(1) If it be alleged in the complaint and established by evidence or if it appear by the evidence without such allegation in the complaint to the satisfaction of the court that the property or any part is so situated that the partition cannot be made without great prejudice to the owners, the court may order a sale thereof; otherwise, upon the requisite proofs being made, it must order a partition according to the respective rights of the parties as ascertained by the court and appoint three referees therefor and must designate the portion to remain undivided for the owners whose interests remain unknown or are not ascertained.
(2) The court, with the consent of the parties, may appoint a single referee instead of three referees in the proceedings under the provisions of this chapter, and the single referee, when thus appointed, has all the powers and may perform all the duties required of the three referees.