Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-02-16

Dated tSlgned.)
/ INSTRUCTIONS,
Embracing conditions 10 be Incorporated IN the
contracts to the ertent the Department may
deem proper.
l. Seven minutes are allowed to each lnterme-
date office when not otherwise specified, tor as
sorting the mails but on railroad and steamboat
routes there is to be no more delay than is sufti-
cient for an exchange of the mail bags.
| g On routes where the mode ofconveyaflce adj
mits Of it, the special agents of the Department,
also post office blanks, mail bags, locks and keys,
are to be conveyed without extra charge.
8. No pay will be made for trips not performed;
and for each of such omissions not satisfactorily en-
planned three times the pay of the trip may be de-
Quoted For arrivals SO far behind time as to break
connection with depending mails, and not suffi-
GENTLY excused, fourth ofthe compensation for
the trip is subject to forfeiture. Deduction may
also be ordered for grade of performance inferior
to that specified in the contract. For repeated de-
linquencies of the kind herein specified, enlarged
penalties proportional to the nature thereof and
the importance of the mail, may be made.
t. For leaving behind. or throwing off the mails,
or any portion Of them, for the admission of pas
sengers, or for being concerned in setting up or
running an express conveying commercial intelli-
gence ahead of the mail, a quarters pay may be
deducted.
5. Fines will be imposed, unless the Delinquent
cy be promptly and satisfactorily explained by GER
tificaes of postmasters, the aifidavts OF other
crediabIe persona, for failing to arrive in contract
time for neglecting to take the mail from, or de-
liver it into, post office; for suffering 1t lowing
either to the unsuitabeness of the place or man
ner of carrying t to be injured, destroyed robbed,
or lost and for refusing, after demand, to convey
the mail as frequently the contractor runs, or is
concerned in running, coach, car, or steamboat,
on route.
6. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures to run agrceably TO con-
tract; for disobeyng the post office laws, or the
instructions of the Department; for refusing to dis
charge carrier when required by the Department
to do sos for assigning the contract without the
assent OF the Postmaster General; for running an
express as aforesaid or for transporting persons
packages conveying maiable matter out of the
mail
7. The Postmaster General may order an in
crease of service on route by allowing therefor
pro rata increase on the contract pay. He may
also order an increase of speed, he allowing, with
in the restrictions of the law, pro rata increase
of pay for the additional stock carriers, if any.
Thescontractor may, however, in the case of in
crease of speed, relinqush the contract by giving
prompt notice to the Department that he prefers
doing so to carrying the Order into effect. The
Postmaster General may also curta or discontinue
the service, at pro rata decrease OF pay, If he al
low one months extra compensation on the amount
dispensed with, whenever in his opinion, the pub
lie interests do not require the same, or in case He
desires to supersede it by electromagnetic of trans
portation.
s. Payments will be made for the service by
collections or of drafts postmasters or otherwise,
after the expiration of each quarer-say in Febru-
ary, May, August, and November.
9. The distances are given according 10 the best
information; but no increased pay will be allowed,
should they be greater than advertised points
to be supplied be correctly stated.
10. The postmaster General is prohibited by
law from knowingly making a contract for the
transportation of the mails with any person who
shall have catered into, or proposed to enter into,
any combination to prevent the making Of any bid
for mail contract by any other person persons,
or who shall haye made any agreement or shall
have given or performed, or promised 10 give or
perform, any consideration whatever, or to do, or
not to DO, any thing whatever, in order to induce
any other person or persons not to bid for mail
contract Particular attention is called to the 2Sth
SECTION of the act of 1886, prohibiting combinations
to prevent bidding,
II. A bid received after time, viz: the 4th of
April 1858, at 9 a IN or without the guaranty re-
quired by law, or that combines several routes in
ono com pensaton, cannot be considered in compe-
titon with regular proposal reasonable in amount.
IL A bidder may offer, where the transportation
called for by the advertisement is difficult or i'm
practicable at certain seasons to substitute an iner
or mode of conveyance, or to ntermt service spec
fed number ofdays, weeks, or months He may pro-
pose to omit an inaccessible office, or one not on the
stage or railroad, or at steamboat landing, as the
case may be- or he may offer to substitute an infe-
rior mode Of supply in such cases. He may pro-
pose different times of arrival and departure, pro-
vided no more running times is asked, and no mail
connection prejudiced. He may ask additional
running time for the trip, during specified num-
Der of days, in seasons of very bad roads but be-
yond these changes, a proposal for service differ
ing from that called for by the advertisement will
not be considered in competition with regular
bid reasonable in amount. Where bid contains
any such alterations, their disadvantages will be
estimated in comparing it with other proposals.
l9 There should be but one route bid for In
proposal.
IA. The route, the service, the yearly paw. the
name and residence of the bidder, and those of
each member of a firm, where company offers.
should be distinctly stated also the mode of con-
veyance, if higher mode than horseback be in
tended.
Is. The bid should be sent Under seal. address
sed to the Second Assistant Postmaster General.
mail Proposals in the State of -
1t should be guaranteed. and the suffcency of the
certified, (see forms.) and should be
dispatched in time to be received by or before 9
A. NJ, of the 4th April, 1853
16. The contracts are TO be executed. and re-
turned to The Department by OR before the LIST of
July, 1853.
H. Under the act of March 3d,1S45. the routes
are to be let to the lowest bidders rendering sufli-