Any water-power or reservoir company proposing to create an artificial lake, pond or reservoir on land whereon is situated a cemetery or burying ground shall, before the creation of such lake, pond or reservoir, cause to be published once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county or counties in which such lake, pond or reservoir shall be created or, if there be no such newspaper, in a newspaper having general circulation in such county or counties a notice which shall set forth (a) the names, if known, of all persons buried within the area to be covered by water, (b) the names, if known, of all family and other burying grounds within such area and (c) such other information as may be known to the company and which would serve to designate the known graves or graveyards within such area. Such notice shall further contain a provision calling upon the relatives of all persons buried within such area to furnish to the company in writing within a stated period of time, to be not less than thirty days from the date of last publication, a statement of their wishes with respect to the disposition of the remains of the persons so buried, signed by the person making the request and giving his post-office address.