Section 188. Certain consents of local authorities confirmed

All consents
  given since December first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and  prior
  to  February  first,  eighteen  hundred  and  ninety-six,  by  the local
  authorities of any city having a population of fifty thousand  or  more,
  to  the  construction,  operation  and  maintenance  of a street surface
  railroad in any such city  by  a  railroad  corporation  which  has  not
  complied  with  the  provisions  of section nine of this chapter, or has
  failed to obtain  the  certificate  therein  provided  for,  are  hereby
  validated and confirmed, and any such corporation may construct, operate
  and maintain a street surface railroad over, along and upon the streets,
  avenues,  highways  and  public  places  described in such consent, upon
  obtaining the consent of the owners of property bounded on such streets,
  avenues, highways or public places as provided by law.