Whenever any corporation authorized to appropriate for a public use by the exercise of the right of eminent domain lands, rights-of-way, or other rights or easements in lands requires, needs, or desires to appropriate lands, rights-of-way, or other rights or easements in lands which belong to the United States, the state of Colorado, or any other state or sovereignty, such corporation, for the purpose of having such lands, rights-of-way, or other rights or easements appropriated to such use and for determining the compensation to be paid to such owner therefor, may present a petition to the district court in each of the counties in which such lands, or any part thereof, are located, describing the desired property, giving the name of the owner thereof, and stating by whom and for what purpose it is proposed to be appropriated and that it is needed and required by the petitioner for the public use to which it is proposed to devote the same, and praying that such court appropriate such property to its use and determine the compensation to be paid to the owner therefor.