All corporations having for one of their principal purposes the construction, maintenance and operation of pipelines and appurtenances for the conveyance and transportation as common carriers of oils, gas, gasoline and other petroleum products shall be subject to control and regulation by the commission in the same manner and to the same extent as other public service corporations. The power of eminent domain is hereby conferred upon such corporations to be used for acquiring rights-of-way for common carrier pipelines and they shall have the right to condemn and appropriate lands and property and interests therein for their use under the same procedure as is provided for the condemnation and appropriation of private property by railway companies, but no private property shall be taken or damaged until the compensation to be made therefor shall have been ascertained and paid as provided in the case of condemnation and appropriation by railway companies. Any property or interest therein acquired by any corporation under the provisions of this section by the exercise of the right of eminent domain shall be used exclusively for the purposes for which it was acquired. In all actions brought under this section to enforce the right of eminent domain, courts wherein such actions are brought may give such actions preference over all other civil actions in the matter of setting the same for hearing or trial and in hearing the same.