Section 46. A town which has acquired, as hereinbefore provided, mains, poles, wires or other distributing apparatus in an adjoining town may thereafter manufacture, sell and distribute gas or electricity to said adjoining town or to its inhabitants, and shall thereafter have therein the same rights and franchises and be subject to the same limitations and obligations as the vendor from whom such outlying plant was purchased would have had or to which he would have been subject had such purchase not been made.