The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-01
PROPOSALS FOR
NAIL LOCKS AND KEYS.
Posi- OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, h. C., Sept. l., 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS

WASHINGTON, b C., sept.l7, 1873.
SEPARATE SEALED PROPOSALS
will be received at this Department until II o'clock
noon, the FIFTEENTH DAY OF DECEMBER. 1875,
for furnishing under separate contracts two different
kinds of Palocks and Keys for the sole and excu
regstered through mails and the other for
the sole and exclusive Use OF street letter bOTtS.
Every proposal must be accompanied with duplicate
samples of the locks and keys thereby offered to be
furnished of each kind of sample lock to be riveted
up and finished and another TO he open unriveted
that its Internal structure and may read
ly he examined Each sample should be plainly marked
with the bidders name, and if the any part
thereof be covered patent the of the patentee
must he attached thereto. 1t also be shall
be warranted infringe on any patented invention
of which the bidder is not the patentee assignee
The internal plan arrangement of the locks Offered.
and the particular form of the keys requisite open
them, must not be like any hitherto in public
or private use, and must not have been exhibited de-
scribed exposed, in any tending to impair
their security and usefulness for the mails; and it will
be an important consideration in favor of lock and
key submitted it, being otherwise suitable it shall have
been invented specially for the purpose for which it
offered.
Locks suitable for the registered mails or for the
street letter boxes should exceed eight each
in weight, and should possess high degree of security
strength and durability. Every such lock- while it
must he secure from being opened 10y any other
than by its peculiar key unless designely broken by
extreme and obvious volence) must he devoid Of any
intrcacy in opening with the proper key and be capable
of being securely without the Of the KEY The
shape size of the locks for registered mails should be
such as to make them distngushable at glance from
their external shape, be instantly dstnguishabe from
the mail locks now in
The Registered Mill Locks should he made of hard
and tough brass, excepting the shacke and rves which
must be iron the latter well sbouldered countersunk
and headed at both ends. The shell of such
locks must have sharp angles must be free from
knobs, escucheons, or other appendaSrs likely be
compressed battered, knacked of order 10y the
peculiarly hard usage Of the service Each lock is To
outside upon its face in letters sufficiently large
and distinct U. S. Registered Mail and also such
number lin figures each less 5l6 of an inch
long.) as may he ordered: different number
ceeng four places OF figures in being required
each lock- Such words and figures to be sunk by
stamping, if the shell he made of woursht sheet brass
or To be raised if the shell ba made Of cast metal All
the locks for registered mails to be uniformly alike
excepting the numbers marked them and all their
keys which should be case-hardened iron and MCKEE
plated are to be also alike that any of all the
keys which may be furnished for them shall easily fit
and readily open any and all of the locks Tie
keys should have shank nearly two inches long be,
the bit and the bow and the bow should be solid
the words U. s. Registered Mall and upon the oppo
site side such number lin figures not less than one
eighth of an inch long, may he ordered every kew
to have different number, of which none will exceed
four places of figures
The locks for the Street Letter Boxes are to be made
of hard and tough BRASS and the key hole each lock
should lie in the lowest part Of the wall of the shell or
case when the lock hanging by its shacke and should
be sheltered by sufficient iuttng out of the urper and
lower rim around that part of the wall The interior
mechanism of the lock should be in position somewhat
remote from the keyhole and be operated easily by ts
venient length and sufficient strength and stiffness
The bow Of the key should be solid with small hole
through it, and is to have [. 5. Letter Carrier"
stamped side and such figures and letters
stamped on the opposite side may he ordered The
face of each lock is to have il u Street Latter
Boz in either raised sunk letters and any other let
tiers besides, not exceeding three that may ordered
I'll the locks and keys Of the or letters are
to be adapted to each other and lock be opened
by any key not marked with the letter or letters
The locks of each kind contracted for must be dely-
cred according to order at the Post Office Department
at the risk and expense OF the contractor put up in
ptstebnari boxes OF five locks each and packed in
strong wooden boxes containing not more than two
hundred locks each Tie keys such locks are to lie
strung, by the natural series of numbers wire rods
containing hundred keys, and are to he deiiy
cred to agent of the Department specially authorized
receive them and convey the from the inanuf,c
tory this Department where both the locks and keys
to be inspected and approved conormable the
adopted sample before they shall be paid for.
From the sample locks and keys Submitted under this
advertisements the Postmaster General will make "a
selection for contract unless he should deem proper
for the interests of the service decline accepting any
of the proposals and samples presented Therefore the
right to reject any and all the proposals and samples il
hereby reserved to him.
A decision the several proposals and various SAM
pies submitted will bo made before the second ay
of February 1871 aid within thirty days thereafter the
bidder bidders whose proposals may have been ac
ceptrd must enter int" contract with bond and security
hereinafter specified.
The contracts which may be made will be for the
term of four years from aud after the first day of jan
nary 1874.
will he required by contract to furnish said locks and
keys in such quantities. and ut such times as NAV be
ordered y the Postmaster General and must agree and
he able. furnish Il rec Thousand such locks and siy
hundred of such keys if so ordered within three months
after the receipt of such order and furnish thereafter
any further quantities of such locks and keys the
same may be ordered. On entering into the contract
the contractor must bond in the penalty of
thousand dollars. with sufficient sureties c.r.
titled 10y the postmaster where they resido conditioned
the full and faithful performance Of such contract
The tractor for locks and keys for Letter
Boxes Will lie required 10 furnish such locks and KEYS
III such quantities. and at such times. ordered
by the Postmaster General and nus agree and I allie
Ia furnish twelve Thousand of suc locks and six tnus-
and of such keys. il ordered within six months after
the receipt of such order, and furnish thereafter any
further quantities Of such locks and keys as the
may he ordered. On entering into this contract the
contractor must execute bond in the penalty twenty
thousand dollars with two sufficient suretics certiird
10y the postmaster of the place where they reside CON
ditiune for the fail aud faithful performance Of such
contract
Both contract, will contain provision binding the
contractor to guard with due privacy, integrity and
the manufacture and custody of the locks and
keys in the finished and unfni she'd state, They will
also contain the provision that in case of any default
on the part contractor. causing til. Pstmust. Ter
General to annul the contract all locks and keys
.led unfinished. and all such Patterns drawings
gauges and dies in possession Of the contractor as may
enable others to make successfully forge countert
such locks and keys shall. such amnunent of the
contract. become the property of the United States for
the of the Post Oace Departments: and. thcrrrIpnn
the Postmaster General shall have the right hrsid
the from the contractor who shall promptly sur
render the same, the order writing the Post
master General without comp any claim To-
compensation whatever, for the sanr: also that the
Postmaster General shall in that case have the full AMI
absolute right t" employ any other pea persons 10
make AMI furnish similar locks and keys. without any
charge clam whatever for the thereby
of any patent "f tn" dritulting contractor
Every proposal must specify Internationally. the
price of each Luck and Key offered he furnished and
must be accompanied with bond the penalty of two
thousand dollars executed hy the bidder and two >nff
cirnt surees Certified 10y the postmaster of the place
viii, they resde conditioned for the bidders enter
ing into contract with bond and security AS hcreinLr
fore specified in cse hls proposal shall he accepted ly
the Postmaster General.
Blank forms Of proposals and accompany ing bond aud
certificate will he furnished application the Second
Assistant Postmaster General and all bidders
ques,cd To conform thereto in submitting proposals
under this advertisement
Every proposal should be enclosed in a sealed envelope
indGrsed PROPOSALS FOR MAIL LOCKS AND
KEYS" and be addressed TO the SECOND ASSISTANT