have agreed upon with, or appraised to any person or persons, ^-^
damages for taking any land or private property for any public
work in said city, and shall also have assessed betterments on
account of the same public work upon the owner or owners of such
land or private property, or upon such land or private property, the
amount of such assessment shall be an offset against such damages;
and the city treasurer may credit such owner or owners with the
amount of such assessment so assessed upon or payable by him or
them, and the entry of such credit upon the books of said treasurer
shall have the same effect as the payment to such owner or owners
so credited in whole or part payment as the case may be, of the sum
appraised for such damages; but the court of common council may
in any individual case, where they see fit, pay the whole of such
damages and collect the assessments of betterments as heretofore.
§ 134. Condemnation of land for sewerage purposes. ^^

The court of common council of the city of Hartford may, whenever lo s. l.*«ii.
in their opinion the proper sewerage or drainage of any portion of
said city shall require such action, construct any structure, me-
chanical appliance, or apparatus to artificially or mechanically
sewer or drain the same, and may maintain and operate such means
of drainage, and for said purposes said court may take any land
which may be needed therefor.
§ 135. Proceedings for condemnation. The proceedings wem.
