Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-11-29
Instructions to Bidders and Post
masters.


masters.
Containing diso conditions 10 he incorporated in the
contracts 10 N, tIt,ht The Impairment may dam
proper.
J. seven minutes are allowed to each inter mediate
office, when not otherwise spocihcd for asserting the
mails.
q on routos where the mode Of conveyance ad-
mite q it, the special agents e the Post Office Dc
partment also post Office blanks mail rags, locks and
keys, are to be conveyed without extra charge.
3. 'Wuy bills' or receipts prepared by postmast-
ers, or other agents Of the Department, will accom-
pauy the mails, specifying the number and desna-
tou of the several bags, to be examined by the post
masters to insure regularity in the delivery Of bags
and pouches.
No pay will be made for trips not performed:
and for each Of such omissions If the failure be occa
STONED by the fault Of the contractor or carrier, three
the pay Of the trip will 10 deducted. For arriv
ala far behind time 10 break connection with de-
prnding mails, and not sufficiently excused, one
fourth Of tho compensation for Tip issubJcct to
forfeiture Tor repeated dehnqucnr's OF the END
herein specified, charged peualtos, proportional to
The nature thereof, and the importance OF the mail
may be made.
.. For leaving behind or throwing Of the mails, or
any portion Of them for the admission of passengers,
for being concerned In setting up or running an
express conveying intelligence in advance Of the mall
quarters pay may be deducted.
6. Fines will be imposed, unless the delinque cy
be promptly and satisfactorily explaineo by certificates
Of pustnascrs or the adavits Of other credible per-
sons, for failing to arrive in contract tme for neg
ecng to take the mail from or deliver it into post
Office for suffering it to be wet, injured destroyed
convey the mail frequently the contractor runs
or Is concerned in running, coach, car, or steamboat
on a route.
:. The Postmaster General may annul the contract
for repeated failures to agreeaby to contract for
violating the post office laws, disobcying the in
structiuns of the Department; for reiusing 20 dis
cha rye u carrier when required By the Department
do so; for ruNying an express as aforesaid; or for
transporting persons or packages conveying mRilable
The Postmaster General may order an increase Of
service on route by allowing therefor pro rata in
the contract pay. He may change schedules
of departures and arrivals in all cases and particular
ly to make them conform to connections with rail-
roads, without increase Of pay, provided the running
time be not abridged. The Postmaster General may
also discontinue curtail the service, in whole in
part in order to place the route superior service,
or whenever the public interests in his iudrmt MT
shall require such disco ntinuance curailment for
any other cause: he allowing as full ndtmnity to
contractor one months extra pay on the amount of
service dispensed WITH aud pro rata compensation
for the amount If service retained and continued
Q. Payments will be made by collections from. or
drafts postmasers OF otherwise, after the expra
ton Of each quartor-say IN November, February,
May and August, provided tina. required evidence Of
service has been received.
TO- The distances given believed to he substan-
tally correct but no increased pay will be allow ed
should they be greater than advertised If the points
to be supplied are correctly stated bidders must
form Themselves on hIS poinf, and also in reference
to the weight of the mail the condition Of hills roads,
streams, &c, and all toll-bridges, turnpkCs plank
roads, ferries or obstructioIs Of any kind by which
expense may be incurred. No claim for additional
pay based on such ground, can be considered nor
for alleged mistakes or Interpretations to the de-
gree of service for bridges destroyed, ferries
discontinued, other distractions causing or in
creasing distance or expense occurring during the
contract term Offices established after this adver-
tisement ia issued and also during Che contract term
to be visited without extra pay If the distance be
not increased.
II. Bidders are cautioned to mail their propos-
ais in time to reach the Department by the day and
hour named, g p m, February 3, 1879 for bids
ceived after that time WH not be considered in COM
petition with bids, Of reasonable amount, received in
time Neither bids be considered which with
out the guarantee required 10y law, and certificate
Of the suicency of such guarantee and the oath Of
the bidder according to Section 246, Act of June 4,
1872.
