American telegraph., 1851-05-27
SHIRTS! SHIRTS |
FURNISHING MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT, /
March Ia 1851,

Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
March Ia, 1851. I
being desirable to substitute locks and keys Of some
other kind for those In for the mail service
Of the United States specimen locks and keys with pro-
posals TO furnish the win be received and considered
at the Post Office Department until the first day of July
next. The different locks will be submitted TO commits
sion for examination and report Upon this report
tracts WILL practicable, be entered into for fur
nshng such locks and keys for four years. with the right
the part Of the Postmaster General for the time being
10 extend and continue the contract in force for ad
tona term of four years. by giving to the contractor
written notice TO that effect not than nine less
than six months before the termination Of the first term
Of four years
With view of procuring the best lock at the lowest
price, kind Of lock is prescribed standard, the De-
parment relying for selection the mechanical skill
and ingenuity which fair competition invited may
develop 1t Is however, proper TO state that lock suit
able for the mail service should possess the following quail
ities viz durability, uniformity ghness, and strength
For the purposevof displacng simultaneously all the
mail locks and keys In about thirty thousand
locks and twenty thousand keys thereto will be
required to be furnished by the contractor within seven
months after the contract shall have been entered into
afterwards the annual supply will depend the dura
by Of the locks and keys adopted well the in
of the mail service; but 1t will probably
coed in amount three thousand OF the former and
thousand of the latter
No lock will be considered II IL he like any already In
general use; will any with whom the contract
may be made be allowed TO make, SELL furnish any
lock or key similar those contracted for for any other
purpose or use than that of the Post Office Department
The kind Of lock adopted must be patented and the pa
tcntce will be required entering into contract make
eft Of the Department If the Postmaster General shall
deem such requirement essential to the interests Of the
service of the failure of the contractor a any
time to fulfil faithfully the terms and conditions Of his
contract the Postmaster General shall have the right
besides resort to the penal remedy hereinafter
toned TO annul said contract and to contract with
any other party parties as he may sec m for furnishing
similar locks and keys
In deciding upon the proposals and specimens offered
the Postmaster General may deem 1t expedient to select
for the through mails the lock of bidder for the
way mails that Of another. He reserves, therefore, the
right Of contracting with different individuals for such
different kinds Of locks he may select and also the
right to reject all the specimens and proposals. II he shall
deem that for the interest Of the Department The
party parties contracting viii be required give bond
with ample security in the Of thirty thousand dol
lars for faithful performance Of the contract The
tract Is TO contain provisions for the due and proper
spection Of the locks and keys and also for guarding
against their passing into improper hands, the terms Of
these provisions TO be arranged between the Department
and the successful bidder II bid should be accepted
No application win be considered II not accompanied
with satisfactory evidence of the trustworthy character Of
the bidder and Of his ability to fulfil the contract
N. X. HALL,
mar H- Postmaster General.