Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-03-05
FURNISHING MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT, /
4

TT being desirable to substitute locks and keys Of
other kind for those in for the mail service
of the United States, specimen locks and keys with pro
posas furnish the same will be received and considered
at the Post Office Department until the first day of July
next The different locks wall be submitted 70 commits
sion for examination and report Upon this report
tracts will practicable be entered into for fur
nhng such locks and keys for four years. with the right
the part of the Postmaster General for the time being
to extend and continue the contract in force for addi
onal 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, no kind of lock prescribed standard the De
partment relying for selection the mechanical ekill
and ingenuity which fair competition now invited, may
develop 1t is however, proper to state that lock suit
able for the mail service should the following quail
tiles, viz: durability, uniformity, ghtness, and strength
For the purpose of displacing simultaneously all the
mail locks and keys in use, about thirty thousand
newocks and twenty thousand keys will be
required to be furnished by the contractor within
months after the contract shall have been entered into
afterwards the annual supply will depend the dura
biity Of the locks and keys adopted as well as the in
coed in amount three thousand Of the former snd
thousand Of the latter.
No lock will be considered II 1t be like any already in
general use will any one with whom the contract
may be made be allowed to make SELL furnish, any
lock or key similar to those contracted for for any other
purpose than that Of the Post Office Department
The kind ofock adopted must be patented and the
entee win be required entering into contract to make
an assignment his patent for the exclusive ben
eft Of the Department If the Postmaster General shall
deem such requirement essential to the interests Of the
service In of the failure Of the contractor at
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 annul said contract and to contract with
any other party parties he may fit for furnishing
similar locks aud keys.
In deciding upon the proposals and specimens offered
the Postmaster General may deem expedent to select
for the through mails the lock of bidder and 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. he shall
DEPARTMENT,
party parties contracting will be required to give bond
with ample security in the Of thirty thousand dol
lars faithful performance of the contract The
tract is TO contain provisions for the due and proper
specon 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, If bid should be accepted
No application will be considered If not accompanied
with satisfactory evidence of the Trustworthy
the bidder, and Of his ability to fulfil the contract
N. X. HALL,
mar "a Postmaster General.