Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-03-27

surc to bring down and suspicion upon the de
partmcnt itself what reasons they say .induccd
tins change in tho practice Of the department. unknown
to the Committee" IL had before been the practice not
open the seals of proposals. except had moi the
word proposals written upon them, till after the time
Tor receiving them had expcd aud they add ''as far
the committee perceive adequate existed for
the change They did not inquire for the of the
Undersigned, of the chief clerk, under whose
tcndencc the business conducted. Had they done
so, they would have been informed that about eight days
eiapse between the expiration OF the time for receiving
proposals. and the time of announcing the decision upon
them the greater part of which tine occupied by clerks
IN examining, recording aud filing them; and at any
time during this interval, any clerk employed has the
same opportunity to violate his duty, by candcstney in
Producing bids by the oany other improper means
hat he could have had before the time for receiving pro-
posais had expired. When none of the proposals
opened till after the time for receiving them has expired
from eight to twelve clerks have been employed three or
four days in opening and recording them; either of whom
might II aithess To his trust, convey intelligence
ANXIOUS eNpcctant of his being undcrbid and bear from
hp to The files for record such other bids the expect
ant might be disposed To make and ii the fraud should
ever be discovered would be difficult among that num-
her, to determine which the guilty person When
the proposals begun to be opened and recorded be-
fore the time for receiving them has expired the whole
Is done by one individuals and if fraud should be detect
ed he alone would be held responsible for There is no
reason to suspect that any of these who have ever
oeen engaged IN this business has been fahess TO
ms trust these the for the former practice
IN relation to opening and recording proposals. but
pant having been made and dissatisfaction expressed
In relation to this mode OF transactng business the me-
thod now in operation adopted 1t remains for ex-
be- led IN
preference
The practice of considering and accepting proposals
Tor greater amount of service than what is called for by
the advertisement, is complained of by the committee
None of the predecessors of the undersigned appear to
have discovered the evil which this practice is said To- in
V9ivc; and 1T has not been discontinued 10y the undersn-
ca because he has concurfcd with his predecessors
In belief that real advantages have resulted from it,
In all such cases, where the improvements pro-
posed are of very considerable magnitude, the bids
are hrst considered upon the proposition perform
the service according to the advertisement and the
decision is made upon that comparison; that the
proposals OF others not prciudccd by the inn
proved bids The lowest responsible bidder for per-
forming the service according the advertisements is en-
titled TO the first considerations and TO him the route is
assigned III his bid contain proposition for improve
ments 1t is subject for subsequent considerations whe-
her the improvements shall be adopted and whether
adopted not the decision affect any other bid
der nor operate against individual competition. 1t is
not concnded that the practice unlaw full and no good
reason has yet appeared why the department should
avaii itself OF any benefit which may be derived from
their consideration.
In the fall of 1920, application was made to the de-
partment give Increased expedition TO the mail he
tween York, Pa and lIagcrstown (AId0 distance of
little more than sixty miles, run through i'm one
day, instead of the contract time, which was two DAYS
Inquiry was then made of the on that route
TO learn what additional expense would be incurred by the
Improvement. They answered. that il would require
considerable increase OF stock which would demand
increase of expense of at least 81 200 year. and that un
less that sum could be allowed for the improvements il
could not be made 1t therefore suspended In the
Gll OF the same year, arrangement made with
the contractors for giving increased cxpedition and ndd
uona certainty to the transportation o the mail between
Washington City and Baltimore, which incurred an ad-
dltona expense at the rate of So 200 year These were
the same contractors that transporting the mails be-
tween York and Hagerstown. The service according TO
the new arrangement between Washington and Balti-
more, was performed with great fidelity and much bcne-
mt to the country during that winter In the spring of
$780, another arrangement was made by which the con-
tractors were relieved from part of the burhen of ex
pense imposed them by the arrangement the prece
ding fall and their additional compensation was there
fore reduced from 50 200 TO SOO0a year making differ
vii baip
pense which the arrangements of the preceding winter
mad incurred IT was then determined give the ncreas
ed expedition before solicited between York and Hager
town, and which had been withheld on account of the
heavy expenses which otherwise required for the
gencies OF the winter 1t appears that another company
VINO were associated with the contractors, elaine par
ucipaton III the additional allowance made between
Washington and Baltimore; and the committee impue
the reduction of the service and eompensation onbat
route, and the improvement route between York
and Hagersown TO disposition, the part of the de-
paTtment to interfere with the clashng claims of these
individuals. Indeed say they 'they but per-
ceive that conflicting individual claims TO the extra allow
ance on one route had their influence in bringing about
the arrangement of May 1880; they cannot regard that
arrangement as the result of public consideration alone
but as superinduced, at least part by wish TO give
one individual claimant advantage another IL
is hardly necessary TO make remark upon the :be.
raly OF this impuation without the shadow of evidence
to sustain 1T. The conflicting claims of individuals or
their companies never received moments consdera-
ton from the department. The examination of their
articles OF agreement declined; and opinion was
expressed, directly indirectly the Justice or equ
Tie
contractors to deal with; and their agreements with in
dvIduals were never inquired into; had their con
hlcung claims interests the slightest influence in this
or any other official act of the department
On the rontc between PHILADELPHIA and Pittsburgh Q1a y
the committee complain that the contract was made on
an improved bid for running two lines day over the
whole route, instead Of one and with greater cele
riy than called for by the advertisement In this as
IN all similar cases. the decision made upon the pro-
position for tie services called for by the advertisement
and given TO tc lowest bidders who were James Rccsdc
" Co. Tie decision did affect the rioht of any the
bidder; and the only question involved was whether The
improvement proposed should be made he demand Tor
TIE improved service had been cxtravapant il woud not
nave been granted; but the services proposed we're of
great utility, and the compensation reasonable compar
ca WIN the amount OF service the improved bid fl
llly accepted as substitute for the other The improv
ed bid contemplated the running of one daily mail
IN much shorter time than had ever been done before
and the other daily mail to supply the intermediate post
Offices and to carry the heavy bags of newspapers and
other printed periodicals., 10 through slowly
The call OF the country for newspaper intelligence rem
dcred desirable that the periodicals should be conveyed
an the more rapid line. This could be done without
violation OF that part OF their contract which reoures
provision for the accommodation of passengers be
cause would often exclude all passengers and so de-
prve the contractors Of that part of the ration for
lauon OF their contract Ii was therefore mposng on
them service beyond what their contract required
and tor this service allowance was made to them
from April 1872, to November 30th 1888 at the rate
OF SlOOOO year. The committee complain of this as
an act unauthorized by law. The equity Of the allowance
it sbclieycd viii not DC questioned andf that part ola
contract which secures l. The the Leneft de.
rived from the carrying Of passengers be regarded
as sacred as that which requires him transport the mail
then the awiuness of the allowance will not be denied
ms allowance was discontinued from lst December
1885, but, To show the earncstness with which tlle
of the service solicfed tlo