1803.

NOVEMBER. LAWS OF MARYLAND.

C H A P.
LXXXIX.

shall thereupon proceed to assess and value the damages accordingly, of which the said commissi-
oners, or a majority of them, shall have at least five days notice, and shall return the damages so
assessed to the said justice of the peace, and such inquisition and valuation shall be final and con-
clusive, and the party or parties in whose favour the valuation ascertained by the said commission-
ers, or a majority of them, or the damages assessed by the said freeholders, shall be made, shall be
entitled to receive the same from the said commissioners, or a majority of them, and the said com-
missioners shall pay, or secure the same to be paid, out of the monies levied for the purpose of
making the said road, before they shall proceed to affect the lands and tenements of the person or
persons concerned.

And cause the
road to be
cleared, &c.

IV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That after the valuation herein directed to be made shall have been
paid, or secured to be paid, to the person or pesons entitled to the same, the said commissioners, or
a majority of them, shall cause the said road to be cleared and grabbed, and shall have power to
employ such labourers as may be necessary to complete the same, and shall also have power to con-
tracl with and employ any person or persons to build a bridge over the Patuxent, at Ashton's ford
aforesaid, and to purchase timber and other things necessary for completing the same.

Court to levy
money, &c.

V. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the levy court of Anne-Arundel county shall, at the time of lay-
ing the next county levy, assess and levy on the assessable property of said county, a sum not ex-
ceeding five hundred dollars, to be collected and paid to the commissioners, or a majority of them,
for the purpose of defraying the expences of opening the said road in Anne-Arundel, and one half
the expence of building the bridge aforesaid; and the levy court of Prince-George's county shall, at
the time of laying the next county levy, assess and levy, on the assessable property of said county,
a sum not exceeding four hundred dollars, to be paid to the commissioners, or a majority of them,
for the purpose of defraying the expences of opening the said road in Prince-George's county, and
one half the expence of building the bridge aforesaid; and after the road shall be open, cleared and
completed, arid the bridge aforesaid shall be built, it shall be the duty of the commissioners to re-
turn to the levy court of each county a statement of the expence of opening, clearing and com-
pleting, the road in such county, and the expence of building said bridge, which statement shall be
supported by vouchers, and shall pay to the levy court of either county any money that shall remain
In their hands unexpended in completing the road and bridge as aforesaid.

CHAP. XC.

Passed 7th of
January, 1804

An ACT to confirm the partition made by certain commissioners
therein mentioned, and for other purposes.

Preamble.

WHEREAS, it has been represented to this general assembly, by the petition of Mary Black,
widow of James Black, John Groome, and Elizabeth his wife, late Elizabeth Black, James
Scott, and Mary his wife, late Mary Black, Anne Black and James Rice Black, Sarah Black, Ca-
therine M, Black and jane Black, minors under the age of twenty-one years, by Mary Black, widow,
their mother and guardian, heirs and representatives of the said James Black, deceased, that the said
James Black died seized, and intestate, of sundry trails and parcels of land, and houses and lots,
some of which lie in the state of Delaware, and some others of them in this state; that the said
land, houses and lots, have descended to the said Elizabeth, Mary, Anne, James, Sarah, Catherine
and Jane Black, as heirs of the said James Black, in equal portions, subject nevertheless to the
right of dower of the said Mary Black, widow, in all the real estate of the said James Black; and
that the said John Groome and wife, James Scott and wife, and Anne Black, are of full age, and
the said Mary Black, as guardian of the said James Rice Black, Sarah Black, Catherine M. Black
and jane Black, infant children of the said James Black, and for herself also, did heretofore enter
into an agreement, that Joseph Burn, David Nivin, Joseph Israel, Augustine Boyer, John Ireland
and Daniel Sheredine, as commissioners, appointed on the part and behalf of all the parties inte-
rested, should make partition between the said parties of all the estate aforesaid of which the said
James Black died seized, in such manner as the said commissioners should think fair and equitable:
And whereas the said commissioners, or a majority of them, in pursuance of the authority vested
in them, did proceed to make partition and division of the said real estate equally among the heirs
and representatives aforesaid, with pecuniary charges on some of the allotments, for owelty of par-
tition, and also each of the said allotments charged with the payment of a certain sum of money
annually to the said widow, Mary Black, during her natural life, in lieu and in bar of her dower in
said real estate, and have stated in writing, under their hands and seals, accompanied by plots, the
said partition, and all other their proceedings in the premises: And whereas the said widow, Mary
Black, on behalf of herself and the said minor children, and the said other heirs and representatives
of the said James Black, have, for themselves, agreed to the partition and allotments as made and