IL. Bidders should first propose for service strict
y according to the advertise ment, and then, II they
DESIRE separately for different service; and If the
regular bid be the lowest offered for the advertised
service the other propositions may be considered
10. There sh uld be but one route lid for in pro-
posa Consolidated or combination bids c'pruposinp
one for two or more routes0 cannot be consider
ed.
H. The route, the service, the yearly pay the name
and residence of the bidder, chat is hi usual post
Office address) aud the name uf each member Of a
firm, where accompany Offers should be distinctly stat
Is Bidders are requested to use as far as practi.
cable the printed proposals furnished 10y the Depart
ment to write out in full the sum Of their bids aud ia
retain copies Of them
Altered bids should not be submitted nor should
bids once submitted be withdrawn. No withdrawal
Withdrawals received tweny-four hours previous to
the time hxed for opening the proposals
person. The bid aud guarantee should be signed
plainly with the full name Of each person.
The Postmaster General reetrVCs the right to reject
any bid which may be deemed e1travaeant; and also
to disregard tie lids of failing contractors and bid
ders. Act Of June g. 1872, section 2%9)
10. The bid should be sealed, superscribcd "Ma
Proposals. State Of Vermont, addressed 'second As.
sstant Postmaster General, Contract ONCE and sent
by mail not by or to an agent. Bids Of $4,000 per an
mum and upward must be accompanied by q certified
check or draft on some solvent National Bank, equal
to per cent Of the amount (See law u Congress of
June 8, 1871
II. The contrac are to be executed and returned
to the Department by before the LIST day Of Juiy
1873 but the sorycs must be begun on that day, OF
the mail day next after it, whether the contracts be
executed or not.
Transfers Of contracts, or Of interest in contracts
forbidden by law, and consequently cannot be al
lowed Neither bids, or interest in bids, be trans
ferrtd or assigned TO other parties. Bidders will
therefore take notice that they will be expected to per-
form the service accepted to them through the whole
contract tel m.
is Section 249 of the act Of June 8, 1872 provides
that contracts for transportation Of the mail shall be
awarded to the lowest bidder rendering sufficient
guarantees for faithful performance, without other
reference to the mode of such transportation than
may he necessary toproyde for the due CELEBRITY GER
tainty and security thereof" Under this law bids
that propose to transport the mails with "csisrHy
certainty, and security" haring been decidedto he he
onIv Iegdi bids construed pTouding for the
tire mail howjuer large, and ,ohateuer may the mode
e. its ps,sses Ser
Others and Others considered except for steam
boat routes.
10. modification OF q bid in any OF its essential
terms ia tantamount to a bid, and cannot be re-
ccived, so to interfere with regular competition.
Making new bid, with guarantee and certificate, is
the only way TO modify previous bid
30. Postmasters to be careful not to certify to
the sufiicency Of guarantors without knowing that
they are persons Of sufficient responsibility (See
section 2i7 act of June &, 1871 They must not sign
the certificate until the Of the bid In inserted,
aud the bid and guarantee signed by the bidder
and Uwo) glarantors; disregard Of tu' Instruction
bv pOstmdstsrs WiH Sbjsct them 10 immediate ytmor-
al, and 10 strtTs penalties.
PostmAsers ase also liable to dismissal from ofhce
for acting agents of contractors or bidders, with or
without compensation in any business, natter or
thing relating to the mail service They are trusted
agents Of the Department and cannot consistently
act in both capacities.
II. All bidders, guarAntors, and sureties are dis
ncly notified that failure TO enter into or per-
form the contracts for the service proposed for IN the
accepted bids, their legal liabilities viii be enforced
against them.
20. Present contractors, and persons known at the
Department. must, equally with Others procure guar
antors and certificates Of their suciency substantial
J in the forms above prescribed The certificate OF
suficiency must be signed by postmaster.
JNO. A. j. CRESWELI,
Postmaster General.