Before taking effect, the agreement or agreements for sale and purchase or lease, or for such consolidation and merger, authorized by this act, shall be submitted to any annual meeting or to a special meeting of the stockholders of each of the companies. Such special meeting shall be called by delivering personally, or depositing in the postoffice, at least thirty days before the time fixed for such meetings, a notice addressed to each stockholder of the company whose address is known to the secretary of the company, signed by a majority of the directors or trustees of the company, stating the time, place and object of such meeting. Such stockholders, whose addresses shall be to the secretary unknown, shall be notified by a general notice of the time, place and object of such meeting by publication once a week, for three successive weeks, in some newspaper printed in the county in which the principal business office of such company is located.