The Portland daily press., 1869-02-06
(signed.)
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS AND POST
MASTERS,

Containing also conditions to be Incorporated in the
proper.
/. 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 tor an
change OF the mail pouches.
2. On railroad and steamboat lines, and other
routs where the mode Of conveyance admits OF it,
the special agents of the Post Office Department al
post office blanks mail bags locks and keys, al
to be conveyed without extra charge.
8. 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 commodious car /,
or part of car, properly lighted, warmed and fur
nished, and adapted to the convenient separation and
due security of the mails, is to be provided by the
contractor, under the direction Of the Department
Railroad and Steamboat companies required
to take the mail from and deliver 1t into the post Of
nee at the beginning and end of their routes and to
and from all offices not more than eighty rods from
a station landing. Proposals may be submitted
by the companies for the performance of all other
side servicethat is for offices over eighty rods from
a station or landing.
There Will be sway billsn prepared by postmas.
tiers, 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-
cepts will be rquired eaud way bills forwarded the
latter to be examined by the several posmasters, TO
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
pained three times the pay Of the trip will be de-
connexon with depending mails and not sufficiently
excused one fourth of the compensation lor the
is subject forfeiture. For repeated denquencies
of the kind herein specified, enlarged penalties pro-
portoned to the nature thereof and the importance
of the mail, may be made.
s. For leaving behind or throwing off the nails
any portion of them, for the admission of passen
gers for being concerned in setting up or running
express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, a quarters pay will be deducted
g. Fines will be imposed, unless, the delinquency
be satisfactorily explained by certificates OF post
masters or the atdavits of other credible persons
for failing to arrive in contract tme for negecting
to take the mail from, deliver it into, post office;
Tor suffering It to be wet injured destroyed, robbed
or iost and Tor refusing, after demand, to convey
the mail as frequently the contractor runs, or Is
concerned IN running, coach, car or steamboat on
a route.
T. The Postmaster General may annul the con-
tract for repeated failures to run agreeaoy 10 con-
tract for violating the post office laws, or disobey-
ing the instructions OF the Department; lor refusing
to discharge carrier when required by the Depart
ment to do so running an express as aforesaid;
or for transporting persons or packages conveying
mailable matter out OF the mail.
of service on q route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase the contract pay He may change sched-
ues of departures and arrivals in all cases, and
particularly to make them conform to connexions
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-
strictions OF the law, pro rata increase Of paw for
the additional stock or carriers, if any. The con-
tractor may, however, in the case of increase of
speed, relinqush the contract, by giving prompt no.
tce to the department that he pre- feIs doing so 10