356 CORPORATIONS—RAILROAD. [ART. 23

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 for
the erection, use and occupancy of such bridge in accordance
with such plan; provided, that no railroad company shall be;
authorized to construct any permanent bridge over any canal of
this State, which shall be less than twelve feet in the clear above
the top water-line of said canal, and the piers and abutments of
such bridge shall be placed so as not in any manner to contract
the width of the canal, or interfere with free passage on the.
towing-path.

1876, ch. 242, sec. 22.

178. No railroad company heretofore or hereafter incorpo-
rated under the laws of this State, shall enter into any agreement
for the consolidation of such railroad company with any other
railroad company, or aid any other railroad company in the con-
struction of its railroad, by means of subscription to the capital
stock of such other railroad company, or otherwise, or shall lease
or purchase all or any part of any railroad constructed by any
other railroad company without the authority of an act of assem-
bly authorizing it to enter into such agreement or to give suck
aid, or to make such lease or purchase, being first had and
obtained.

Ibid. sec. 23.

179. Every railroad company in this State shall cause all its
trains of cars for passengers to entirely stop upon each arrival at
a station advertised by such company as a station for receiving
passengers upon such trains, at least one-half of one minute; and
every company, and every person in the employment of such
company, that shall violate, or cause or permit to be violated, the
provisions of this section, shall be liable to a forfeiture of not
more than one hundred nor less than twenty dollars, to be recov-
ered in an action of debt, upon, the complaint of any person,
before any justice of the peace of the county in which such vio-
lation shall occur; and in all cases in which a forfeiture shall
occur under the provisions of this section, the company whose
agents shall cause or permit such violation shall be liable for the
amount of such forfeiture; and in all cases, the conductor upon