§ 51. Method of abandonment. Prior to the exercising of such authority of abandonment, however, the corporation shall cause a notice of any proposed abandonment to be transmitted to the commission and to be published once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county wherein such lands are located, except that such publication shall appear in a newspaper published in the municipality or locality wherein such lands are located when there is a newspaper published in such municipality or locality. Such notice shall describe the lands proposed to be abandoned with sufficient certainty to identify them and invite interested parties to file written statements either supporting or opposing the proposed abandonment. Upon the expiration of the period of publishing said notice, when it is the case that the assessment for such lands proposed for abandonment is equal to or greater than fifty thousand dollars, the corporation shall hold a hearing at which evidence or further information may be submitted. A record shall be made of all evidence submitted at such hearing. If no hearing shall appear to the corporation to be warranted or subsequent to such hearing, should one be held, the corporation may in its discretion declare such lands abandoned for the purposes of the canal system. The corporation shall thereupon issue an official order abandoning the lands for canal purposes together with a map and description of the lands abandoned and dispose of any portion of canal lands so abandoned. Any money realized from the sale of such land shall be deposited into the canal fund.