Public ditch, drain or canal.

Whenever it shall be deemed necessary or expedient, for sanitary or agricultural purposes or conducive to the public health, convenience or welfare, or public utility, or for the benefit of any lands that are low, wet, submerged or liable to become submerged, to establish a public ditch, drain or canal in any of the counties of this state by a majority of those owning the lands through which such proposed ditch, drain or canal shall run or by those owning the greater part of the lands through which such proposed ditch, drain or canal shall run, and by a majority of those owning lands or by those owning the greater part of the lands contiguous thereto, that are benefited by such ditch, drain or canal, the majority of those owning such lands or those owning the greater part of such lands as aforesaid, shall present a petition to the county commissioners of the county in which such ditch, drain or canal is to be located, with a plat of said lands, showing the general course of such proposed ditch, drain or canal, setting forth the cause for the same, its length and the lands to be benefited thereby. Upon filing such petition and plat with the county commissioners, they shall lay the same over until the next regular meeting and give notice by publication at least once each week for 2 consecutive weeks, in some newspaper published in the county, of the date when they will consider said petition, citing all persons who may be interested to appear and present any reason why such petition should not be granted.