The Portland daily press., 1872-12-06
INSTRUCTION.. to Bidders and po.,ma..er..

Containing also conditions to be Incorporated in
the contracts to the ertent the Department
may deem proper.
1. Seven minutes are allowed to each intermedi-
ate office when not otherwise specified for asserting
the mails.
Of it, the special agents of the Post Office Depart
ment, also post office blanks, mail bags, locks and
keys, are to be conveyed without extra charge.
3. sway bills" or receipts prepared by postmast-
ers, or other agents of the Department. will accom-
pany the mails, specifying the number and destiua-
ton 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 foi each Of such omissions If the failure be
stoned by the fault of the contractor carrier three
times the pay of the trip will be deducted For ar
depending mails, and not sufficiently excused one
fourth OF the compensation for the trip subject to
forfeiture For repeated delinquencies of the kind
the nature thereof, aud the importaeo IF the mail
may BIO made.
5. For leaving behind or throwing off the mails.
any portion Of them, for tn admission of passen-
gers foi-beng concerned in setting up or running
an express conveying intelligence in advance of the
mail, quarters pay may be deducted.
6. Fines will be imposed, unless the DELINQUENCY
be promptly and satisfactorily explained by certi-
Gates of postmasters the adavs OF other credible
persons for failing to arrive in contract time; for
negeceg to take the mail from, deliver 1t into
post office; for suffering it to be wet injured DESTROY
to convey the mail as frequently as the contractor
runs, or Is concerned in running coach, car, or
steamboat on o route,
7. The Postmaster General NAV aupul the contract
for repeated failures to agreeably to contract
for violating the post office laws, or dsobeyng the
instructions of the Department for refusing to dis
charge carrier when required by the Department
90 so; Tor running an express as aforesaid; or for
transporting persons or packages conveying mail
able matter oIlt OF the mail.
g. The Postmaster General may order an increase
OF service ona route by allowing therefor pro rata
increase on the contract pay. He may change sched
n artn aud in, oil
tcularly to make them CONFORM to connections with
railroads. without increase of pay providing the
ming time be not abridged. Tho Postmaster Gener-
al may also discontinue curtail the service, in
whole or in part, in order to place the route SUI
pericr service, or whenever the public interests in
his Judgment, shall require such discontinuance or
curtailment for any other cause he allowing full
indemnity to contractor one months extra pay the
amount of service dispensed with and a pro rata
compensation for the amount of service retained and
ontinued. :
g.. Payments will be made by collections from, or
drafts o postmasters otherwise after the expra-
ton Of each quarter-say in November, February
May and August, provided that required evidence of
service has been received
TO- The distances given are believed to be substan-
TALLY correct no increased pay will be allowed should
they be greater than advertised if the points to be
supplied are correctly stated Bidders must inform
themselves on this point and also in reference the
weight Of the mail, the condition of hills, roads,
streams &c. and ali toll bridges, turnpikes plank
roads, 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
gree of services nor for bridges destroyed ferries dis
continued or other distractions causing increasing
distance or expense occurring during the contract
TERM Offices established after this advertisement is
Issued, and also during the term are to be
visited without extra pay if the distance be not in
creased.
IL Bidders are cautioned to mail their proposaIs
In time to reach the Department by the day and
hour named q p. m February s. 1873, for bids re-
ceived after that time U not be considered in COM
petition with bids of reasonable amount received in
time. Neither can bids be considered which are
without the guarantee required by law, and certf-
cate OF the sutfciency Of such guarantee, and the
oath Of the bidder according to Section 246 Act of
June s, 1872.
according to the advertise ment and then, if they de-
SIRE separately for different servce and If the req
uar bid be the lowest offered for the advertised ser
vice, the other propositions may be considered.
10. There should be but one route bid for in pro-
posal. Consolidated or combination bids ('proposing
one sum for two or more routes) cannot be consid-
IA. Tho route the service, the yearly pay the
name and residence of the bidder (that is his usual
post office address, and the of each member of
a firm, where company offers should be distinctly
stated.
10 Bidders requested to use, as far as practi-
cable, the printed proposals furnished by the Depart
ment, to write out in full the sum of their bids and
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 received twentyfour hours previous to
the time fixed for opening the proposals.
Each bid must be guaranteed by two responsible
persons. The bid and guarantee should be signed
plainly with the full name of each person.
any bid which may be deemed extravagant; ard also
TO disregard the bids Of falling contractors and bid
ders SAct Of June 8, 1872, section 2499
16. The bid shonld be sealed, superscribed sMail
Proposals, State of Maine," addressed "Second As
sistant Postmaster General, Contract Office" and
sent by mail, not by to agent Bids of $4,000
per annum and upward must be accompanied by
certified check OF draft on some solven. National
Bank, equal to per cent. Of the amount. (see law
n lima
II. The contracts are to be executed and returned
to the Department by before the LIST dan of Julu
on the mail day next after it, whether the contracts
be execteud or not.
Transfers of contracts, or of interest in contracts
are forbidden by law, and consequently cannot be al
lowed Neither can bids interest in bids be trans
ferred or assigned to other parties. Bidders will
therefore take notice that they will be expected to
perform the service accepted to them through the
whole contract term.
is. Section 2i9 of the act of June s. 1872 provides
that contracts for the transportation of the mail
shall be awarded the lowest bidder rendering suf
fcent guarantees for faithful performance without
other reference to the mode Of such transportation
certainty and security thereof" Under this law
bids that propose to transport the mails with ceie
s Inc se na I'll aS security aasg been decided 70
the entire mail, hoacecer large, and aohaterer may
Se ne mode o. conveyance necessary to insure s
preference all others and no others are consid-
cred, except for steamboat routes.
~. "A modncatlon oil q bid IN any Of its essential
terms Is fantamount to bid, and cannot be re-
ce1yed so as to Interfere with regular competition
Making new bid, with guarantee and certificate, is
the only way to modify previous bid.
20. Postmasters to be careful not to certify to
the suffciency of guarantors without knowing that
they are persons of sufficient responsibility. (See
section 247 act of June g. 1872 They must not sign
the certificate until the of the bid is inserted
and the bid and guarantee signed by the bidder
and Gwo) guarantors; disregard of this instruction
by postmasters aciH subject them TO immediate re-
moral, and to severe penalties.
Postmssters are also liable to dismissal from office
for acting agents of contractors bidders with or
without compensation in any business, matter or
thing relating to the mail service. They are the
trusted agents of the Department, and cannot con-
sistently act in both capacities.
81. All bidders, guarantors, and sureties are dis
tincty notified that failure to enter into or per-
form the contracts for the service proposed for in
the accepted bids their legal liabilities will be en-
forced against them.
o. Present contractors; and persons known at tho
Department, must. equally with others, procure
guarantors and certificates Of their sufciency sub
stantiay IN the forms above prescribed. The certif
icate of sufciency must be signed by postmaster
JNO. A. j. CRESWELL,