Before any such sale shall be made it shall be the duty of the county commissioners of the respective county to petition the court of common pleas in which the property is situate, setting forth a description of the property to be sold and the reason therefor, which said court shall thereupon fix a day for hearing, and notice thereof shall be given in at least two newspapers in said county, of general circulation, once a week for three consecutive weeks, and after hearing, said court shall make such order and decree as shall seem right and proper, and such sale shall be returned to the following term of court as orphans' court sales are now returned, and said court shall confirm or refuse to confirm said sale as it may deem best for the interests of said county: Provided, This act shall not apply to cities of the first class in this commonwealth.
16 P.S. § 8373