Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-02-26


bids not only a proposition to carry M,
mat according to The advertisement. bu
with stipulations that the bidder woul,
bind himself to carry the mail in n 5;fy,r.
snf manner at different price or the
favored contractors, the bids to carry the
mail pursuant to the advertisement, are
generally rery lo,e, so as TO enable the de.
partment TO award them the contract,
while their sniproUed bid, in pursuance oil
which the contract is at last executed, is
tery h,gh, so as TO insure 10 the contractor
an enormous profit. The acceptance ia
marked on the proposal book opposite the
sum which was bid for conveying the mail
pursuant 10 the advertisement; and the
rival bidders viii see at once, on an inspec
iion OF this book. that they are mderbid,
out the contracts are executed according
to the improved bid, which is often twice
or three times the sum at which il is en-
tered on the proposal book laid open to
The inspection of the public.
For example, at the lettings in 1881.
James Reeslde bid TO carry the mail from
Philadelphia TO New York, pursuant to
advertisement. (daily,) at $4,000 a year,
or at $4,000 improved. The bid was
entered accepted" at So 900, aud the con :
tract executed at $4,000.
Reside. Slaymaker, and Tomlinson,
bid to carry the mail from Philadelphia to
Pittsburg. daily pursuant 10 advertise
ment, at 81 900 year or at S27 900, i'm
proped, and extended to Wheeling. The
bid was accepted at 81 900. and the con
tract executed AT SAT 900.
Stockton and Neil bid to carry the mail
on routes from Cumberland TO Wheeling.
Washington TO SteubenyilIc. Baltimore TO
Cumberland, Washington, ID g. 10 Ere
derrick and to Winchester, at 81 900 a
year, as advertised. or at sl5 500 improv.
ed; the bid was accepted at 81 900, and
the contract executed at SIS, 500.
Stockton and Neil bid TO carry the mail
on II routes in Ohio (of which that from
Wheeling, Va. to GAINESVILLE is first in or
der) as advertised at $50, 900, or at $780,
40 improved. The bid was accepted at
10000. and the contract executed at
s50,4I0.
II were tedious to enumerate the cases
IN which this difference exists, between the
bid made pursuant 10 advertisement, and
accepted. and the contract as executed
Your committee have caused 10 be pre-
pared by their secretary. and they exhibit
herewith table compiled from books and
papers 10 the department; from the blue
book; from the letter Of the Postmaster
General Of the Sd Of March, 1884. in re
ply TO call Of the Senate, and from his
report of the 18th of April, 1899, which
shows in each individual case, in the con
tracts Of 1881, the difference between the
bid as entered on the bid book, and the
contract executed. 1t shows also the
cases in which no difference exists. from
which it will be seen that the whole
amount Of the bids accepted pursuant 10
the advertisements in October,
1881, was sS4o,e26 81
Amount Of contracts as
executed for the same
division, (by the blue
book 45s, $50 40
Making difference OF sI47 $50 Sc
And this whole difference, amounting 10
the enormous sum above shown. is made
In favor Of not more than fifteen contract
ofs, or companies Of contractors, most of
whom your committee have found it their
duty to notice in their former report as
the recipients Of other pecuniary favors
from the department (Sce Document
No. 10.)
II will be seen that there 10 difference
OF about SS7 900 between the aggregate of
original contracts for this division Of mail
routes, as it is set down ia the blue book,
and the amount as extracted, from the
contracts themselves by the Secretary of
your committee; the statement 10 the blue
book making them so much the larger.
The joint resolution under which that
book was compiled requires that the sums
paid by the original contracts, and all
additional allowances TO mail contractors,
should be reported, distinguishing between
that which is paid by the original contract
and that which is additional. But in the
report of mail contracts there are many
cases IN which the original contracts, as
executed, are set down in that book much
above, and the extra allowances much be-
low their true amount, as understood by
your committee; and hence the difference
between that statement in the blue book
and the one made out by their Secretary
from the contracts. As, for example,
contract was executed by X. G. Stockton
in which he agreed TO carry the mail on
Is routes, among others from Philadelphia
TO Baltimore at 1880, as advertised, and
to make certain improvements for the ad
ditional compensation of s20.l50 year.
This is set down in the abstract prepa-
red by the secretary Of the committee as
an original contract, at sl4,950, precisely
as it is stated in the letter Of the Post.
master General of the 18th April, 1892
but il appears to be set down in the blue
book as an original contract, Of sS5. 100,
making in that single item difference of
s2l,ls0. A few cases of this kind make
up the difference, large as it is, between
the amount of original contracts, as stated
in the blue book, and tire same as extract
ed from the executed contracts.
But aside of the train Of inauspicious
circumstances which attend that class of
cases in which contracts are executed on
in,prored bids, your committee can disco
ver N n rr.nn ,rla NJ Ia ranaon IN "a hiob