The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-05-25
GENERAL NArrRr-No. hnl


GENERAL NATURE-No. SOL
AN ACT relating to proposals and contracts for trans
portation o the mails, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States Of America in Congress
sembled That any person or persons bidding for the
transportation Of the mails upon any route which may
be advertised to be let and receiving award of the
contract for such service who shall wrongfuy refuse
fail enter into contract with the Postmaster General
in due FORM and perform the service described in his
or their bid proposal, shall be deemed guilty Of a
misdemeanor, and conviction thereof. be punished
by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and i'm
prisonment for term not exceeding twelve months.
SEC 3 That each bid for carrying the mail shall here
after have affixed to it the oath of the bidder taken be-
fore an officer qualified to administer oaths that he has
the ability pecuniarly to fulfil his obligations and that
the bid made in good faith and with the intention to
enter into contract and perform the service in his
bid shall be accepted and that the signatures Of his
guarantors genuine and that he believes said guar
anors pecuniarly responsible for and able to pay all
damages United States shall suffer by Of the
bidders failing perform his obligations such bid
der
SEC. s. That any postmaster other officer Of the
Post Office Department who shall afx his signature to
the certificate of suciency guarantors suretes be-
fore the guaranty contract is signed by the guaran
tors sureties, shall knowingly make any false
Iusory certificate shall be forthwith dismissed from
Office and shall be deemed guilty Of misdemeanor, and
SHALL on conviction thereof be punished by fine
exceeding Thousand dollars, or by Imprisonment
not exceeding one year, or both.
SEC. 4. That bidder for carrying mails shall be re-
leased from his obligation under his bid proposals,
til contract for the designated service shall have been
duly executed by such lower bidder and his suretes
and accepted and the service entered upon by the
tractor the satisfaction Of the Postmaster General
SEC s. That after any regular bidder contractor fol
the transportation of the mail upon any shall
failed enter into contract and commence the perform
ance thereof herein provided the Postmaster General
shall proceed to contract with the next lowest bidder
such service who will enter into contract and preform
the same unless the Postmaster General shall idel
such bidder high in which he shall re-adver
tse such service And in all cases Of regular contracts
hereafter made, the contract may, in the discretion
the Postmaster General be continued in force beyond
its express terms for period not exceeding six months
until new contract with the other contractors
shall be made by the Postmaster General.
SEC. 6. That hereafter all bidders upon every mai
route for the transportation Of the mails upon the
where the annual compensation for the service such
route at the time exceeds the of five thousand dol
lars shall accompany their bids with certified check
draft payable the order of the Postmaster General
upon some solvent national bank, which check draf
shall not be less than i've per centum the
amount Of the annual pay on said route at the time
such bid is made and in of service les:
than five per centum Of the amount of one years pay
proposed in such bid exceed five thousand dollars pei
annum. In any bidder on being awarded any sucf
contract, shall fail to execute the with good anC
sufficient suretes according to the terms which sucf
snce q the service the satisfaction Of the Postmaste
General such bidder shall forfeit the amount deposi
ted to the United States, and the shall forthwith
be paid into the treasury for the of the Post Oc
Department. but such contract shall be duly
and the service entered upon foresad such draft
check deposited shall be returned to the bidder
SEC T. That in case of the Sickness or unavoidable
absence from his Office, of the postmaster of any money
order postOce he may, with the approval Of the Post
master General authorize the chief othe
clerk employed therein to act in his place. and to dis
charge all the duties required by law of such postmas
Provided, That the official bond given by the prin
cipa of the Office shall be held to and apply thu
of the person appointed to act in his place in sucE
cases: and provided further, That such acting office
SHALL for the time being be subject to all the liabilities
and penalties prescribed by law for the official miscon
Duct in like cases, of the postmaster for whom he shall
act.
SEC. 8. That the Postmaster General, whenever h
may deem it consistent with tie public interest," ma,
accept surety upon any contract existing, here
after made, for carrying the mails in substitution TO
and release Of any existing surety.
SEC. 9. That the Postmaster General is hereby au
thorzed to to be placed to the credit of the Treas
urer of the United States, for the service Of the Poso
fee Department the net proceeds of the money-orde
business and that the receipts off the Post Office De
partment, derived from this source during each quar-
ter shall be entered by the Auditor Of the Treasury 70
the Post Office Department. in the accounts of said De
partment, under the head Of Revenue from money-or
der business"
Approved, April 81, 1872