T. WATKINS LIGON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

441

of the city of Baltimore when such lot, lots or square
of ground may be wanted, application may be made
to the judge of the criminal court of the city of Balti-
more, who shall thereafter issue his warrant under his
hand and the seal of the said court, directed to the she-
riff of said city, directing him to summons a jury of
twenty inhabitants of the city of Baltimore not related
or in anywise interested to meet on the land to be va-
lued on a day named in said warrant, not less than ten
nor more than twenty days after the issuing of the
same; and if at the said time and place any of said
jurors do not attend, the said sheriff shall immediately
summons as many jurors as may be necessary with
the jurors in attendance, to furnish a panel of twenty
jurors in attendance, and from them each party or its,
his, her or their agent, if either be not present in per-
son or by agent, the sheriff for him, her, it or them,
may strike off four jurors, and the remaining twelve
shall act as the jury of inquest of damages; and be-
fore they act as such, the said sheriff shall administer
to each of them am oath or affirmation, as the case
may be, that he will justly and impartially value the
damages which the owners will sustain by the use or
occupation of the same by the said mayor and city
council; and the jury shall reduce their inquisi-

tion to writing, and they shall sign and seal the same,
and it shall then be returned by said sheriff to the
clerk of said court, and be by said clerk filed in his
court, and shall be confirmed by said court at its next
session if no sufficient cause to the contrary be shewn,
and when confirmed shall be recorded by said clerk at
the expense of the said mayor and city council, but if
set aside the said court may direct another inquisition
to be taken in the manner above prescribed; and such in-
quisition shall describe the property taken, or the bounds
of the land condemned, and the quality or duration of

Inquisition to
be reduced to
writing, and
recorded.

the interest in the same valued for the corporation; and
such valuation when paid or tendered to the owner or
owners, of said property, or his, her or their legal re-
presentatives, shall entitle the said corporation to (he
estate, use and interest in the same thus valued, as
fully as if it had been conveyed by the owner or owners
of the same, and the valuation if not received when
tendered, may at any time thereafter, be received from
the aforesaid corporation without costs by their said
owner or owners, his, her or their legal representatives.

Legal title.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That this act shall have
and take effect from and after its passage.

In force.