Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-20
INSTRUCTIONS.
CAS- to regularly numbered routes)

t0cOfTorQtS0
tracts 10 The ertentthe Department may deem proper.
1. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermrd:-
ate Office, when not otherwise specified for asserting
the mails; but on railroad and steamboat routes
tn re is to be no more delay than SUFFICIENT for IN
exchange Of the mail bags.
2. On routes where the mode Of conveyance admits
Of il, the special agents of the Department, also
post Office blanks mail bags locks and Keys, are TO
be conveyed without extra charge.
s. On railroad aud steamboat lines, British and
Canada mails, when offered are to be conveyed with
out additional pay; also, the route agents Of the De
partment, for whose exclusive while travelling
with the mails commodious car. or apartment in
the centre of car, properly lighted, warmed, and
furnished ard adapted to the snent assortment
and due security Of the same, is TO be provided by
the contractor, under the direction Of the Depart
ment.
4. No pay win be made for trips not performed;
and for each Of such omissions satisfactorily ex-
planned three times the pay Of the trip may be
deducted. For arrivals 50 far behind time to break
connexion with depending mails and not sufficiently
excused, fourth of the compensation for the trip
is subject TO forfeiture Deduction may also be
dered for grade Of performance inferior to that
specified in the contract For repeated delinquencies
Of the kind herein specified enlarged penalties, pro-
portioned to the nature thereof and the importance
of the mail, may be made
S. For leaving behind or throwing of the mails or
any portion Of them for the admission OF passengers
or for being concerned in setting up running an
express conveying commercial intelligence ahead of
TIE mail, quarters pay may be deducted
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by certif
Gates Of postmssters, the adsvits of other cred
liable persens for failing to arrive in contract time
for neglecting 10 take the mail FROM or deliver il
into, post Office suffering II lowing either TO the
unsutableness Of the place or manner of carrying
~ to be injured destroyed robbed or lost; and for
refusing, after demand, TO convey the mail as fire.
quently as the contractor runs, Is concerned In
running, a coach, car, or steamboat on q route.
4. The Postmaster General may annul the contract
Tor repeated failures TO run agreesbly TO contract
for disobeying the post Office laws, the instruc
tons Of the Department for refusing 70 Discharge
carrier when required by the Department to do 40:
for assigning the contract without the assent Of the
Postmaster General for running an express afore-
said: or for transporting persons or packages con-
veying mailable matter out of the mail
s. The Postmaster General msy order an increase
Of service route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase on the contract pay. He may change
the schedule of arrivals and departures, without
increase of pay, provided he does not curtail the
amount Of running time. lie may also order
increase Of speed, he allowing, within the restri
lions OF the law, pro rata increase of pay for the
additional stock carriers, il any. The contractor
may, however, in the Of increase of speed,
linquish the contract by giving prompt notice to the
Department that he prefers doing to carrying the
order into effect The Postmaster General may also
curtail or discontinue the service at pro rata de-
crease Of pay, allowing one months extra CON-
pensation on the amount dispensed with. whenever
in his opinion the public interests do require the
same or in csse he desires to supersede it by differ
ent grade of transportation.
Q. Payments will be made for the service by colec-
ton Of or drafts on Postmasters or otherwise, after
the expiration of each quarter-say in February,
May, August and November.
10. The distances are given according to the bet
information; but no increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised If the points
to he supplied be correctly stated Bidders must in
form themselves on this point
III. The Postmaster General Is prohibited by law
from knowingly making contract for the trsnspOr.
tation of the mails with any person who shall have
entered into, propose to enter into, any combina
ton to prevent the making of any bid for a mail
contract by any other person CT persons, or who
shall have made any agreement, shall have given
or performed, OF promised to give or perform, any
consideration whatever, to do or not t. do any
thing whatever in order to induce other person
or persons not r. b q for ma contract Particular
attention is called In the 2sh section of the act Of
1896, prohibiting combinations TO prevent bidding.
