358

RAILROAD COMPANIES. [ART. 41.

but said corporation shall, without unnecessary delay, place such
road or stream in such condition as not to impair its former useful-
ness, and provided such corporation shall be liable for damage
caused by such diversion of any stream.

Id s 18
Principal office

17. Such corporation shall, as soon as convenient after its organi-
zation, establish a principal office at some point on the line of its
road, and change the same at pleasure, giving public notice in some
newspaper of such establishment or change

Id s 19
Sign to be
erected at cross-
ing of public
road.

18. Every company organized under this act shall be required to
erect, at all points where their road shall cross any public road, at a
sufficient elevation from such public road to admit of the free pas-
sage of vehicles of every kind, a sign with large and distinct letters
placed thereon, to give notice of the proximity of the railroad, and
warn persons of the necessity of looking out for the cars; and any
company neglecting or refusing to erect such sign, shall be liable
in damages for all injuries occurring to persons or property from
each neglect or refusal.

Id s 20
Annual report
to comptroller

19. Each and every railroad company, incorporated under this act,
shall, annually, in the month of January, make a full report of the con-
dition of its affairs to the comptroller, showing the amount of the capi-
tal stock of such company, the gross amount of tolls or receipts dur-
ing the previous year, the cost of repairs and incidental expenses,

Comptroller to
make abstract
copy of report
to General As-
sembly.

the net amount of profits and dividends made, with such other facts
as may be necessary to a full statement of the affairs and condition
of such road, and the comptroller shall present an abstract copy of
such report to the General Assembly at each session thereof

Id s 21
Crossing canal
or navigable
water.

20. Whenever the line of any railroad company now existing, or
which may hereafter organize under this act, shall cross any canal
or any navigable water, the said company shall file with the board of
public works the plan of the bridge, and other fixtures for crossing
such canal or navigable water, designating the place of crossing;
and if the said board shall approve of such plan, it shall notify such
company in writing of such approval, but if the said board or acting
commissioners shall disapprove such plan, or fail to approve the
same within twenty days from the filing thereof, then it shall lie law-
ful for such company to apply to the Circuit Court, or any judge
thereof in vacation, and upon reasonable notice being given to the
members of the board of public works, said court or judge shall,
upon good cause shown, appoint a competent, disinterested engi-
neer, not a resident of any county through which the road passes,
to examine such crossing and to prescribe the plan and conditions
' thereof, so as not to impede navigation; and such engineer shall,
within twenty days from his appointment, make his return to the
Circuit Court of the county where such crossing is to be made, sub-
ject to exception by either party, and thereupon the court-shall, at
the next term after the filing of said return proceed to examine the
same, and unless good cause is shown, shall approve and confirm
the same, and such order of confirmation-shall be sufficient authority