40 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 21

and Council of Federalsburg, shall give at least ten days' notice
by publication in one of the newspapers published in said
county and at least ten days' notice mailed to the last known
post-office address of the owner or owners of said property so
interested, of the time set for final action on the return of
said assessors, and said Mayor and Council of Federalsburg
shall act on said return within twenty days after the expira-
tion of said notice, and may issue a new commission as in their
judgment may seem proper, and before actually proceeding to
open, widen, extend, straighten or close any such street or
alley the Mayor and Council of Federalsburg shall pay or ten-
der to the person, his agent, guardian or representative the
amount of damages so awarded; and if any one shall feel ag-
greived by the decision of the Mayor and Council of Federals-
burg, in any matter affected by their decision, he may appeal
to the Circuit Court for Caroline County, by giving written
notice within twenty days from said decision, filed with the
Clerk of Federalsburg, of his desire to appeal; and on the filing
of the said notice it shall be the duty of the said Clerk to de-
liver the papers connected therewith to the Clerk of said Court,
and the same proceedings shall be had on appeal as in the case
of appeals from judgments of Justices of the Peace; provided,
nevertheless that the Mayor and Council of Federalsburg may
decline to open, lay out, extend, widen, grade or straighten
any street, alley, or highway or any square, park, play ground,
waterway, sewer or drain, notwithstanding the decision of said
Court; but in case of refusal so to do they shall be liable for
all costs incurred, and shall pay the same, all benefits assessed
by virtue of the above provisions shall be liens on the respective
lots or parcels of ground on which they are assessed from the
time of the final ratification of the aforesaid return, and shall
be collected as taxes are collected, or may be collected by ac-
tion at law. On appeal the Court or Jury may alter the award
so returned, whether of damages or benefits, and award costs
in its discretion. On final ratification of any report of the as-
sessors appointed under the provisions of this section, the Clerk
of Federalsburg shall at once record in a book kept for that
purpose the said return, plat and all proceedings connected
therewith. And if for any reason the person to whom damages
are awarded refuses to receive the damages assessed, or from
infancy or any other cause are prevented from receiving and
receipting for same, the damages so assessed shall be deposited
in some bank of Caroline County, paying interest on deposits,
if any, to the credit of the person entitled to such damages, and