836 ARTICLE 23.

of the public. For the purpose of such investigation the commission is
authorized to employ such engineers, experts and other 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 cor-
poration 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 commission in the work
of the valuation of its property in such further particulars and to such
extent as the commission may reasonably direct. The commission, shall
thereafter, in like manner, keep itself informed of all extensions and im-
provements 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 corporations under the provisions
of this sub-title, revise and correct its valuation of the property of such
corporations. To enable the commission to make such changes and correc-
tions 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 commission 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 com-
pany or companies owning or operating such property, stating the valua-
tion placed upon the several lines of roads or classes of property 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 valua-
tion 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 contest of such valuation, under the provisions of this sub-
title, the commission is of the opinion that the tentative valuation is incor-
rect, 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 evidence