The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-12-18
PROPOSALS FOR MAIL LOCKS.
Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON.

October III, 1869.
SEALED PROPOSALS for furnishing Mail Locks and
Keys of new kinds be substituted for the Locks and
Keys now used on the United States Mails. will be
cevei at this department until o'clock NJ. the 81
1aS al fEbho Aist, 1870 1t Is desirable t" Obtain
Locks and h If construction for the exclusive
use OF the United States Mails and. if practicable i'll
r"het! expressly for that purpose i. the exposure Of.
model Lock and Key 10 public examination would
IMPAIR if not destroy its utility for the mails the De-
pnrtmcnt rescribcs model for bidders but relies for
lis selection on the specimens of mechanical skill and
ingenuity which fair competition among inventors,
hereby invited develop 1t is sufficient to describe
the principal requisites of Mail Lock. follows: Self
Locking 'utOrntitF security Hght"sS strength dHri-
buHU. norettH Of constructions and 1dcty Of use. Two
kinds of Locks and Keys: Of brass a the other of
iron different i'll exterior form. and Interior
n"n or arrangement are required: and Proposals should
specify separately the price of each brass lock- each key
for same, each iron lock and each key for Dur!i-
cate samples ct each kind of locks and Keys proposed
are required To be submitted with the proposals of
each sample lock To be rviteI up and finished. and
another I" he open unry tied that its intcr..!
structure and arrangement may easily he cxanincl-
Every sample should be plainly marked with the bidders
name and if the same or ANY mart of if l covered L
patent the date of such patent. and the of the
patentcc must also be attachc,, thereto.
The internal plan arrangement of the locks offered,
and tine particular shape OF the key requisite open
them, must no; he like any or heretofore i'll
They must be warranted not to infringe upon
fict with any patented invention of which the bidder is
not the licltce Preference will he given to Il lock,
the key of which has not been exposed general
Walton been publicly described disclosed suggested
decision on the various specimens and proposals will
be made or before the Sd day of March, 1870 and
unless the Postmaster General shall deem be the
interests of the Department reject all the Proposals
anil Specimens submitted under this advertisement Ia
right hereby expressly reserved for him. will
he entered into as soon thereafter practicable. with
the successful bidder whose locks shall he adopted for
furnishing similar locks and keys for four years they
may be required and ordered. If mutually agreed to
writing by the contractor and the Postmaster General
for the time being not less than six months before its
expiration the contract may he extended and continued
for an additional term of four years But and after
the expiration of either term of the contract or on and
after its rigtfu annulment at any time the Postmaster
General shall have the right to with employ
any other party to furnish the any other kind
of locks and keys and if he shall deem proper to de-
nn,l and receive from the late dcfultnr contractor
all finished unfinished KEYS and the internal ;,rts Of
the locks contracted for and ali die. gauges and de
signs, (Which would able others make or forge s,Ic
locks kcys in the possession of such contractor who
after their surrender to the Department shall paid for
the same at such price as may be asceitained by
appraisemcnt
required and ordered 10000 Brass Locks and 5000 Br,us
Keys within three months from the time of entering INFO
contract and 10000 Iron Locks and GnO0O Iron Keys
within ten months from such time But the Postmaster
General will reserve the right To diminish as
the wants or interests of the service may demand 'hc
quantities "l the Locks and Keys above specified with
proportionatc allowance of time furnish them
All the Locks furnished by the contractor must be
warranted to Keep good working order tor t,yn years
in the ordinary of the service when not s,b,.cc ia
obvious violence such rs become defective within tlnt
time be replaced with perfect Locks witl,ort ir
All the Locks furnished under contract ure t he L
distinctly marked L. S. Mail in either sunk or ra,snJ
letters and all the Keys are To he numbered in the nat
ll..r,f
tinctly stamped upon side OF the bow and L $
Mail - on the opposite side.
The contractor Will lc required to deliver
his expense at the Post Office Department Mash
ugton D. c., put upon sticks, forming separate huud..
of five nck each and securely packed III wooden nxe,
containing not Eiurc than two hundred locks each The.
keys lie delivered TO agent Of the Department
duly and specially authorized in each case to take car
of and convey the same from the contractors nanuEsr-
tory the Department, where both locks and KEYS arc
he inspected and approved before they shall be paid
for.
will he fr;,
pie security in the of Fifty Thousand Dollars
forfeited to the United States quiate damages in
case of his failure to faithfully perform the contract
either as to furnishing the supplies ordered within
reasonable time, to guarding the manufacture of
the Mail Locks and Keys with due privacy integrity and
No Proposal will therefore be accepted if accom-
panied with n bond OF the penal sum of Twenty Thnns-
and Dollars, duly executed 10y the proposed surctics
(whose responsibility must be certified 10y Judge of
Court of Record nearest to their place of residence at;
tested by the Clerk of such Court under the seal thereof
and conditioned for their becoming responsible
ties tho required bond for the fGltncnt of the
tract in case such Proposals shall he accepted TIE
manufacture of Mail Locks and Keys is of necessity.
highly important and delicate trust which the Depart
ment will confc to bidder whose Proposals not
also accompanied with testimonials OF good character.
In deciding the Proposals and Specimens the Post
master General deem it cxprdent 10 select the
Brass Lock of bidder and the Iron Lock of another
lie, therefore, reserves the ri ht of contracting with diff
fercnt individuals for such different kinds OF Locks he
may select.
Proposals should he carefully sealed and addressed to
the Second Assistant Postmaster General and endorsed
on tho envelope Proposals for Mail Locks
JOHN A. j. CRESWELL.
oct 80, 1S69-Sw Postmaster General.