CHARLES RIDGELY, (OF HAMPT.) ESQ. GOVERNOR.

139

of such index, from that period to the present, will afford the
greatest facility for the investigation of land titles in this state,
without which it may be impossible to trace their history, There-
fore,
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That the governor and council be and they are. hereby authorised
and required, to contract with the register of the land-office for
the western shore for making an index of the names of all the lands
surveyed and patented since the revolution to the present time,
according to the plan on which he has commenced it.
2. And be it enacted, That the governor and council are here-
by authorised and required, to contract with the register of the
land-office for the eastern shore, for making an index of the
names of all the lands surveyed and patented, which have, been
returned to the said office up to the present period; and they
are hereby authorised and required, to draw upon the treasurer
of the western shore, as the work may progress, for such sum or
sums of money as may be necessary to complete the same, ac-
cording to the contract or contracts which may be made by them
with the said registers respectively, and the said treasurer is
hereby authorised and directed to pay the same out of any unap-
propriated money in the treasury.
3. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of the said re-
gisters for the time being, after the said index shall be completed,
to continue the same, and for all future grants or surveys of
land the said registers are hereby authorised to receive, twelve
and a half cents for entering the same in such index, from the
party making the survey or obtaining the grant.

Dec. Ses. 1815.

To contract
with register
western shore.

With register
eastern shore.

Registers to
continue index.

CHAPTER 185.

An act for the benefit of the Devisees of James Calhoun.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That
the devisees of James Calhoun, late, of the city of Baltimore, to
whom may belong the parcel of ground at the corner of Pratt
and Light-streets, fronting one hundred and six feet on Light-
street, and extending westwardly eighty feet, be and they are
hereby authorised to improve and use the same, freed from the
purposes of a tobacco inspection house for which it was hereto-
fore employed; Provided, an alley be left open on the south side
of said ground from Light-street, for the convenient passing of
tobacco hogsheads from said street to the inspection houses west
of the same.

Passed Feb. 3.

Devisees au-
thorised to im-
prove parcel of
ground.

CHAPTER 186.

An act to authorise the drawing of a Lottery or Lotteries
in the City of Baltimore to build a Masonic Hall for
Washington Lodge No. 3, in that part of said City
known and distinguished by the name of Fell's Point.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Tobias E. Watkins, Peter Little, William H. Winder,
George Winchester, Sheppard C. Leakin, George Myers, John
Kerry, George Keyser, Stephen H. Moore. Henry Dorry, James
Cordery, James Vinson, Thomas Worrell and Jacob Bier, or a

Passed Feb. 3.

Managers—
sum to be rais-
ed.