ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 337

aplaine, Esq. and legalized by Chapter 99 of the Acts of As-
sembly of 1922, be and the same are hereby repealed and re-
enacted with amendments so as to read as follows:

290. The Mayor and Aldermen of Frederick shall have
full power to provide for laying out, opening, extending, widen-
ing, straightening or closing up, in whole or in part any street,
lane or alley within the corporate limits of the city,
which in its opinion the public welfare or convenience
may require; to acquire by purchase or condemnation any
ground or improvements, or any interest therein, within the
corporate limits of the city, which in its judgment may be neces-
sary for that purpose. In the event it is unable to agree with
the owner or possessor of any ground, or improvements, or in-
terest therein, necessary to be taken and condemned for the
purpose aforesaid, or if the owners or possessors, or any of
them, be under age of twenty-one years, non compos mentis,
non residents of the State, or unknown, then it may acquire any
such ground or improvements, or interest therein, by condemna-
tion proceedings as provided in this Section and Section 291 of
this Article, anything in any other public local law or public
general law to the contrary notwithstanding. It is hereby
authorized to provide by ordinance, for ascertaining whether
any and what amount in value of damage will be caused there-
by, and what amount of benefit will thereby accrue to the
owner or possessor of any ground or improvements, or interest
therein within the corporate limits of the city, for
which said owner or possessor ought to be compensated or
ought to pay a compensation; and to provide for assessing
and levying, either generally upon the whole assessable prop-
erty of the city, or especially upon the property of persons
benefited, the whole or any part of the amount of damages
and expenses which it shall ascertain will be incurred in
locating, opening, extending, widening, straightening or closing
up the whole or any part of any street, lane or alley in the city,
and for the collection thereof. To provide for the appointment
of three persons as Commissioners, who shall be freeholders of
the city and not interested in or holding lands through which the
street, lane or alley, or portion thereof, is to be laid out, ex-
tended, widened, straightened or closed up, to appraise and
award damages that will be caused thereby, and to ascertain the
assessed benefits that will thereby accrue, as hereinbefore pro-
vided. After their appointment the 'commissioners shall qualify
by taking an oath or affirmation to be administered by the Mayor
that they will faithfully and impartially perform the duties of
their office to the best of their skill and ability. Said commission-
ers shall have the power and authority to administer oaths or
affirmations and to issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum