The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-02-29
INSTRUCTIONS.

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to the ertent the department. may deem proper.
l. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermediate
office, when not otherwise specified, for asserting the
mails; but on railroad and steamboat routes there is
to be no more delay than is sufficient for an ex-
change of the mail bags.
2. On railroad and steamboat lines. and other
routes where the mode CT conveyance admits of it.
the special agents of tho Post Office Department,
also post Office blanks, mail bags, locks, and keys,
are te be conveyed without extra charge.
3. On railroad and steamboat lines the route
agents ofthe department are TO be conveyed without
charge, and for their exclusive use, while travelling
with the mails, n commodious car, or apartment in
the centre of a car, properly lighted, warmed, and
furnished, and adapted to the convenient separation
and due security OF the mails. is to be provided by
the contractor. under the direction of the depart
ment.
Railroad and steamboat companies are required
to take the mail from and deliver it into the post
Offices at the commencement and end of their routes,
and TO and from all offices not more than eighty rods
from a station or landing. Proposals may be sub
mitted for the performance of all other side service
that is, for offices over eighty rods from q station
or landing. -r.
Receipts will be required for mail bars conveyed
in charge of persons employed by railroad compa-
mics. There will also be '.way b;lls'' prepared by
postmastcrs. or other agents of the department., 10
accompany the mails, specifying the number and
destination of the several bags On the principal
stage routes, likewise, receipts will be required and
way bills forwardcd; the latter 10 be examined by
the several postmasters, to insure regularity in the
CllhOi1 VI mai odSS.
4. No pay win 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 de-
ducied. For arrivals so lar behind time as 10 break
connection with depending mails, and not sufficiently
excused onc-fourih -ofthe compensation for the trip
is subject 10 forfeiture. Deduction will also be or
dered for n grade of performance infer. or TO that
specified in the contract. For repeated delinauen-
cics of the kind herein specified, enlarged penalties,
proportional to the nature thereof and the inpor-
lance of The mail, may be made. .
5. For leaving behind or throwing off the mails,
or any portion of them, for the admission of pa:scn-
gers, or Tor being concerned in setting up or running
an express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, a quarters pay may be deducted.
q. Fines will be imposed. unless the delinquency
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by certiii-
Gates ofpostmasters or the afidavits of other crcdi-
BILE persons. for failing 10 arrive in contract time;
for neglccting to take The mail from or deliver it
into a post office; for suffering it to be wet, injured,
destroyed, robbed. or lost; and for refusing, after
demand. to convey the mail as frequently rs the
contractor runs, or is concerned in running a coach.
car, or steamboat on a route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul the con
tract for repeated failures 10 run agreeably to con-
tract; for violating the Post Office laws, or disobcy-
ing the instructions of the department.; for refusing
TO discharge a carrier when required by the depart
mcnt 10 do so: forrunuing an express as aforesaid;
or for transporting persons or packages conveying
mailablc matter out OF the mail.
s. The Postmaster General may order an increase
ofservice on n route by allowing therefor q pro rata
Increase on The contract pay. lie may change sched-
ules of departures and arrivals in all cases, and
particularly to make them conform to connexions
with raslroads, without increase of pay. provided
the running time be not abridged. He may also
order an increase Of speed, allowing, within the re-
strictions of the law, a pro rata increase of pay for
the additional stock or carriers, if any. The con-
tractor may, however, in the case of increase of
speed, relinquESh the contract. by giving prompt no.
tice to the department that he prefers doing SO to
carrying the order into effect. The Postmastc Gen.
cral may also curtail or discontinue the service. in
whole or in part. ut f1rO rdiO decrease of D1V. allow
ing one months extra compensation on the amount
dispensed with, whenever, i'll his opinion, the public
interests require the change, or in case he desires
&c supersede it by n different grade of transportation.
9. Payments will be made by collections from or
drafts on p.stmastcrs, or otherwise, ,aficr the expi-
ration of each quarter-say in February, May, Au-
gust, and November.
10. The distances are given according to the
best inlormation; but no increased pay will be allow
ed should they be greater than advertised, if The
points 10 be supplied be correctly stated. Bidders
must inform MentseLOes on this point, and also in ref
erencc 10 The weight of the mail, The condition OF
roads, hills, streams, &c, and all toll bridges, fer
ries, or distractions of any kind by which expense
may be incurred. No claim for additional pay,
based on such ground. can be considercd; nor for
alleged mistakes or misapprehension as 10 the degree
of service; nor for bridges destroyed, ferries discon-
tinued, or other obs ructions increasing distance, oe-
curing during the contract term. OtlceS estab-
lished after this advertisement is issued, and also
du, ing the contract term, are 10 be visited without
extra pay, if the distance be not increased.
IL. n DIi ICCcINCu aICI lHC III uty 'tiiu hOuA
named, or without The guaranty required by law and
a certificate as 10 the suiticicncy OF such guaranty,
cannot be considered In competition with a regular
proposal reasonable in amount.
Il. Bidders should first propo.c for service strict
~ according TO the advertisement, and then. il they
desire, separately for different service; and if the
reguidr bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
service, the other propositions may be considered.
Is. There should be but one route bid form q pro-
posal. Consolidated or combination bids (s'propos-
ing one sum for two or more rou.cs") are forbidden
by law, and cannot be considered.
II. The route, the service. the yearly pay, the
name and residence of the bidder, (tlat is, his usual
post office addrcss.) and those of each member of n
firm, where a company offers, should be distinctly
stated.
Is. Bidders are requested 10 use. as far as practi-
cable, the printed firm of proposal furnished by the
department., 10 write out in tuN the sum OF their
bid. and 10 retain copies ofthem.
Altered bids should not be submitted; nor should
bids once submitted be Withdrawn. No withdrawal
of n bidder or guarantor will be allowed unless da-
ted and received before the last day for receiving
proposals. LIS
Each bid must be guaranteed by two responsible
General guarantees cannot be admitted The bid
and guaranty should be signed plainly with the full
name of each person.
The department reserves the right to reject any
bid which may be deemed extravagant, and also 10
disregard The bids of falling CT ntrators andfbidders.
pr anMah y sno of seaf Hdarcsgea e-eeeoni-Aa
sistant Postmaster General, Contract Office" and
sent by mail, not by or to an agent; ana pos,nasters
will not enclose proposals or letters OF any KIM IL
their quarterly returns.
II. The contracts arc to be executed and returned
10 the department by or before the lSt qdy 81 A"-
aust, 1860; but the service must be commenced on
the Asst July preceding, OF on the mail day next after
that dare, whether the con racts be executed OF MOI,
No proposition to transfep will be considered until
the contracts are executed and received at the de-
parlmeut; and then no transfer will be allowed un-
less good and sufficient reasons therefor are given,
to be determined by the department In all cases
the retiring contractor will be required to become
one of the s~ureties on the new contract.
Is. Posimasters at offices on or near railroads,
but more than eighty rods from a station, will, i'm
mediately after the 3lst of March next, report their
exact distance from the nearest station. and how
they are otherwise supplied with the mail, 10 enable
the Postmaster General to direct o mail-messenger
supply from the LIST of July next.
is. Section eighteen of an act of Congress ap-
proved March 8, 1918, provides that contracts for
the transportation of the mail shall be let IN every
case to the lowest bidder rendering sufficient guar
antics for faithful performance, without other refer
ence to the mode of such transportation than may
LII, Gov ba dra ealarifvs cert IN