58 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 62

granted to it by Sections 870 and 871 of Article 16 of the Code
of Public Local Laws of Maryland.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That before entering
upon the construction of any work or improvement specified
herein, the cost of which is to be borne in whole or in part by
the levy of special assessments, the Board of County Commis-
sioners of Montgomery County shall by resolution designate
the location, extent and kind of work or improvement pro-
posed to be done or made, the kind of materials to be used, the
estimated cost of the improvement and the real property
which will be especially benefited thereby and which it is pro-
posed to assess to pay all or any part of the cost thereof, and
shall fix a time and place when and where the owner or owners
of the property to be so assessed therefor can be heard in
reference thereto. Notice of such hearing, embodying the sub-
stance of such resolution, shall be served personally upon the
owner or owners of said property who are residents of said
district either by delivering to them a copy thereof or by leav-
ing said copy at the usual place of abode of said owner with a
member of his household above the age of eighteen years, at
least ten days before said hearing. Owners of property not
residing within the limits of said district shall be served with
said notice by publishing the same three times in some news-
paper of general circulation in said district, the last publica-
tion to be not less than ten days before said hearing, and by
posting a copy of said notice in a conspicuous place upon the
property in question.

If, after the hearing, the Board of County Commissioners of
Montgomery County shall be of the opinion that the health,
morals, safety or welfare requires the work or improvement
proposed to be done or made, it shall provide by resolution for
the work and may charge the expense thereof or any part of
such expense against the property which it shall find to be
specially benefited thereby according to the linear frontage of
said property, and it shall also provide in said resolution the
time and terms upon which payment of said assessment for
such work and improvement shall be made by said property
owners and the rate of interest that shall be charged upon
the deferred payments. Assessments so levied as aforesaid
shall be a lien upon the property against which they are
charged superior to all other liens from the date of the resolu-
tion imposing such assessment.

In all cases where service is required by the provisions of
this Act upon any resident of the district, such service shall be
made by any police officer of Montgomery County whose re-
turn in writing reciting the fact of such service and the time
and manner thereof shall be prima facie evidence of the fact
of such service. The cost of publication of any notice required