844 ARTICLE 23.

An. Code, sec. 449. 1910, ch. 180, sec. 35 (p. 381).

394. No gas corporation or electrical corporation shall transfer or lease
its franchise, works or system, or any part of such franchise, works or
system to any other person or corporation or contract for the operation of
its works and system, without the written consent of the commission. The
permission and approval of the commission to the exercise of a franchise
under this sub-title, or to the assignment, transfer or lease of a franchise
under this section shall not be construed to revive or validate any lapsed
or invalid franchise or to enlarge or add to the powers and privileges con-
tained in the grant of any franchise or to waive any forfeiture. No such
corporation shall directly or indirectly acquire the stock or bonds of any
other corporation incorporated for or engaged in, the same or similar-
business, or proposing to operate or operating under a franchise from the
same or any other municipality, unless authorized to do so by the commis-
sion. Save where stock shall be transferred or held for the purpose of
collateral security only with the consent of the commission, no stock cor-
poration of any description, domestic or foreign, other than a gas. or elec-
trical corporation, shall purchase or acquire, take or hold, more than ten
per centum of the total capital stock issued by any gas corporation or
electrical corporation organized or existing under and by virtue of the
laws of this State. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent
the holding of stock heretofore lawfully acquired. Every contract, assign-
ment, transfer, agreement for transfer of any stock by or through any
person or corporation to any corporation in violation of any provision of
this sub-title, shall be void and of no effect, and no such transfer or assign-
ment shall be made upon the books of any such gas corporation or electrical
corporation, or shall be recognized as effective for any purpose.

An. Code, sec. 450. 1910, ch. 180, sec. 36 (p. 381).

395. Upon the complaint in writing of the mayor or chief executive
official, or officials, of a municipality or county in which a person or cor-
poration is authorized to manufacture, sell or supply gas or electricity for
heat, light or power, or upon the complaint in writing of not less than one
hundred customers or purchasers of such gas or electricity either as to the
illuminating power, purity, pressure or price 'of gas or the initial efficiency
of the electric incandescent lamp supply, or the regulation of the voltage
of the supply system used for incandescent lighting, or price of electricity
sold and delivered in such municipality or county, the commission shall
investigate as to the cause for such complaint. When such complaint is
made, the commission may, by its agents, examiners and inspectors, inspect
the works, system plant and methods used by such person or corporation in
manufacturing, transmitting and supplying such gas or electricity, and
may examine or cause to be examined the books and papers of such person
or corporation pertaining to the manufacture, sale, transmitting and sup-
plying of such gas and electricity. The form and contents of complaints
made as provided in this section shall be prescribed by the commission.
Such complaints shall be signed by the officers, or by the customers, pur-
chasers or subscribers making them, who must add to their signature their
places of residence, by street and number, if any.