1018                            Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 349

(a)    Release on the mortgage or deed of trust. A release may
be endorsed on the original mortgage or deed of trust by the mort-
gagee or his assignee, or the trustee or his successor under a deed
of trust; and upon such mortgage or the deed of trust, with the
release thereon endorsed, being filed in the office in which the mort-
gage or deed of trust is recorded, the clerk shall record such re-
lease photographically, with an attachment or rider thereto affixed
which shall contain the names of the parties as they appear on the
original mortgage or deed of trust, together with a reference to
the book number and page number where such mortgage or deed
of trust has been recorded. When the mortgage or the deed of
trust, with the release thereon, is filed for the purpose of recording
the release, the clerk shall retain such mortgage or deed of trust in
his office and not permit it to be withdrawn for a period of twenty-
five (25) years, after which time he may destroy it. If, however,
the clerk preserves a photographic copy of the release, he may then
permit such original mortgage or deed of trust with the release
thereon to be withdrawn.

(b)    Release on the Records. At the option of the clerks of court
in whose offices the book form or recording is used, the release
may be written by the mortgagee, or his assignee, or the trustee, or
his successor under a deed of trust, upon the record in the office
where the mortgage, or deed of trust is recorded, and attested by
the clerk of the court; and the clerk of court in whose offices the
book form of recording is used at the time of recording every mort-
gage, or deed of trust shall leave a blank space at the foot thereof
for the purpose of entering such release.

(c)    Release on the evidence of debt. When the debt secured
by a deed of trust is fully paid or satisfied, and the bond, or bonds,
note or notes, or other evidence of the total indebtedness is marked
"paid" or "cancelled" by the holder, it may be received by the clerk
and indexed and recorded as any other instrument in the nature of a
release and shall have the same effect as a release of the property
for which it is the security, as a release executed by the named
trustees, provided there is attached to or endorsed upon the note or
notes an affidavit of the holder, the party making satisfaction, or an
agent of either of them that it has been paid or satisfied, and speci-
fically setting forth the land record reference where the original
deed of trust is recorded.

3-106. Recording of assignments of mortgages.

Any assignment of a mortgage shall be recorded photographic-
ally by the clerk of the court with an attachment or rider affixed
thereto which shall contain the names of the parties as they appear
on the original mortgage, together with a reference to the book num-
ber and page number where the mortgage was recorded.

3-107. Recording of vendor's liens.

When recording a deed or other instrument retaining a vendor's
lien, the clerk shall leave a blank space at the foot thereof for the
purpose of entering assignments and releases.

3-108. Recording of plats.

(a) In general. Whenever the owner of land in the State of
Maryland shall subdivide his lands, for town or villa sites, streets,