Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-04-25
INSTRUCTIONS,

| l. Seven minutes are allowed for opening anf
closing the mails at all offices where no particular
| time Is specified; but on railroad and steamboat
routes there is to be more delay than is neces-
| sary to deliver and receive the bags.
| 2. The mail is to be conveyed in preference to
passengers, and TO their entire exclusion, if its
! weight and bulk require il.
3. Post Office BLANKS, mail bags, and the special
/ agents OF the Department, on the exhibition OF
their credentials, to be conveyed without fur.
Their charge, on mail lines admitting of such con.
! veyancs.
! 4. Mail agents are to be Conveyed without charge
on the principal railroad and steamboat lines,
the size OF the mails and the number of the offices
| will require their employment by the Department
anu. IN that case, separate apartment for the as
sorting and safe keeping of the mail is TO be pro-
vided by the contractor, under the direction OF the
| Department.
s. In all cases there is to be forfeiture Of the
pay Of the trip when the trip is not run forfeiture
OF at least onefourth part of 1t when the running
arrival is far behind time to lose the
nexion with depending mail; and forfeiture of a
due proportion Of when grade Of service is rem
dered inferior to that in the contract. These for.
FIXTURES may be increased into penalties of higher
amount, according to the nature frequency of the
! failure and the importance OF the mail.
6. Fines will be imposed unless the delinquency
be satisfactorily explained in due time, for failing
TO take fIon deliver at, post ofc the mall or
any part OF It: for suffering il to be wet, injured,
lost, or destroyed; conveying it in a place or
manner that exposes it to depreciation, loss, in
jury; for refusing after demand to convey a mail
by any coach, railroad car, or steamboat, which the
contractor regularly runs on the route beyond the
specified number of trips in the contract and for
not arriving at the time set and for setting up or
running an express to transmit commercial inteli-
gence in advance Of the mall penalty will be ex
acted equal TO a quarters pay.
z. The Postmaster General NAV annul the con-
tract for repeated failures; for violating the post
once laws; for diSobeyng the instructions of the
Department; for refusing to discharge carrier
when required by the Departments for assigning the
contract without the consent Of the Postma ster
General, or for setting up running an express as
afore said.
8. The Postmaster General may alter the con-
tract and alter the schedule, he allowing pro
increase ol compensation, within the restrictions
imposed by law, for the additional service required
or for the increased speed, if the employment OF
additional stock or carriers is rendered necessary;
out the contractor may, in such case, renu sh the
contract, on TIMELY notice, if he prefers it to the
change. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract or curai the service and pay, when he wish
es to dispense with the service, in whole or in part
or place higher or different grade of service on
the route he allowing month extra pay on the
amount dispened with.
Q. The payments will be made through drafts on
on post offices or otherwise, after the expiration of
each auarter-say in February, May, August, and
November.
TO- The distances are given according to the best
information; but increased pay will be allowed
should they prove TO be greater than is advertised
II the places are correctly named.
IL. The Postmaster General is prohibited by law
from knowingly making a contract for the trans
portatlon of the mail with any person who shall
have entered into any combination, or proposed to
enter into any combination, to the making of
any bad Tor mail contract by any other person or
persons, or VINO shall have made any agreement, or
snail have gwen Or performed, promised to give
or perform, any consideration to do, or not to do,
any thing whatever to induce any other person not
10 oid ior mail contract. Particular attention is
called to the 2Sth section of the act of 1885, proh
biting combinations to prevent bidding.
II. A bid received after time, to wit. the 10th
April next, at 10 m, Or without the guaranty re-
quired by law, or that combines several routes in
one sum OF compensation, cannot be considered in
competition with the regular proposal moi adiudred
to be extravagant.
3D. A bidder may offer, where the transportation
called for in the advertisement is difficult or in,-
practicable at certain seasons, to substitute an in.
ferior mode Of conveyance, or to intermit SER
vice specined number of days, weeks, or months.
He may propose to omit Office that is inaccessi-
BILE, or IS not on the stage road the railway, at
steamboat landing, as the case may be; or he may
offer to substitute an inferior mode of supply in
such cases. He may propose different days and
hours OF departure and arrival, provided no more
running time is asked, and it is obvious that no
mail connection or other public accommodation is
preJudiced. He may ask for more running time TO
the trip, during specified humber Of days, at
yam seasons OF peculiarly bad roads,; but beyond
.nese changes, proposal fer service different from
'ae advertisement will prevent its being consider
60 IN competition with regular bid not set aside
iof extravaganza; and where bid contains any of
tne ABOVE alterations, their disadvantages will be
es.lia.eu IN comparing it with other proposals.
IA. There should be but one route bid for In
proposal.
10. Inc route. the service. the yearly pay, the
b'ddei's name and residence, and the name of each
member otthe firm, where company offers, should
be distinctly stated; also the mode of convevance
If higher mode than on horseback is intended.
is. The bid should be sent under seal, address sod
to The FIRST Assistant Postmaster General with