1. Responsibility of carrier. When property is delivered to a common carrier for transportation, and any person other than the consignor or consignee shall claim the title to such property and shall forbid its transportation, he shall forthwith give written notice to the carrier forbidding its transportation, and thereupon the carrier shall be authorized to delay the transportation for the space of 5 days, and unless within such 5 days such claimant shall replevy such property or if he shall fail to give such written notice, the carrier is authorized to proceed with the transportation of such property and shall not be liable for so transporting.

2. Definition. For purposes of this chapter, transportation of property means every service in connection with or incidental to the transportation of property, including in particular its receipt, delivery, elevation, transfer, switching, carriage, ventilation, refrigeration, icing, dunnage, storage and handling, and the transmission of credit by express or telegraph companies.