230 VALUATION, DEPRECIATION AND THE RATE-BASE
is defined as including all processes connected with the acquisi-
tion of the original road and equipment, road extensions, addi-
tions and betterments. The following is from these instructions:
« Costs shall be actual money costs to the carrier. When a
portion of the funds expended by the carrier has been obtained
through donations by the states, municipalities, individuals or
others, no deduction on account of such donations shall be made
in stating the costs. Contributions for joint expenditures should
not be considered as donations. The carrier’s proportion only
of the cost of joint projects, such as construction of jointly
owned tracks and elimination of highway crossings at joint
expense, shall be included in these accounts.
“ The charges to the accounts of this classification shall be
based upon the cost of the property acquired. When the con-
sideration given for the purchase or the improvement of property
the cost of which is chargeable to the accounts of this classifica-
tion is other than money, the money value of the consideration
at the time of the transaction shall be charged to these accounts,
and the actual consideration shall be described in the record in
sufficient detail to identify it. The carrier shall be prepared to
furnish the Commission, upon demand, the particulars of its
determination of the actual cash value of the consideration, if
other than money.
«Tt is intended that the accounts for fixed improvements and
equipment shall include the cost of construction of such prop-
erty. The cost of construction shall include the cost of labor,
materials and supplies, work-train service, special machine ser-
vice, transportation contract work, protection from casualties,
inquiries and damages, privileges, and other analogous elements
in connection with such work.”
Treatment of Depreciation and Replacement, Interstate Com-
merce Commission. — The attitude of the Interstate Commerce
Commission with reference to the depreciation and replacement
of property appears from the following instructions:
“ When a unit of property other than land or equipment —
such as a section of road, side or yard track, shop or power
plant machine, building, or other structure — is retired from
service and replaced with property of like purpose, the ledger
value of the retired property shall be credited to the appropriate