Whenever any personal property shall be consigned to or deposited with any common carrier, forwarding merchant, wharfinger, warehouse keeper, innkeeper or the keeper of any depot for the storage of baggage, merchandise or other personal property, such consignee or bailee shall immediately cause to be entered in a proper book kept by the consignee or bailee a description of such property with the date of the reception thereof; and if the same shall not have been so consigned or deposited for the purpose of being forwarded or disposed of according to directions received by such consignee or bailee at or before his or her reception thereof the consignee or bailee shall immediately notify the owner by mail thereof, if the owner’s name and residence be known or can with reasonable diligence be ascertained.