Every railroad corporation incorporated under this article, and any railroad corporation authorized to construct, operate or maintain a railroad within this state, has power and is authorized to enter upon any land for the purpose of examining and surveying its railroad, and to take, hold and appropriate so much real estate as may be necessary for the location, construction and convenient use of its road, including all necessary grounds for buildings, stations, workshops, depots, machine shops, switches, sidetracks, turntables, snow defences and water stations; all material for the construction of such road and its appurtenances, and the right-of-way over adjacent land sufficient to enable such corporation to construct and repair its road and the right to conduct water to its water stations, and to construct and maintain proper drains, and may obtain the right to such real estate by purchase or condemnation in the manner provided by the law.
R.L. 1910, § 1397.