IL. bid received after time. viz: m ofthe 10th
April, 1854, or without the guaranty required by
law, or that combines several routes in sun Of
compensation, cannot be considered in competition
with rrgu ar proposal reasonable in smount-
ID. Bild'rs should. in all cases. first propose for
service strictly according to the advertisement and
then, il they desire separately for different &c;
and if the guitar bid hr the lowest offered for tie
advertised Service the other bids may lie dered
if the alterations proposed are recommended by The
postmaserS and citizens interested, il they shall
appear manifestly right and proper.
II. There should be but route bid for in q
proposal.
Is. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
name and residence cf The bidder, and those Of each
member of a firm. where a company oG.rs, should
be distinctly stated. :lso the mode Of conveyance,
a higher mode than horseback he intended. The
words with due celeriy, 'rtainty, and security,
inserted to indicate the mode ef conveyance will
constitute a :" star bid."
l6. The bid should be sent under SEAL addressed
to the Second Assistant Postmaster General, super
scribed Mail Proposals in the State of -"
1t should be GUARANTEED and the suffciency Of the
guarantors certified, (see FORMS and should be dis
PATCHED in time to be received by before A. NJ OF
the 10th of April, 1854.
IL. The contracts IRE to be executed and returned
to the Department by before the LIST Of July 1854
IS. Postmasters at Offices ON near railroads, but
more than eighty rods from a station, Will imme-
distely after the 10th Of April next report their
exact distsnce from the nearest station, and how
they are otherwise supplied with the ma to enable
the Postmaster General to direct mail messenger
supply from the LIST of July next
~. Section Is Of act Of Congress, approved
March g. 1si5, provides that contracts for the sns
portion of the mail shall be let in every case to
the lowest bidder rendering sufficient GUARANTEES,
for faithful perform ance vitbout other reference
the mode of such transportation than may be neces'
sary to provide for the due CELEBRITY, certainty, ADD
security of such transportation" Under this law
new description of bids has been received. 1t docs
not specify mode of conveyance, but engages 10
take the entire mail each trip with CELEBRITY, certain
~, and security, using the terms OF the law 1he%
bids are styled, from the manner in which they an
designated on the books of the Department, star
bids, end they will be construed a. providing Tor tn
eHllIe mail, HOtccrtT tdTys, anu bHotrT
tie mode Of coureyancs necessary to us cetT7g
certainty, aid security"
Such bids will, therefore, be accepted in preference
to higher bids for specific modes of conveyance on
rout. where the lowest mode Of conveyance THAT -
on horseback. } is known TO be insufficient
In all cases where the lowest grade OF service
believed to be sufficient, the lowest bid win &c acceF
ted, if duly GUARANTEED, in preference 10 s'a
specific bid.
When the lowest bid is not star bid, and s. ecines
either no mode or inadequate mode OF CONVEYANCE
il will not be accepted but set aside for speciLc uu
proposing the necessary service.
When the bid does not specify mode OF con
veyance also, when it proposes 10 carry ACCORDING
to the advertisement" but without such specIncsuon
it will be considered as proposal for nersepecA e
vice. II,
20. modification of bid, in any of its essenuA
terms, is tsptamount to Q new hid, and csnno.
received. so to interfere with regular comPeuon'
after the last hour set for receiving bids .;.v
81. Postmasters are TO be careful not 10 CO.,
the suffciency of guarantors or sureues "l.u
knowing that they persons OF sufncient Ieep
distinctly notified that a failure TO enter NJ
perform the contracts for the service propose i
the accepted bids their legal liabilities VIII Dc e
forced gaipst them.
% The contracts will be substantially IN the ior
heretofore used in this Department, except ~
respects particularly mentioned in these ln ~.
t;ons. and on all railroad and steamboat rou.es
contractors will be required deliver the mails nv
the noxt Offices st the ends Of the routes ana M
the immediate post Offices, not more IMAM elsh9
from the railroad or landing. =, ,hf i
"a Present contractors and persons KNOWN ~ n II
Denartmert must, equally with Others, prv0u II
e-usr ntors and certificates of their sufhclency so
stantally in the forms above prescIioeo' my.
ti6cates of sufhciency must be signed BY post"N
I'll a