A railroad company may construct branches from the main line of railroad to municipal corporations or places within the limits of a county through or into which its railroad passes or to a connection with any railroad within this state, or to any coal or other mine, stone-quarry, plastic-clay, pottery-clay, and fire clay pits or banks, marl beds, sand or gravel pits or banks, asphalt deposits, slag banks, or ore or shale banks, if, at a meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose, the holders of a majority of the capital stock of the company, by a vote in person or by proxy, so determine. Upon such determination, the president and board of directors shall make and acknowledge a certificate setting forth the facts and file it with the secretary of state.