Any railroad company that desires to lay or construct any railroad track in, on, along or across any street, lane, alley or other public highway of the city shall, before beginning such work, make application in writing to the city council for permission to do such work, in which application shall be shown the streets, lanes, alleys, squares, public highways or portions thereof which the company desires to use and to what width and at what grade. No such work shall be done until such permission is granted.
(Code 1965, § 23-2)