SAMUEL SPRIGG, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1820.

CHAP. LXXI.

An Act for draining a Branch on Chester River, commonly called and known
by the name of The Unicorn Branch.

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it
shall and may be lawful for the proprietors of lands lying on a
branch of Chester river, known by the name of The Unicorn
Branch, residing above a place where an old road crossed the
said branch, from the farm formerly the estate of the late Aaron
Merchant, to the lands of Aquilla Fogwell, to meet on the first
Monday of April next, and on the first Monday of April in each
and every year thereafter, at Dixon's tavern, or at any other
place, which a majority of the proprietors may appoint, in Queen-
Anne's county, and for such proprietors, when assembled at the
place of meeting, then and there annually to elect, by ballot,
three of the said proprietors for directors, who, when so elected
and chosen, are hereby authorised and empowered, or any two of
them, to make and open a drain or ditch up said branch, from
the said road, in such direction and extent, width and depth, as
they, or a majority of them, may judge most proper, to carry off
the water from said part of .the branch, and reduce the same to
dry land, and the power and authority of said directors, so cho-
sen, shall continue and be in force until a new election shall take
place.

CHAP. 71.

Passed Jan. 21, 1821.

Proprietors of
land to elect and
appoint directors.

2. And be it enacted, That the costs, charges and expenses, of
cutting and opening said ditch or drain, shall be paid by the res-
pective proprietors of the same, each paying for the cutting and
opening the said drain or ditch through his own land, except
where it shall so happen that two or more of the said proprietors
hold part of the said branch or low grounds adjacent to, or which
may be drained and improved thereby, or through which the said
ditch or drain shall pass, adjoining each other, part on one side
thereof, and part on the other, in which case each shall pay in
proportion to the part he shall or may hold.

Proprietors to de-

fray expenses.

3. And be it enacted, That the said directors, or any two of
them, shall have full power and authority at any time thereafter,
to cut open and complete the said ditch or drain, and also from
time to time to repair, cleanse and keep open, and in good repair,
the said ditch or drain so to be opened and cut in virtue of this
act, at the expense of the said proprietors, in the same propor-
tion that the expense of opening and cutting the said ditch or
drain in the first instance, and of repairing and cleansing the
game, when cut and opened, the said directors, or any two of
them, are hereby authorised to apportion what they may conceive
the expense thereof will amount to, and demand and receive such
proportions respectively from the said proprietors, before, or at
any time after the commencement of said work, or after the same

Powers of direc-
tors.

is finished; Provided always, that inasmuch as it may be incon-
venient for some of the proprietors, through whose lands the said
ditch or drain shall pass, to satisfy and answer the expenses of
cutting and opening said ditch or drain at. any time, the said di-
rectors, or any two of them, may make an estimate of the ex-
penses of cutting the said ditch or drain through that part of the
branch in which the said ditch or drain shall pass, and apportion
the same as above directed, and that the same be paid by the pro-

Proviso.