ART. 23] VALUATION OF PROPERTY. 743

assistants as may be necessary. Such investigations shall be prosecuted
with diligence and thoroughness, and the results thereof reported to the
legislature at each regular session. Such valuation shall show the value
of the property of every such corporation as a whole, and the value
or its property in each of the several counties and municipalities within
the State of Maryland. Every such valuation shall be so made and
ascertained by the commission that as far as possible it shall not disturb
the value of bonds of said corporation issued prior to April 5, 1910.

Every such corporation shall furnish to the commission from time
to time, and as the commission may require, maps, profiles, contracts,
reports of engineers and other documents, records and papers, or copies
of any and all of the same in aid of such investigation, and to determine
the value of the property of such corporation used for the public service,
and every such corporation is required to co-operate with the commis-
sion in the work of the valuation of its property in such further particu-
lars and to such extent as the commission may reasonably direct. The
commission shall thereafter, in like manner, keep itself informed of
all extensions and improvements or other changes in the condition of
the property of the said corporations and ascertain the fair value thereof,
and from time to time, as may be required for the regulation of corporar
tions under the provisions of this sub-title, revise and correct its valua-
tion of the property of such corporations. To enable the commission to
make such changes and corrections in its valuation, every corporation
subject to the provisions of this sub-title is hereby required to report
currently to the commission, and as the commission may require, all
improvements and changes in its property and to file with the commis-
sion copies of all contracts for such improvements at the time same are
executed.

Whenever the commission shall have completed the valuation of prop-
erty of any such corporation and before such valuation shall become
final, the commission shall give notice in the manner prescribed in this
sub-title for the service of a copy of an order upon such corporation,
to the company or companies owning or operating such property, stating
the valuation placed upon the several lines of roads or classes of prop-
erty of the said company used by it for the convenience of the public,
and shall allow the company or companies a reasonable time in which
to file a protest of same with the commission. If no protest is filed
within such time such valuation shall become final. If notice of contest
is filed by any such corporation, the commission shall fix a time for
hearing of the same, and shall proceed as promptly as may be possible
to hear and consider any matter relative and material thereto which
may be presented in support of said protest. If after hearing any con-
test of such valuation, under the provisions of this sub-title, the com-
mission is of the opinion that the tentative valuation is incorrect, it
shall make such changes as shall make the same a fair valuation of such
property and shall issue an order to make such corrected valuation
final. All final valuations by the commission shall be prima facie