The national Republican., 1861-05-04
Proposals for Furnishing Mail Locks.
rosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

CEALED PROPOSALS for furnishing mai, looks keys
y of new kinds to be substituted 0r tho locks and Keys
now used on the United States nlas, Will DO received
this Department Until nls osek 4 ~ the tenth day ol
July, lsGl.
II beng desirable obtain locks and keys OF new
structon ami Invented expressly for the exclusive Of
the United states mails model prescribed ior bidders
til! Department relying or its selection the results Vi
mechanical skill and ingenuity which fair competition,
now invited, may prodrce is drcued necessary only
to state that mail lock Should be sfiocng and tina, lis
other principal requisites uniformity !eeariiy lJhtness
Ten9h. Durability h1ts!y constructions, and tacilIy
Two kinds of mall 10 Ks and keys-ous of brass ami ,hs
other Ci irVn-drrcnt III form and construction,
qured and proposals should specify, separately the price
Of each iron lock- Zach key for sae each brass lock- and
each brass key Tor same.
duplicate samples or patterns of each kind Of locks pro-
posed, required 10 be submitted with the proposals
Of each kind Of sample locks ~ Oe rvesd up and nn
shcd und another 10 oe open or unrretcd so that its III
tcrua structure may Casy be cSnnined Every sample
should be plainly marked with tho bidders name.
The locks U!Grc should not be patented Should their
Internal construction be otherwise publicly known, be
similar any locks heretofore used and they must bu
warranted not i'll any way toinrnge or Interfere with any
patented invention.
The various sample locks presented hy bidders will be
suGmttcd board Of examiners to be commissioned by
tho Postmaster General Tor the purpose oI examining and
reporting them anh unless tho Postmaster General Shall
deem to bo for the interest OF the Department to reject all
the proposals and Specimens submitted under ths adyer
tscmcnt contracts will, uon the report Of tho examiners
be entered INTO soon us practicable with the successful
bidder whose locks adopted tor furnishing similar locks
and keys for four years. they may be required and
dered with the right tho part ol tho Postmaster Gene
raj extend CONTINUE Inc
in force for an additional term oi four years on giving no.
tcc in writing 10 the CONTRACTOR not less than SIX months
before the Termination OF tho nrst term Of iOlr years
the uf the first term OI four to contract
with any other party i"r furnishing similar VI different
locas and keys the Postmaster Gcnera may determine
The contractor mast agree aud be able to iurnsh re-
qred and ordered 900 brass locks and 6Oo brass keys
wlhin three months from the tine Oi entering into
and 80 iron mCsS anl 80 900 iron keys within
eight months from such time BIT the Postmaster General
will the right II Increase or dinm.h as the wants
Interests Of the service may demand, the quantities Of
tIn lnlls nul knIa uDu "A lulllt
allowance 0i time to furnish them.
All the locks furnished by the contractor mnEt DO war
ranted 10 Keep good working order for two years in the
ordinary Of the service, Whom not subjected to obvious
violence such become defective, during that time, TO
be replaced whh perfect locks, without charge.
Tho contractor will be required 10 deliver the locks At his
expense, tho lost OfcG department, Washington
d. C. put up sticks, forming separate bundles Of i've
locks each and securely packed In wooden boxes contain
ing than two hundred locks each The keys are
10 be delivered ascn Of tho Department duly and
specially authorized IN each to take charge OF aud cuu
vey the from tho contractors factory 10 tho Doat
mcnt where both locks and keys ~ be Inspected aud
approved before they shall be paid for.
The contractor will be required 10 gvo bond, with ample
security In the al twchy i've thousand dollars Tor the
faithful performance uI the contract on his part both us 10
furnishing the supplies ordered and guarding tho manulac
OF the mail locks and keys with due privacy integrity
and No proposal will therefore be considered, II not
accompanied wlh written guarantee from the proposed
suretes, (whcse responsibility must be certified by the
postmaster At the place OF their rcsidcncc that they will
become responsible the required bond Tor the Iulhmcnt
Of the contract by the bidder III case such proposals be &C
ecped
In deciding on the proposals and specimens the Postnas.
ter General deem Cxpedient 10 Select the brass lock
o bidder and the iron lock OF another lie therefore
reserves the right Ol contracting with different individuals
for sIch dlirreut kinds CT locks as hc may select
Proposals shOui Oc carefully sealed addressed 10 tue
Postmaster General and endorsed the oIvelope " Pro
poSat for MAJ! LOcEs."
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