When goods, wares, merchandise or other personal property are shipped to some point of delivery in this state over two or more connecting lines of transportation companies, both or all of which are engaged in the business of a transportation company in the State of Alabama, and such goods, wares and merchandise or other personal property are lost, destroyed, or damaged because of unreasonable delay in the delivery thereof or by the neglect of duty of any such transportation company or connecting transportation companies, and the owner or consignee of such freight sustains injury or loss thereby, and payment for such injury or loss or destruction is not made after notice to and demand therefor of such connecting and delivering companies within 30 days thereafter, the owner or consignee thereof may bring a civil action against such delivering and connecting companies jointly; the action to be instituted in the county of delivery, and if the connecting company or companies have no place of business in such county, a summons may issue to any county where the connecting companies are to be found, and executed as provided in the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. If the proof shows on the trial that there was no joint liability of all the defendants, but the evidence shows that plaintiff is entitled to recover against one or more of such defendants, judgment shall be entered accordingly against such defendant or defendants as the jury or court trying the case may ascertain to be liable, and such defendant as was not liable shall be discharged with recovery of his court costs. Nothing contained in this section shall in any manner modify or abridge the rights of any plaintiff to pursue any remedy now in force if he prefers to do so.