§ 188. Certain consents of local authorities confirmed. All consents
given since December first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and prior
to February first, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, by the local
authorities of any city having a population of fifty thousand or more,
to the construction, operation and maintenance of a street surface
railroad in any such city by a railroad corporation which has not
complied with the provisions of section nine of this chapter, or has
failed to obtain the certificate therein provided for, are hereby
validated and confirmed, and any such corporation may construct, operate
and maintain a street surface railroad over, along and upon the streets,
avenues, highways and public places described in such consent, upon
obtaining the consent of the owners of property bounded on such streets,
avenues, highways or public places as provided by law.