The Van Buren press., 1866-12-21


steamboat roai.'s there l. To be- NJ more delay
than Is sufficient for an exchange Of the mail
pouches.
2. On railroad and steamboat lines, and
other routes where the mode of conveyance
admits of It, the special agents of the Post OF
flee Department. also post Office blanks. mail
bags. locks and keys, are 10 be conveyed With
out extra charge.
3. On railroad and steamboat lines the route
agents of the Department are 10 be conveyed
without charge. and for the use of the agents
commodious car or apartment in the centre
o.a car, properly lighted, warmed, and fur
nishcd, and adapted TO the convenient separa-
tion and due security of the mails Is 10 he
provided by the contractor under the direct
ion Of the Department.
RailrOai and steamboat companies are re-
quired 70 take the mail IRON and deliver il in
10 the post offices at the beginning and end of
their routes, and TO and from all offices not
llore than eighty rods from station or land
ing. Proposals may be submitted by the
companies for the performance Of all other
seryice-that is, for offices over eighty rods
from station or landing.
There will be "way-bils" prepared by post
masters, or other agents of the Departments,
10 accompany the mails conveyed on rail-
roads and steamers. specifying the number
ana destination of the several bags. On other
principal routes likewise, receipts will he re-
4uired and way-bills forwarded; the latter to
le examined by the several postmasters, TO
insure regularity in the delivery of mails.
4. No pay will be made for trips not per-
formed: and for each Of such omissions, not
satisfactorily explained, three times the pay
Of the trip may be deducted. For arrivals so
lar Dchlnu time as to break cOnneXion with
depending mails and not sufficiently excused.
one-fourrh of the compensation for the trip is
subject TO forfeiture. For repeated delin-
quencies Of the Kind herein specified, enlarged
penalties, proportional to the nature thereof
ard the importance of the mail, may be made.
5. For leaving behind or throwing of the
mails, or any portion of them. for the admis-
sion OF passengers, or for being concerned In
setting up or running an express conveying
intelligence in advance of the mail, quarters
pay may be deducted.
q. Fines will be imposed unless the dclin.
quency be promptly and satisfactorily eX-
planned by certificates Of postmasters or the
affidavits of other credible persons. for failing
TO arrive in contract time: for neglccting to
take the mail from, or deliver it into, Il post
Office for suffering it to be wet, injured de-
stroycd, robbed, or lost: and for refusing. af-
ter demand, to convey the mail as frequently
rs the contractor runs, or Is concerned in run
ming. coach. car, or steamboat on Il route.
Z. The Postmaster General may annul the
contract for repeated failures to run agrecably
to contract: for violating the post Office laws,
or disobeying the instructions of the Depart
mcnt for refusing to discharge a carrier when
required by the Department to do so for run
ming an express rs aforesaid: or for trans
porting persons or packages, conveying mail
able matter out ofthe mail.
:. Tue Postmaster General may order an
increase of service on route by allowing
therefor pro rota increase on the contract
pay. lie may change schedules of departures
ANA arrivals in all cases, and particularly to
make them conform to connexions with rail-
roads, without increase or pay, provided the
running time be not abridged He may also
order an Increase of speed, allowing within
the restrictions of the law, a pro rotd increase
OF pay for the additional stock or carriers, if
amy. The contractor may, however in the
case Of increase Of speed, relnquish the con-
tract Dy giving prompt notice to the Depart
mcnt that he prefers doing so to carrying the
order into effect. The Postmaster General
may also discontinue or eurtail the service in
whole or in part in order to place on the route
greater degree of service. or whenever the
public interests. in his judgement, shall re-
quire such discontinuance or curtailment for
any Other cause :he allowing as full indem-
MY 10 contractor one months extra pay on
the amount of service dispensed with, and a
pro rotd compensation for the amount of SER
vice retained and continued.
.. Payments will be made by collections
from or drafts on postmasters, or otherwise.
after the expiration of each quarter-say, in
Nov- Feb. May, and August.
III. The distances are given according to the
best information: but no increased pay will
be allowed should they be greater than adver.
tised, il the points to be supplied are correct
ly stated. Bidders must INFORM themselves on
Nis point, and also in reference to the weight
OF tile mail, the condition of roads, hills,
streams, &c, and all toll bridges, ferries, or
distractions of any kind by which expense
may be incurred. No claim for additional
pay, based on such ground, can be considered :.
nor ior alleged mistakes or misapprehensions
rs to the degree of service: nor for bridges
destroyed. ferries discontinued, or other OBJ
structions increasing distance, occurring dur
ing the contract term. Offices established
after this advertisement Is issued, and also
during the contract term, are to be visited
without extra pay, if the distance be not in
creased
IL, Bidders are cautioned to mail their pro-
posals in time to reach the Department by The
uay ana hour named, q m. Feb. y, 1861
for bids received after that time 9eW not be
considered in competition with bid of reason
able amount received in time. Neither can
Dids be considered which are without the
guarantee required by law and a certificate of
the sullicieIcy of such guarantee.
IL. Bidders should first propose for service
strictly according to the advertisement. and
then, II they desire, separately for different
service; and II the regular bid be the lowest
offered for the advertised service, the other
propositions may be considered.
l3. There should be but one route bid for in
q proposal. Consolidated or combination
DDS. proposing one sum for two or more
routes') are forbidden by law, and cannot be
considered.
IA. The route the service, the yearly pay.
the name and residence of the bidder THAT Is,
his usual post office address, and those Of
each member of firm where a company of
fers, should be distinctly stated.
10. Bidders are requested to use, as far as
practicable, the printed proposals furnished
by the department. to write ont In full the
sum of their bids, and to retain copies OF them.
Altered bids should not be submitted; nor
should bids once submitted be withdrawn
No withdrawal of bidder or guarantor will
be allowed unless the withdrawal is dated and
received before the last day for receiving pro-
posals. Each bid must be guaranteed by two
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