ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR.                  713

and 3323 but constructed and operated by the Commissioners,
water service rates shall be established by the Commissioners.
All front foot assessments shall ran for an equal term of years;
provided, however, that any property owner may, at his option
within one year from the time said front foot assessment or
benefit charge is levied, extinguish the same by the payment in
cash, in one sum3 of the proportion of the estimated cost of the
project of which the construction abutting upon his property
is a part, represented by the number of front feet with which
he is assessed, with interest at the rate of six per centum per
annum, from the date of said levy, less any annual payment
that may have been made thereon. The Commissioners, how-
ever, in estimating! said cost for the purpose of extinguishment,
may add thereto a reasonable margin to protect themselves
against possible changes in the cost of construction and the loss
of interest. All sums received under such plan of extinguish-
ment shall be preserved intact by the Treasurer of Baltimore
County, less the payment of the proportion of interest and sink-
ing fund properly chargeable to the amount so received, and
used for future construction. The said assessments and charges
shall be and constitute a lien upon the property chargeable with
the same until paid, and if remaining unpaid for sixty days
after becoming due, they may be collected by an action of
debt or by a bill in, equity to enforce such lien. All suits, either
in law or in equity, shall be in the name, and at the instance,
of the Treasurer of Baltimore County. The amount collected by
the Treasurer of Baltimore County, whether by suit (either at
law or in equity) or otherwise, for the construction, maintenance
and operation of the said water and sewerage system, after
deducting therefrom all overhead expenses, of the Commissioner
and all proper and necessary costs of maintaining and operating
the systems, and all such sums so received by the Commissioners
to the credit of the water and sewerage fund shall be applied by
said Commissioners to the payment of the interest on and to
the retirement of such outstanding bonds as may be issued under
this Act.

336. For the purpose of providing funds for meeting the
expenses of the Commissioners and for designing and construc-
tion, purchase or acquisition of the water supply, sewerage and
drainage systems provided for by this Act, the Commissioners
shall, from^ time to time, as they deem necessary, issue bonds
upon the faith and credit of Baltimore County and shall offer
said bonds for sale in the open market to the highest cash bidder
by sealed proposals. Before proceeding to sell any of said bonds
in any year said County Commissioners shall advertise once a
week for four successive weeks in one newspaper published in
the City of Baltimore, and once a week for four successive weeks