Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-20
INSTRUCTIONS.

tracts to 0e e0sntthe Department may deem proper
l. Seven minutes are allowed 90 each interm-d:-
ate oiicr when not otherwise specified Cor asserting
the mails; but on railroad and steamboat routes
th re i to be delay than is sufficient for an
exchange of the mail bags.
2. On routes where the mode Of conveyance admits
Of IL, the special agents of the Department slsn
post ONCE blanks, mail bags. locks and KEYS are 90
be conveyed without eNtra charge
3. On railroad and 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 use while travelling
with the mails, commodious car, or apartment In
the centre of a car, properly lighted warmed, and
furnished ar adapted TO the convenient assortment
and due security of the same, 70 he provided by
the contractor, under the direction Of the Depart
ment.
4. No pay viii be made for trips not performed;
and for each Of such omissions satisfactorily ex-
planned three times the nav Of the trip nav be
deducted. For arrivals far behind time as % break
connection with depending mails, and not sufficiently
excused fourth Of the compensation for the trim
is subject TO forfeiture Deduction may Also be OF
dered for grade Of performance inferior to that
specife1n the contract. Forrepeated delinquencies
OF the Kind herein specified, enlarged penalties, pro-
p5rtioned to the nature thereof and the Importance
of the mail, may be made
s. For leaving behind throwing of the mails or
any portion Of them for the admission Of passenger
or for being concerned in setting up running an
express conveying commercial intelligence ahead OF
the mail, quarters pay may lie deducted.
o. Fines will be imposed. unless the delinquency
Gates Of postmssters, the sdavits Of other cred
liable persens for failing to arrive ia contract time
for negecting to take the mail from, deliver il
into, post Office suffering It lowing either to the
unsuitab.eness of the place manner of carrying
it, To be injured, destroyed robbed 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.
Z. The Postmaster General may sunul the col tact
for repeated failures TO agreeably to contract
for disobeying the post Office laws the instruc-
tons OF the Department.; for refusing to dis barge
carrier when required by the Department do so:
for assigning the contract without the assent Of the
Postmaster General; for running press afore-
said; or for Transporting persons packages con-
veying maiable matter out of the mail.
). The Postmaster General may order an increase
Of service on route by allowing therefor pro
increase on the contract pay. He may change
the schedule of arrivals and DEPARTURES, without
increase of pay, provided he does not curtal the
amount Of running time. He may also order an
Increase of speed, he allowing, within the restric-
tons of the law, pro rata increase Of pay for the
additional stock carriers, if any. The contractor
may. however, in the case of increase Of speed re-
nQush the contract by giving prompt notice 70 the
Department that he prefers doing to carrying the
order into effect The Postmaster General may also
curtal or discontinue the service, 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 not require the
same, or In case he desires TO supersee IL by differ
ent grade of transportation.
g. Payments will be made for the service by collec.
ton Of or drafts on pbstmasters, otherwise after
the expiration Of each Quarter-ssy in February,
Nay, August and November.
10. The distances are given according TO the best
information; but no increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised IL the loints
tt be supplied be correctly stated. Bidders must in
form themselves on this point
IL. The Postmaster General /. prohibited by Law
from knowingly making contract for the transpor.
taiion OF the mails with any person who shall have
entered into, propose to enter into any combina
ton 20 prevent the making Of any bid for mail
contract by any other person or persons, who
shall have made any agreement, or shall have given
or performed, or promised to give or perform, any
consideration whatever, or to do not t. DO any
thing whatever in order to induce any other person
Hr persons not 10 bd Cor mail contract. Particular
attention Is called to tie 18th section Of the act Of
$3.50, prohibiting combinations to prevent bidding
Il. A lid received after time, viz: ofthe 10th
April 1851, or without the guaranty required by
law. that combines several routes in one sum o;
COMPENSATION, cannot be- considered in competition
w,uI aregui"r proposal reasonable in amount
IL. Bidders should, in all ca>es first propose for
trTioe strictly according 10 the advertisement, and
then il they desire, separately for different service
and If The regular hid be the lowest offered for the
advertised service the other bids may be usdered
ii the alterations proposed r-comme nded by the
poStmasters and citizens interested, if they shall
appear ntanieStly right and proper.
II. There should be but one route bid for in q
proposal
Is. The route, the service, the yearly pay, the
and residence OF the bidder and those sf each
| member Of Il firm, where a company offers should
be distinctly stated also the mode OF conveyance,
| higher mode than hor ehack be intenied The
words with due celebrity. certainty, and security.
IA. ertei Ia indicate the mode of CONVEYANCE, viii
| constitute STIR 6id'
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 sufciency OF the
guarantors certified (see forms, and should be dis
PATCHED in time to be received by before A. OF
| the 10th of April, 1854.
IL. The contracts to be executed and returned
10 the Department by before the LIST OF July, 1884
Is. Postmasters at Offices railroads. Tut
| more than eighty rods from a station, will imme-
diately after the 10th of April next. report their
exact distance from the nearest station. and how
they are otherwise supplied with the mail, to enable
the Postmaster General to direct mail messenger
| supply from the LIST of July next.
| 10. Section Is of an act Of Congress, approved
March 3, 1S45 provides that contracts for the trans
portion Of the mail shall be let " in every TO
the lowest bidder rendering sufficient guarantees,
for faithful Performance without other reference 10
the mode of such transportation than may De neces-
to provide for the due CELEBRITY. certainty, and
security Of such ira deportation" Under this law
new description Of lids has been received. Ii does
not specify mode Of conveyance, but engages TO
take the entire mail each trip with CELEBRITY, certain
ty and security, using the terms of the law These
bids are styled, from the manner IN which they are
designated on the books Of the Department, :" star
bids. and they will be construed providing for the
entire mail, h0toereT large, and sohdteueT may IL
The mode Of Conveyance necessary TO insure as cee1y,
| certainty, dhd security"
Such bids will, therefore, he accepted in preference
to higher bids for specific modes Of conveyance on
routes where the lowest mode of conveyance thst is,
| on horse back } is known to be insufficient
In ali cases where the lowest grade of service 10
believed to be sufficient, the lowest bid viii be sccep
ted, if duly guaranteed, in preference to star or
| specific bid.
When the lowest bid is not star bid. and specifies
either no mode Inadequate mode of conveyance,
will not be accepted, but set aside for specific bid
| proposing the necessary service.
| When the bid does not specify q mode Of con-
veyance also, when il proposes TO carry according
t. the advertisement, but without such specification
1t will be considered proposal for horseback ser
| vice.
20. A modification OF bid. in any of its essential
terms, is tantamouDt to q new bid, and cannot DC
received 80 TO interfere with regular competition,
| after the last hour set for receiving bids.
| II. Postmasters are to be careful not TO cerlt
| the suficiency Of guarantors or sureties without
knowing that they are persons Of sufficient resPoh-
sibility and all bidders gusrantors and suretes arc
distinctly notified that failure to enter into OF
perform the contracts for the service proposed or III
the accepted bids their legal Liabilities viii be en'
forced against ahem.
g. The contracts viii be substantially In the forms
heretofore used in this Department, except IN the
| respects particularly mentioned in these instrnc
tons: and on all railroad and steamboat routes ,ne
contractors will be required deliver the mails INTO
the post Offices at the ends of the routes and INTO an
the immediate post Offices not than eighty rods
Il from the railroad or landing
Department, must, equally with others, procure
..~ftE s.f.. at hafr