234 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 96

74. The Mayor and City Council shall have power to pro-
vide for the laying out, opening, extending, widening, straight-
ening, relocating or closing of any street or alley, or parts
thereof, within the city, which, in their opinion, the public
welfare or convenience may require; to provide for ascertain-
ing whether any and what amount in value of damage will
be caused thereby, for which the owner or possessor of any
property through which said street or alley-way may pass,
ought to be compensated, by the appointment of commissioners
to assess the same; to provide for assessing and levying either
generally on the whole assessable property within the city or
specially on the property of persons benefited, the whole or
any part of the damages and expenses which will be incurred in
laying out, opening, extending, widening, straightening, re-
locating or closing such street or alley, or parts thereof, and
grading the same; to provide for collecting and paying the
compensation awarded to any person before any such street or
alley, or part thereof, shall be laid out, opened, extended,
widened, straightened, relocated or closed, to enact all ordi-
nances from time to time necessary or proper to the exercise
of the powers, granted in this section, provided that before they
shall proceed to execute any of the powers vested in them by
this section, at least thirty days' notice shall be given of any
application which may be made for the passage of any such
ordinance, by advertisement in at least two newspapers printed
in said city; and by a personal notice in writing served twenty
days before upon each property holder to 'be affected by the
passage of the proposed ordinance, giving notice of the time
and place named for the passing of said ordinance, provided
said parties are residents of Allegany County, and provided
further that upon the return of any assessment of damages
or benefits or both, made under any ordinance passed under
this section, the clerk of said city shall cause a copy thereof
to be published once a week for four successive weeks in two
newspapers of opposite political faith printed in said city;
and provided further that whenever said Mayor and City Coun-
cil open, lay out, extend, widen, straighten or relocate any
street or alley, or any part or parts thereof, they shall estab-
lish the grade thereof, and such grade when so established
shall be indicated upon a plat, and a description thereof shall
be recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court for
Allegany County; and when the Mayor and City Council deem
it proper to do so they shall have the said streets or alleys
graded.