ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 501

straightening, widening, grading, improving or closing up in
whole or in part any existing street or alley, or laying out pub-
lic squares, drains and water courses, shall be determined and
assessed by three disinterested persons, or a majority of them,
residents of said town, appointed by the said Commissioners,
who shall within ten days after notification of their appoint-
ment, take an oath before a Justice of the Peace of Wicomico
County that they will faithfully and fairly and without par-
tiality or prejudice, value and assess the loss and damages to
be suffered and incurred by any person or persons interested in
said property over, through and by which the street or alley,
square, drain or water course is to be opened, closed, extended,
widened, graded or improved, and also to estimate the benefits
that may accrue therefrom to any such property, over, through
and by which the said street or alley, drain or water course is
to be opened, closed, extended, widened, graded or improved,
or any property adjacent thereto, or any other property in-
jured or benefited by said street, or alley, drain or water course;
they shall give at least ten days' notice by posting notices in at
least four public places in said town of their purpose to lay out,
open, extend, close up, widen, straighten, grade or improve the
street or alley, square, drain or water course so directed to be
laid out, opened, extended, closed up, widened, straightened,
graded or improved, and of the day, hour and place of meeting
for the said purpose; and they shall meet at the time and place
mentioned in said notice given by them, and proceed to exercise
the power and perform the duties assigned to and required of
them, and to ascertain whether any and what amount in value

of damages will be caused thereby, for which the owner or occu-
pant of any right or interest in any ground or improvement
ought to be compensated over and above the amount in value of
benefit which will thereby accrue to such owner or occupant
thereof, and to ascertain what amount in value of benefit will
thereby accrue to any lot or parcel of land by or through which
the same may pass or improvements be made or any other prop-
erty, or to the owner or occupant thereof, which the said lot or
parcel of land, or the owner or occupant thereof ought to pay.
They shall locate boundaries and prepare an explanatory map
giving description of the street or alley opened, closed, ex-
tended, widened, straightened or improved, with each separate
lot or parcel of land deemed to have sustained damages or
received benefits, and they shall within twenty days return to
the Commissioners of Willards such map, together with the