WILLIAM GRASON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1838.

CHAPTER 205.

CHAP. 205.

An act relating to the lien of Mechanics, and others,
upon Buildings.

Passed Mar. 2,
1839.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That every building erected within the city
of Baltimore, shall be subject to a lien for the payment
of all debts contracted for work done, or materials fur-
nished for, or about the erection or construction of the
same.

Buildings in Balti-

more subject to

liens.

Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That the lien of such debts
shall extend to the ground covered by such building,
and to so much other ground immediately adjacent
thereto, and belonging in like manner to the owner of
such building, as may be necessary for the ordinary
and useful purposes of such buildings, the quantity and
boundaries whereof shall be determined as follows.

Extend to the lot.

Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the clerk of Baltimore county court, to procure and
keep a book, or docket, which shall be called the Me-
chanics' Lien Docket, in which he shall cause to be en-
tered and recorded, all descriptions or designations of
lots, or pieces of ground, as hereinafter mentioned,

Mechanics' Lien
Docket.

Its object.

and all claims that may be filed by virtue of this act,
together with the day of filing the same, and he shall
cause the names, as well of the owner of the lot, or piece
of ground, as of the contractor, architect, or builder,
if such be named, and of the person claiming any lien
under this act, to be alphabetically indexed therein.

And arrangement.

Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for
the owner of any. lot, or piece of ground, who may be
desirous of erecting, or of contracting with any other
person for the erection of any building, as aforesaid,

Books provided by

owner of lot.

to declare or define, in writing, the boundaries of the
lot, or curtaliage appurtenant to such building, pre-
viously to the commencement thereof, and cause the

Boundaries of lot

described therein.

same to be entered in a book aforesaid, and such desig-
nation of boundaries so made and entered upon record,
shall be obligatory upon all persons concerned.

Made obligatory.

Sec. 5. And be it enacted, That in default of such
designation of boundaries, previously to the commence-
ment of any building, it shall be lawful for the owner
of such lot, or piece of ground, or for any person hav-

Case of no such de-

signation.