Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/809



laws, so far as they vest in the said levy court a power to lay taxes, shall be, and the same are hereby repealed.

. And be it further enacted, That the board of commissioners or levy court shall be, and hereby are released from any obligation to provide for the support of the poor of any other part of the county of Washington, other than that part without the limits of the city of Washington, to provide for whom they are hereby authorized to lay and collect a special tax, to be imposed on said part of the county.

. And be it further enacted, That the board of commissioners or levy court of the county of Washington shall be hereafter composed of seven members, to be designated immediately after the passing of this act, by the President of the United States, from among the existing magistrates of the county, and annually afterwards on the first Monday in May, that is to say, there shall be two members designated from among the magistrates residing in that part of the county lying eastward of Rock creek, and without the limits of the city of Washington; two from among the magistrates residing in that part of the county lying westward of Rock creek, and without the limits of Georgetown; and three from among the magistrates residing within the limits of Georgetown. A majority of the members so designated shall constitute a quorum to do business.

. And be it further enacted, That the general county expenses and charges, other than for the expenses of roads and bridges out of the limits of Washington and Georgetown, respectively, shall be borne and defrayed by the said city of Washington, and the other parts of the county equally, that is to say; one moiety of said expenses and charges shall be borne by the city, and paid over to whomsoever the board of commissioners or levy court may appoint as treasurer of the court; and the other moiety, by the other parts of the county: which said general expenses shall be ascertained annually by the said board of commissioners or levy court and the corporation of the said city. And in case of any difference of opinion as to what are or may be properly called general expenses, and applicable to the whole county, agreeably to the provisions of this and other acts relating to the subject, it shall be the duty of the circuit court for the said county, upon joint application, or upon the application of either party, and due notice to the other party; to inquire, determine and settle in a summary way the matter in difference.

. And be it further enacted, That the two bridges over Rock creek, immediately between the city of Washington and Georgetown, shall be kept in repair and rebuilt, in like manner as at present, at the joint expense and cost of the said city and Georgetown; and the sums required for such repairs or rebuildings shall from time to time be ascertained by the said board of commissioners or levy court for the county, and the amount required from each corporation shall be paid over, after sixty days’ notice, to the treasurer of the county.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful at any time hereafter for the corporation of the city of Washington, and the corporation of Georgetown, jointly or separately, and at their joint or separate expense, as the case may be, to erect a permanent bridge across Rock creek, and between the two places, at such sites as the corporation first choosing to build shall determine and fix upon; and if it should be necessary to obtain private property on which to fix either or both the abutments of the said permanent bridge or bridges, or for other purposes connected with the work, the said corporation so choosing to build shall have power to agree with the owner or owners for the purchase of such property; and in case of disagreement, or in case the owner shall be a feme covert, under age or non compos, or out of the county, the mayor of the said corporation shall thereupon summon a jury to be composed of twelve freeholders, inhabitants of the said county,