That the board of directors of any drainage district shall have power to contract with any railroad company or street-railroad company or companies to construct, maintain and keep in repair the whole or any part of any levee in such district upon such terms as may be for the best interests of such district, and for such purpose shall have the further power to appropriate any fund raised by the levy of general or special taxes for the construction, maintenance or repair of such levee, and to grant to such railroad company or companies the right of way for the construction and operation of a railroad or railroads over, on, along or across such levee or levees or any part thereof.