120

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAPTER 98.

Passed Mar.
6, 1856.

AN ACT to authorize and require the County Com-
missioners for Kent and Queen Anne's counties to
levy on their respective counties a sum of money
to erect a free bridge over Chester river at a point
called Crompton Ferry.

County com-
missioners au-
thorised.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That the County Commissioners for
Kent and Queen Anne's counties be, and they are
hereby authorized and required at their next annual
assessment to levy on the taxable property of their
respective counties a sum of money not exceeding
fifteen hundred dollars to defray the costs of erecting
a Bridge across Chester river at a point called
Crompton Ferry.

Authorised to
build bridge.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the County Com-
missioners of said counties be and they are hereby
authorized to build said Bridge by contract and that
for this purpose they shall advertise for proposals in
one newspaper at least in each of said counties and
in the City of Baltimore, which said advertisements
shall specify the length of said bridge, the width
thereof, the kind of materials of which it shall be
built, the width of the draw and the nature of the
abutments and that said advertisements shall be pub-
lished at least four weeks before the opening of said
proposals, and that the contract shall be given to the
lowest bidder who shall give bond to the State for
the performance of the contract.

To be built
with a draw.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That the said Bridge
shall be built in the most secure and substantial man-
ner and of the best materials, and shall be secured
and supported at each end by good and sufficient
abutments, and shall not be less than twenty feet
wide with railing on each side not less than four feet
high, and there shall also be a draw over the deepest
part of the channel not Jess than thirty eight feet wide so
as to afford convenient passage to vessels up and down
said river, which shall be allowed to pass without
any charge.

To be free.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted, That the said Bridge
when erected, shall be free for all persons to cross
over on foot, horseback, or in any sort of vehicle
with goods and merchandise of any description, and