1. Any railroad company heretofore incorporated or hereafter organized in pursuance of law, may, at any time, by means of subscription to the capital stock of any other railroad company, or otherwise, aid such company in the construction of its railroad within or without the state, for the purposes of forming a connection of the last mentioned road with the road owned by the company furnishing such aid, or any such railroad company which may have built its road to the boundary lines of the state may extend into the adjoining state, and for that purpose may build, buy, lease or consolidate, in the manner provided in section 388.290, with any railroads in such adjoining state, and operate the same, and may own such real estate and other property in such adjoining state as may be convenient in operating such road; or any railroad company organized in pursuance of the laws of this or any other state, or of the United States, may lease or purchase all or any part of a railroad, with all its privileges, rights, franchises, real estate and other property, the whole or a part of which is in this state, and constructed, owned or leased by any other company, if the lines of the road or roads of such companies are continuous or connected at a point either within or without this state, upon such terms as may be agreed upon between said companies respectively; or any railroad company duly incorporated and existing under the laws of any state of the United States may extend, construct, maintain and operate its railroad into and through this state, and for that purpose shall possess and exercise all the rights, powers and privileges conferred by the general laws of this state upon railroad corporations organized thereunder, and shall be subject to all the duties, liabilities and provisions of the laws of this state concerning railroad corporations, as fully as if incorporated in this state.

2. Provided, that no such aid shall be furnished, nor any purchase, lease, subletting or arrangements perfected until a meeting of the stockholders of said company or companies of this state, party or parties to such agreement, whereby a railroad in this state may be aided, purchased, leased, sublet, consolidated or affected by such arrangements, shall have been called by the directors thereof, at such times and places and in such manner as they shall designate, sixty days’ public notice thereof having been previously given and the holders of a majority of the stock of such company, in person or by proxy, shall have assented thereto, or until the holders of a majority of the stock of such company shall have assented thereto, in writing, and a certificate thereof, signed by the president and secretary of said company or companies, shall have been filed in the office of the secretary of state.

3. And provided further, that if a railroad company of another state shall lease a railroad, the whole or a part of which is in this state, or make arrangement for operating the same as provided in sections 388.290 and 388.300, or shall extend its railroad into this state, or through this state, such part of said railroad as is within this state shall be subject to taxation, and shall be subject to all regulations and provisions of law governing railroads in this state; and a corporation in this state leasing its road to a corporation of another state, or licensing or permitting a corporation of another state, under any running arrangement, to run engines and cars upon its road in this state, shall remain liable as if it operated the road itself; and a corporation of another state, being a lessee of a railroad in this state, or running its engines and cars upon a railroad in this state under a license, permit or running arrangement, shall likewise be held liable for the violation of any of the laws of this state, and may sue and be sued in all cases and for the same causes and in the same manner as a corporation of this state might sue or be sued if operating its own road; but a satisfaction of any claim or judgment by either of said corporations shall discharge the other; and a corporation of another state, being the lessee as aforesaid, or extending its railroad as aforesaid into or through this state, shall establish and maintain an office or offices in this state, at some point or points on the line of the road so leased or constructed and operated, at which legal process and notice may be served as upon railroad corporations of this state.