Every railroad company operating ten miles or more of railroad for the transportation of passengers and freight shall erect and maintain in complete working order, for use along the line of its railroad, a telegraph or telephone wire, with an office and proper means for communication by such wire at each of its principal stations. No such company operating a railroad without a telegraph or telephone wire along the line of such railroad, shall ask or receive any compensation for the transportation of passengers or freight on such railroad.
The charter of a railroad company which fails to comply with the conditions of this section shall be declared forfeited and shall be annulled by a civil action brought for that purpose in the name of the state by the prosecuting attorney of any county in or through which its railroad is operated.
R.C. § 4963.44