ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 39

and incurred by any person or persons interested in said prop-
erty over, through and by which the said street or alley, square,
park, play ground, drain, sewer 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,
square, park, play ground, drain, sewer or water-course is to
be opened, closed, extended, widened, graded or improved or
any property adjacent thereto, or any other property injured
or benefited by said street, alley, square, park, play ground,
drain, sewer or water-course; they shall give at least ten days'
notice in one or more newspapers published in Caroline County
and also by written or printed notice mailed to the last known
post-office address of the owner or owners of said property, of
their purpose to lay out, open, extend, close up, widen,
straighten, grade or improve the street or alley, square, park,
play ground, drain, sewer 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 meet-
ing for the said purposes; 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 re-
quired of them, and to ascertain whether any and what amount
in value of damages will be caused thereby, for which the
owner or occupant 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 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 property, 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 pre-
pare an explanatory map giving description of the street or
alley opened, closed, extended, widened, straightened or im-
proved, 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 Mayor and Council of Federalsburg
such map, together with the amount of damages awarded to
such owner or occupants and the amount of benefits assessed to
any lot or parcel of ground, or the owners thereof, together
with a certificate of their qualifications, which may be ratified,
or rejected or altered and amended, in whole or in part by said
Mayor and Council of Federalsburg; provided that the Mayor