-
eral Assembly the same shall take effect from the date of its
passage.

Approved March 26, 1920.

CHAPTER 149.

AX ACT to provide for the appointment of a commission to
investigate the matter of leasing or erecting in the City
of Baltimore a " State Office Building,": and to report
with recommendations to the Legislature of 1922.
WHEREAS, There are now existing, as part of the govern-
ment of the State of Maryland, numerous Boards, Commis-
sions and Departments, whose duties warrant the mainte-
nance of offices in the Citv of Baltimore ; and