Section 42-2-5
Failure of owner to appear at hearing.
If the owner does not appear on the hearing of the application, the court must hear the same and, if the application is granted, must appoint commissioners as herein provided for, and thereafter the same proceedings shall be had as if such owner had appeared.
(Code 1907, §2418; Code 1923, §3152; Code 1940, T. 59, §8.)