SAMUEL SPRIGG, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1820.

leading, our in a direction from Lancaster towards the said
bridge at Conowingo, and the other in a direction from Philadel-
phia towards the said bridge, which two roads are to fall into and
unite with each other at the line dividing this state from Pennsyl-
vania, and are now in a course of being opened, formed, and
made fit tor travelling: And whereas the important public com-
munications above mentioned, may he effected by opening and
making a road through a part of Cecil county, from the Cono-
wingo bridge aforesaid, to the Maryland and Pennsylvania line
aforesaid, so as to meet the said two roads there, which road,
through a part of Cecil county, could not he obtained in the usual
course provided by law in less than fourteen months, and might
be longer delayed by the opposition of any individual through
whose lands it might be necessary for the said road to pass,
whereby the great public benefits to he expected from opening
the communications aforesaid might he much delayed, and dan-
ger would be incurred of their being wholly lost by the discou-
ragement and obstruction which such delay might produce in the
opening and making of the said roads in Pennsylvania: And
whereas the public interest requires, that under circumstances of
so special a nature, a more speedy and certain method should be
adopted for the opening and perfecting of the said road from the
Conowingo bridge, through a part of Cecil county, to the Mary-
land and Pennsylvania line; Therefore,

CHAP. 111.

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That
James L. Porter, Andrew R. Porter, George Gillispie, David
Churchman, and Patrick Ewing, he and are hereby appointed
commissioners, for the purpose of surveying and locating a road,
not exceeding thirty feet wide clear of ditches, from the Cono-
wingo bridge, in Cecil county, to meet the two roads located
through Chester and Lancaster counties, in Pennsylvania, lead-
ing towards the aforesaid bridge, and to join or meet said roads
at the Pennsylvania line.

Commissioners for
locating road.

2. And be it enacted, That it shall he the duty of the commis-
sioners aforesaid, on or before the first day of September next, to
cause a plot and certificate of said road to be made out, and re-
turn the same to the levy court of Cecil county at their first
sitting thereafter, whereupon it shall be the duty of the levy
court of said county to appoint an overseer or supervisor to open
and clear said road, agreeably to the plot and certificate aforesaid,
and that the said road, when opened and cleared as aforesaid,
shall be, and the same is hereby declared to he. for ever there-
after a public road, and shall be kept in repair as other public
roads are in said county.

To cause a plot
and certificate of
road to be made
and returned.

3. And be it enacted, That the said commissioners, or a majo-
rity of them, shall have power to agree with persons through
whose lands the said road may pass, upon the amount of dama-
ges sustained by them, and if the said commissioners cannot,
make such agreement, then and in that case they shall value and
ascertain the damages so as aforesaid sustained by each and every
person or persons through whose lands the said road may pass,
the lands of the petitioners for this road excepted, by opening
the same, taking into consideration the advantages and disad-
vantages, and return the said agreement or valuation, as the case

May agree with
person for dama-
ges.