Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-01-20
FURNISHING MAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
PosT 0FYIcE DEPARTMENT,

March ID, 1851. /
TT being desirable to substitute locks and keys Of
i other kind for those In for the mail service
Of the United States specimen locks and keys with pro-
At the Post Office Department until the first day Of July
next The different locks will be submitted to commits
tracts w as soon as 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,
TO extend and continue the contract in force for add
tonal term of four years by giving to the contractor
written notice TO that effect not more than nine less
than six months before the termination Of the first
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 skin
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
tiles, viz: durability uniformity ghtness and strength
f9r the purpose OF dspacing simultaneously all the
locks 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
bility Of the locks and keys adopted wen the in
crease Of the mail service but II will probably never ex
coed In amount three thousand Of the former and one
thousand Of the latter.
No lock win be considered IL it be like any already In
general use; nor will any with whom the contract
may be made be allowed TO make SELL OF furnish any
lock key similar 70 those contracted for for any other
purpose than that Of the Post Office Department
The kind Of lock adopted must be patented the pa
tentee win be required entering into contract to make
eft Of the Department IL the Postmaster General shall
deem such requirement essential to the interests OF the
service In Of the failure Of the contractor 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 men.
toned 10 annu said contract and TO contract with
any other party parties he may At for furnishing
similar locks aud keys.
In deciding upon the proposals and specimens offered
the Postmaster General may deem II expedent TO select
for the through mails the lock Of bidder and for the
way mails that Of another lie 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 n he shall
that for the interest Of the Department The
party parties contracting will be required TO give bond
with ample security, in the Of thirty thousand dol
lars, for faithful performance Of the contract The
tract TO contain provisions for the due and proper in
specon of the locks and keys and also for guarding
against their passing into improper hands, the terms OF
these provisions 10 be arranged between the Department
and the successful bidder II bid should be accepted
No application will be considered II not accompanied
with satisfactory evidence Of the trustworthy character Of
N. X. HALL,
mar d. Postmaster General.