No license shall be granted to establish a ferry unless the petitioner shall give notice of his intended application by publication in some newspaper published in the county for at least four weeks successively next preceding the session of the county board at which the application shall be made, or if no newspaper is published in such county, by posting notices in four public places therein, at least four weeks previous to such session. When the application is to several county boards, the notice herein provided shall be given in each county.