Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-27
INSTRUCTIONS,
(As to regularly numharcd yo,,

tracts 10 me etenth Department may deem propey
j. Seven minutes are allowed to each interrnedi-
the mails: but on railroad and steamboat routes
th're is to be no more delay than s sufficient for an
exchange of tie mail bags.
q On routes where the mode of conveyance admits
eff it, the special agents Of the DEPARTMENT. also
post Office blanks, mail bags, locks and keys are 10
be conveyed without extra charge.
3. On railroad and steamboat lines, British and
Canada mails, when offered to be conveyed with
out additional pay also the route agents Of the De-
partment, for whose exclusive while trayelling
with the mails, a commodious car, or apartment in
the centre of a car properly lighted, warmed, and
furnished. ard adapted to theconvsnent assortment
and due security of the same, is TO he provided by
the contractor, under the direction eff the Depart
ment.
4. No pay will be made for trips not performed;
and for each of such omissions not satisfactorily ex
planned three times the pay of the trip may be
deducted. For arrivals so far behind time break
connexion with depending mails snd not sufficiently
excused, fourth of the compensation fr the trip
is subject TO forfeiture Deduction may also be or
dered for grade of performance inferior TO that
specified in the contract For repeated deinq uences
Of the kind herein specified, enlarged penalties pro-
poriOned TO the nature thereof and the importance
of the mail, may be made.
5. For leaving behind or throwing of the mails
a3v portion of them for the admission Of passengers
or for being concerned i'm setting up running an
express conveying commercial intelligence ahead Of
tse mail, quarters pay may he deducted.
G. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinquency
o6 and satisfactorily explained by certif-
Gates of postmasters the afdavts of other cred
liable persons for failing arrive in contract time
for neglectng TO take the mail from, or deliver it
into, post Office; suffering it lowing either to the
unsuitableness of the place manner of carving
III to be injured, destroyed, robbed, lost and for
refusing, after demand, to convey the ma as fire.
Iuently as the contractor runs, is concerned in
running, coach, car. or steamboat on a route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul thecoptrsct
Tor repeated failures TO agreesbly to contract;
for disobeyng the post Office laws or the instruc-
tons of the Department; for refusing to discharge
carrier when required by the Department to do So;
Postmaster General for running express afore-
said; or for transporting persons or packages con-
veying mailsble matter out Of the mail.
s. The Postmaster General msy order an increase
of service on route by allowing therefor pro rata
Increase on tue 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. He may also order
increase of speed, be allowing within the restric
tons OF the law, pro rata increase of pay for the
addtiona! stock or Carriers if any The contractor
may, however, in the of increase Of speed,
nquish the contract by giving prompt notice TO the
Department that be prefers doing to carrying the
order into effect. The Postmaster General NAV also
curtal or discontinue the service, at pro rata de-
crease OF pay, allowing one months extra COM
pensation on the amount dispensed with, whenever
in his opinion the public interests do not require the
same, or in case he desires to supersede it bya differ
eat grade of transportstio--
O. Payments will be me- e for the service by collec-
ton Of or drafts post masters otherwise after
the expiration of each quarter-say in February,
May, August. and November.
10. The distances are given according TO the beat
information; but increased pay will be allowed
should they be greater than advertised, if the points
to be supplied be correctly stated Bidders must in
form Themselves this point.
IL. The Postmaster General is prohibited by law
from knowingly making a contract for the trauspor-
tation of the mails with any person who shall have
entered into proposed TO enter into. any combine
ton to prevent the making Of any bid for mail
contract by any ether person or persons, OF who
Shall have made any agreement, shall have given
or performed, OF promised to give perform, any
consideration whatever, to do not e do any
thing Whatever in order to induce any other person
or persons not TO bld for mail contract Particular
attention Is called 10 the 2sh section OF the act Of
1856, prohibiting combinations to prevent bidding
L. hid received after time VIZ: m Of the 10th
April, 1871, or without the guaranty required by
law, or that combines several routes in one sum Of
compensation, cannot I've considered in competition
with regular proposal reasonable ia smourt
IL. Bidders should. in all cases first propose for
service strictly according to the advertisement, and
then. Il they desire, Sirasiy for different service
and if the T.gar bid be the lowest offered for the
advertised Service, the other bids I've considered
if the alterations proposed commended by the
nosmasters and citizens interested, or ii they shall
appear manifestly right and proper.
Ia. There should be but one route bid for in q
proposal
Is. The route, the service, the yearly pay, 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 conveyance il
higher mode than horseback be intended The
words with due ceerty, certainty, and security"
Inserted to indicate the mode eff conveyance, will
constitute % star bid"
10. The bid should be sent under seal, addressed
TO the Second Assistant Postmaster General, super
scribed 90 Mail Proposals in the State of -"
1t should be guaranteed, and the suficiency of the
gusrantors certified (see forms, and should be dis
patched in time to be received by before A. NJ Of
| the 10th of April. 1854.
l.. The contracts are to be executed and returned
to the Department by before the LIST of July, 1854
Is. Postmasters at Offices near railroads, hut
more than eighty rods from a station, will imme-
dlatey after the 10th Of April next, report their
| exact distance from the nearest station. and how
they are otherwise supplied with the mall TO enable
the Postmaster General to direct a mail messenger
| supply from the LIST of July next
l9. Section Is of an act Of Congress, approved
March j. 1915 provides that contracts for the trans
portion Of the mali shall he let, in every case TO
the lowest bidder rendering sufficient guarantees,
for faithful performance without other reference TO
the mode of such transportation than may be neces
sary to provide for the due celebrity certainty, and
security Of such tra nsportation." Under this law
a description of bids has been received 1t does
| not spec fly mode of conveyance but engages TO
take the entire mail each trip with CELEBRITY certain
~ 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
buds, and they will be construed providing fox the
| entire mail, hOloerer large, and aUhdtcrr mdy DC
Htc MUIR % ut'HddCeTectSS0Iyt 10 insure as Gttgfy,
| certainty, dhd security"
Such bids will, therefore, be accepted in preference
to higher bids for specific modes of conveyance on
routes where the lowest mode of conveyance that is,
4 on horse back } is known to be insufficient.
Ia all cases where the lowest grade Of service is
believed he sufficient. the lowest bid viii be sccep
ted, if duly GUARANTEED in preference &c STAR or
| specific bid
When the lowest bid is not star bid and specifies
either mode inadequate mode of conveyance,
it will not be accepted but set aside for specific bid
| proposing the necessary service.
| When the bid does not specify a mode Of con.
veyance also, when it proposes to carry according
To the advertisement" but without such specification
it will be considered proposal for horseback ser
| vice.
20. modification of bid, in any of its essential
terms, is tantamount to q new bid, and cannot De
received SO a. 10 interfere with regular competition,
| after the last hour set for receiving bids.
Il. Postmasters are to be careful not to certify
| the sufhclency Of guarantors or sureues without
knowing that they are persons OF sufficient respon-
sibity and all bidders guarantors and sureiies are
distinctly notified that failure to enter into or
perform the contracts for the service proposed for IN
the accepted bids their legal liabilities will be en-
forced against them.
". The contracts will be substantially in the forms
heretofore used in this Department, except IN the
respects particularly mentioned in these instruc'
tons; and on all railroad and steamboat routes the
contractors will be required to deliver the mails into
the post Offices at the ends of the routes and INTO all
the Immediate post Offices not more than eighty rods
| from the railroad or landing.
%. Present contractors and persons known at the
! Department, must equally with others, procure