J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR 39

303A. The County Commissioners of Dorchester County are he^by
authorized and directed to pay annually the sum of [fifteen] sixteen
thousand two hundred and fifty dollars to the several volunteer fire
companies so long as said fire companies remain active bodies, and
active fire fighting organizations for their benefit, said sum of money
to be used by the respective fire companies for the support, mainte-
nance, equipment, and operation of said volunteer fire companies for
the purpose of suppressing fires in said county.

303B. Said payment shall be made on the first day of October in
each and every year by the County Commissioners of Dorchester
County, and it shall be distributed to the [thirteen] fourteen follow-
ing fire companies of Dorchester County as follows: To Rescue Fire
Company of Cambridge, Md., the sum of $2, 000. 00; to Hurlock Volun-
teer Fire Company of Hurlock, Md., the sum of $1, 500. 00; to Vienna
Volunteer Fire Company at Vienna, Md., the sum of $1, 250. 00; to the
Secretary Volunteer Fire Company of Secretary, Md., the sum of
$1, 250. 00; to the East New Market Volunteer Fire Company of East
New Market, the sum of $1, 250. 00; to the Eldorado-Brookview Volun-
teer Fire Company, the sum of $1, 000. 00; to Church Creek Volunteer
Fire Company, of Church Creek, Maryland, the sum of $1, 000. 00;
to Lloyd's Volunteer Fire Company of Lloyd's, Maryland, the sum
of $1, 000. 00; to Madison Volunteer Fire Company of Madison, Mary-
land, the sum of $1, 000. 00; to Neck District Volunteer Fire Com-
pany, of Cambridge, Maryland, R. F. D. No. 3, the sum of $1, 000. 00;
to Lakes and Straits Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., of Wingate, Mary-
land, the sum of $1, 000. 00; Hooper's Island Volunteer Fire Com-
pany, Inc., of Hooper's Island, Maryland, the sum of $1, 000. 00; to
Linkwood Salem District Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., the sum of
$1, 000. 00; to Taylor's Island Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., the sum
of $1, 000. 00, provided said companies comply with the by-laws of the
Volunteer Fire Companies Association of Dorchester County, but no
payments shall be made until it does comply with the said by-laws.

303C. The County Commissioners of Dorchester County are hereby
authorized and directed to levy annually an amount not exceeding
[fifteen] sixteen thousand two hundred and fifty dollars [$15, 250. 00]
($16, 250. 00) on the assessable property of said Dorchester County. Be-
fore the County Commissioners shall be required to pay the moneys
levied for the purposes of this sub-title to the respective fire com-
panies, the said Commissioners shall have the power to require the
officers of said fire companies to appear before them and to show
to the satisfaction of said Commissioners that any sums of money paid
by the said Commissioners to the said fire companies under this sub-
title have been expended for the purposes set forth in this sub-title
and also that said respective fire companies are active fire fighting
organizations. In the event any of the fire companies hereinbefore
mentioned cease to remain active fire fighting organizations, or have
not used the moneys appropriated to them for the sole purposes set
forth in this sub-title, then the County Commissioners are authorized
and directed to allocate such unexpended funds to the Contingent
fund of Dorchester County.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared
to be an emergency law and necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public health and safety, and having been passed by a yea and
nay vote supported by three-fifths of all of the members elected to