§17-18-16. Prompt passage; ferries from railroad stations.

If at any ferry there be a failure to give any person or property a passage over the same in a reasonable time, the proprietor thereof shall forfeit to such person not less than two nor more than $20. The owner or lessee of any ferry across a river between any city, town or village and a railroad depot or station, whether his ferryboat be propelled by steam or not, shall, whenever it can reasonably be done, cause such boat to be at the landing on the side on which such depot or station is on the arrival of each passenger train on such railroad, or within five minutes after such arrival, for the accommodation of passengers arriving on such train who may desire to cross such river, whether the arrival of such train be in the day or night, unless there be a bridge across such river at or near such ferry. He shall also, whenever it can reasonably be done, carry all persons desiring to take passage on any such train and their baggage across such river in time to enable them to do so before the departure of such train. Any owner or lessee of a ferry who shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined $50 for every such offense; and any party injured by such failure shall be entitled to recover therefor from such owner or lessee all damages sustained thereby.