374 LAWS OF MARYLAND.

possible it shall not disturb the value of bonds of said corpora-
tion issued prior to the passage of this Act.

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 prop-
erty 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
particulars and to such extent as the Commission may rea-
sonably direct. The Commission shall thereafter, in like man-
ner, keep itself informed of all extensions and improvements or
other changes in the condition of the property of the said cor-
porations 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 Act, revise and correct its valua-
tion of the property of such corporations. To enable the
Commission to make such changes and corrections in its valua-
tion, every corporation subject to the provisions of this Act 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 con-
tracts for such improvements at the time same are executed.

Whenever the Commission shall have completed the valua-
tion of property of any such corporation and before such valua-
tion shall become final, the Commission shall give notice in
the manner prescribed in this Act 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 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 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 pre-
sented in support of said protest. If after hearing any con-
test of such valuation, under the provisions of this Act, the
Commission is of the opinion that the tentative valuation is in-
correct, 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 of the value of
said property in proceedings had in pursuance of this Act.