Any fractional township not having the requisite number of inhabitants to petition for the sale of school lands, which has not heretofore been united with any township for school purposes, and which does not contain a sufficient number of inhabitants to maintain a free school, is hereby attached for school purposes to the adjacent congressional township having the longest territorial line bordering on such fractional township, and all the provisions of this Article shall apply to such united townships the same as though they were 1 township.