THOMAS H. HICKS, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR

145

poor of Somerset county, and their successors, to
have and hold the same in trust for the use of the
said county, if in their judgment they shall deem
the same proper and necessary, and the said com-
missioners or a majority of them, are hereby au-
thorised in their discretion, to erect thereon, prop-
er and suitable buildings and improvements, ne-
cessary and convenient for the accommodation of

the poor of said county: Provided, the cost of
said land and buildings shall not exceed in the
whole, the sum of ten thousand dollars, and for
the payment thereof, the said commissioners or a
majority of them, shall issue their certificates un-
der their hands and seals, to the persons entitled,
bearing interest at the rate of six per centum per
annum, payable in five equal annual instalments,
that is to say, one-fifth of the principal and all
the interest then accrued, payable in one year af-
ter date, and so on until the whole is paid; and for
the payment of the principal and interest of said
certificates, the property of the county is hereby

Proviso.

pledged; and it shall be the duty of the County
Commissioners of Somerset county, annually to
levy for the use of the holders of said certificates,
on the assessable property of the said county, as
other county charges are levied and paid, an
amount sufficient to pay said instalments and the
interest as aforesaid; and if it shall appear to the
said commissioners of said county, that the inter-
est of the inhabitants of said county, would be
thereby promoted, nothing herein, contained shall
be construed to forbid the more speedy payment
of the said certificates.

Duty of Com-
missioners.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the said com-
missioners appointed by this act, and every of
them, before they act as such, shall take an oath
before some person authorised by law to adminis-
ter oaths, that they will well and faithfully exe-
cute the trust reposed in them by this act, and per-
form the several duties required of them, to the
best of their skill and judgment; they shall keep
a journal in writing, in which shall be fully noted
all their proceedings and which shall at all times
be open to the inspection of the County Commis-
sioners of said county; they shall have power to
fill up any vacancy that may occur in their own
body; appoint agent or agents, employ workmen,

Commission-
ers to take an
oath.