1364                           LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 649

[244. Motive power which may be used; exception when operating
on streets or public roads.]

[Every railroad company of this State, heretofore or hereafter
incorporated, may in its discretion and from time to time, make use
of any motive power or motive powers, on the whole or any part
or parts of its road, for the purpose of operating its road or any part
or parts thereof, or for the movement of all or any of its cars or
trains; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall
not authorize any railroad company to operate its cars or trains by
steam or other power along the streets, of any city or town, or along
any public road, without the consent of the proper municipal or
county authorities.]

[245. Hours of duty of operators of block system—In general.]

[It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or association
operating a railroad within this State to permit any telegraph or
telephone operator who spaces trains, by the use of the telegraph or
telephone, under what is known and termed "block system" (defined
as follows): Reporting trains to another office or offices, and to the
train despatcher registering the same and operating one or more
train order signals, and telegraph or telephone levermen who manip-
ulate interlocking machines in railroad yards or on main tracks out
on the lines connecting sidetracks or switches or train despatchers in
its services; whose duties substantially as hereinbefore set forth
pertain to the movement of cars, engines or trains on its railroad by
the use of the telegraph or telephone in despatching or reporting
trains or receiving or transmitting train orders as interpreted in
this section, to be on duty for more than eight hours in any twenty-
four consecutive hours. Any person, corporation or association that
shall violate this section, shall pay a fine of one hundred dollars for
each violation thereof.]

[246. Same—Recovery of fine.]

[The fine mentioned in sec. 245 of this article shall be recovered
by an action of debt in the name of the State of Maryland for the use
of the State, who shall sue for it against such person, corporation or
association violating said section, said suit to be instituted in any
court in this State having appropriate jurisdiction.]

[247. Same—Disposition of fine; exception depending on number
of trains operating.]

[The said fine when recovered as aforesaid shall be paid without
any deduction whatever, one-half thereof to the informer, and the
balance thereof to be paid into the public school fund of the State of
Maryland; provided, that the provisions of Sees. 245 to 247 shall not
apply to any part of a railroad where not more than eight regular
passenger trains in twenty-four hours pass each way; provided,
moreover, that where twenty freight trains pass each way generally
in each twenty-four hours then the provisions of Sees. 245 to 247 shall
apply, notwithstanding that there may pass a less number of pas-
senger trains than hereinbefore set forth, namely, eight.]

SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That Sections 256, 257, 261,
263, 264(4), 268, 269, 270, 271 and 273 of Article 23 of the An-
notated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition) title "Corporations," sub-