The Portland daily press., 1869-03-06
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POS.


Containing also conditions to be Incorporated in IN
contracts to the eStent the Department may deem
/. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermedia.,
Office when not otherwise specified, for asserting III,
mails; but on railroad and steamboat roltes there
is 10 be no more delay than is sufficient tor an ex
change OF the mail pouches
Q. On railroad and steamboat lines, and othel
routs where the mode of conveyance admits OF it
the special agents OF the Post Otce Department al
so post office blanks mail bags, lock, and KEYS al
to be conveyed without extra charge.
3. On railroad and steamboat lines the route
agents Of the Department, also the British and Can
ada mails, when offered, and the agents accompany
ing them are conveyed without charge; and Tor the
use of the United States agents a commodous car
or part Of car, properly lighted, warmed and fur
nished and adapted to the convenient separation and
due security of the nails is to be provided by the
contractor, under the direction of the Department
Railroad and Steamboat companies are required
to take the mail from and deliver it into the post Of
ce at the beginning and end Of their routes and tc
and from all offices not more than eighty rods from
a station or landing. Proposals may be submitted
by the companies for the performance OF ali other
side service-that is for offices eighty rods from
q station or landing.
There will be "way billsD prepared by postmas-
ters, or other agents of the Department. to accom-
pany the mails conveyed on railroads and steamers,
specifying the number and destination of the sever.
al bags. On other principal routes, likewise, re-
ceipts will be rquired eand way bills forwarded; the
latter to be examined by the several postm asters
insure regularity in the delivery of mails.
4. No pay will be made for trips not performed ;
and for each of such omissions not satisfactorily
planned, three times the pay OF the trip will be de
Quoted. For arrivals far behind time as to break
connexlon with depending mails, and not sufficiently
excused, onefourth of the compensation ior the trif
is subject to forfeiture For repeated deinouence -
of the kind herein specified, enlarged penalties nro
portoned to the nature thereof and the jmportane,
Of the mail, may be made.
s. For leaving behind or throwing off the nails
or any portion of them, for the admissien of
gers or for being concerned In setting up or rnninl
an express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, a quarters pay viii be deducted.
o. Fines Will be imposed, unless, the delinquency
0e satisfactorily explained by certificates of post
ior iaulng TO arrive in contract time; for neglecng
70 take the mail from, deliver it into post once
Tor suffering 1t to be wet, injured destroyed roooea,
or lost; and for refusing, after demand, 10 convey
the mail frequently the contractor runs, OF Is
concerned in running, coach car, or nooa1 On
a route. ~
T. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures to run agreeably to con-
tract for violating the post office laws or disobey
inc tbe instructions of the Department.; for refusing
70 discharge a carrier when required by the Depart
ment to do so for running an express as aforesaid
or for Transporting persons or packages conveying
mailabe matter out OF the mail.
& The Postmaster General may order an increase
of service a route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase the contract pay. He may change sched-
ules of departures and arrivals in all cases, and
particularly to make them conform to connexjons
with railroads, without increase OF pay provided
the running time be not abridged. He may also or.
der an increase OF speed, allowing, within the re.
strctions oil the law, pro rata increase of nav n,
the additional stock or carriers, If any. The cnn
tractor may, however, iR the case OF inereo AZ n
speed, relinquish the contract, by giving prom nj nd
tise to the department that he pre- feIs doing 80 4